It’s spring! Flowers are appearing, trees are blooming, and our cars are turning yellow…wait, what’s that last part? Ah yes, the pollen has returned with spring, dousing everything in its powdery yellow substance.

For those of us with allergies, springtime can be the worst time of the year. Despite the beauty that’s growing all around us, the allergens are multiplying in the air, making the first few months of spring utterly miserable. Sneezing, sniffing, itchy eyes; pollen’s symptoms know no end!

If you’ve experienced allergy symptoms, then you know that they can ruin your spring days! When allergies hit, most of us seek the comfort of our homes to escape the outside air, yet often, the air INSIDE your home can be just as bad as it is outside.

So how can you make your home safe from seasonal allergies? Here are seven tips to help improve your indoor air quality and clear out seasonal pollen.

1. Dust and Vacuum Frequently

This may sound obvious, but this is a critical part of keeping allergens at bay! With springtime weather, windows and doors are opened more frequently, allowing pollen to enter your home and infiltrate the air.

By dusting and vacuuming routinely, you can bypass the issue of pollen becoming embedded in your carpets and avoid stirring it up while dusting. Also, using a hypoallergenic vacuum or high-filtration bag will help retain allergens better than most regular vacuums and bags that can leak allergens back into the air.

Keep up with these simple household chores, and you’ll see a decrease in springtime pollen in your home.

2. Keep Your Pets Clean!

If you’ve got pets (especially if they are regularly outside), brushing and bathing them regularly will significantly reduce pollen allergens. Pollen can hide in the coat of your animals, and without grooming your pets routinely, dander and pollen can escape into your home and irritate those in your family who are suffering from allergies.

3. Maintain Your Bedding Material

You often can’t escape your allergies, even when trying to sleep. That’s because pollen settles on everything, including your pillow. If you are a sufferer of allergies, it may be wise to purchase allergen-impermeable pillowcases for the pollen season. It’s important to wash your bedding material in hot water every week. This will get rid of any pollen that’s accumulated or has been brought in and helps you sleep easier this spring!

4. Keep Windows Closed!

This should go without saying, but we’ll mention it anyway. Keep those windows shut! The more outside air you let into your home, the worse it’ll be for those suffering from allergies. Even though the weather is beautiful, you’ll have to enjoy it from afar for a few weeks until the blooms die down.

5. Upgrade Your Air Filter

Most standard air filters only eliminate 3% to 5% of the dust particles and allergens that circulate through them. Upgrading will greatly reduce pollen and allergens that are in your home.

6. Control the Humidity in Your Home

A humidifier can be good for the elimination of allergens in the air. There are small, one-room humidifiers you can buy reasonably cheap if your allergies only last a month or so. For those of us who suffer all year long, a whole-house humidifier will greatly improve the indoor air quality of your home by keeping dry pollen out and the right amount of moisture in.

7. Maintain Your Ductwork

The ductwork in your house disperses air throughout your home, so if your ducts are leaking or not filtering air properly, you could be sending allergens and dust into the rooms of your home. It’s a good idea to make sure your ductwork is in clean, working shape before that air conditioning starts pumping!

Protecting your family from harmful allergens and improving indoor air quality are important. Try these tips this spring as the pollen count begins to rise! As always, F.H. Furr is ready to handle all of your indoor air quality needs!