I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour conducted by Clever Girls Collective on behalf of Claritin®. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program.
This weekend the tall grass was sprouting beautiful grain-like tips which signals an allergy nightmare! Before that I had to contend with my love-hate relationship with spring flowers. Love the flowers, hate the pollen. And the pine trees that form a nice natural barrier between us and our neighbors- fabulous until the yellow pollen rains down on our cars and forms a dust cloud in the sky. Oh, and hay. Totally allergic to hay so I can’t visit a barn unless I’m highly medicated!
- Showering at night. Pollen gets in the hair and on the skin and can be transferred to pillows and sheets. By showering at night, you rinse of any allergens that could pose a risk for morning allergy attacks.
- Running air filters in the home. I love opening our windows to let the fresh air in but running air filters, and being diligent about changing the filters, also helps reduce airborne allergens.
- Investing in a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Besides seasonal allergies, our family also has problems with dust so we have a vacuum with a HEPA filter that traps allergy particles stuck in upholstery and carpets. We also really like our Dyson hand held vacuum
that sucks up the dust bunnies that like to convene in corners!
- Purchasing zippered allergen pillow cases
and mattress covers
to put a barrier between where you sleep and dust mite breeding grounds. Dust mites feed on dead skin that collects on surfaces and love to inhabit pillows and mattresses. Also make sure to wash pillows every three months and replacing them every three years.
Here are some additional tips that I found helpful:
- Easy-to-clean shades or machine washable panels that are cleaned regularly are the best for those suffering from dust allergies. Curtains need to be taken down and dry cleaned every two months to prevent dust buildup.
- Pollen allergy sufferers should take a look at the flowers that tend to attract bees. Most big, bright flowers are bee magnets and their pollen is spread by bees rather than by the wind, so this could mean less pollen in your backyard. Gladiolas and peonies are good choices for low-allergy plants.
- Tree lovers who are allergic to the allergens they produce should plant both flowering trees and bold greenery instead of pollen producing plants in gardens. Trees low in allergens include flowering dogwood, double-flowered cherries and magnolia.
For tips on making your home and garden more beautiful, functional and allergy-friendly visit www.Facebook.com/Claritin. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. Tips from the Claritin Facebook page courtesy of Claritin.
Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
©2012
