3 Tips to Help Manage Allergies This Fall

As you well know if you suffer from fall allergies, breathing this time of year can be a challenge. While there’s often not a whole lot you can do outdoors to control triggers, you can make your indoor space an oasis with a few simple indoor air quality tricks.

Dust off cold weather clothing.

Whether or not you’re glad sweater season is back, be sure to give sweaters, jackets and even Halloween costumes a good cleaning before wearing them again this season. Several months in storage gave dust plenty of time to settle. We recommend following each garment's cleaning instructions. For heavier, waterproof jackets that aren’t suited for a washing machine, plan to wipe those down with a wet cloth.

Keep yourself—and your home—clean.

Pollen can gather on your clothing and body after you spend time outside. So after a day outdoors, it’s important to change clothes then wash your face and hands. Doing so ensures that you distance yourself from the allergens. Doing laundry—including your bedding—regularly in hot water can also get rid of any remnants of outdoor dust, pollen or pet dander.

Avoid letting outdoor allergens in.

Speaking of spending time outdoors, certain activities like mowing the lawn or gardening can spur allergies, so consider asking other household members if they can take on end-of-season lawn care when you’re experiencing particularly strong allergy symptoms.¹ Opening windows can also invite pollen into your home, so keep your windows closed on days with high pollen counts. Check your local weather channel or newspaper to see forecasted levels.

Try these tips to determine what method works best for you!

Sources

1. “Seasonal allergies: Nip them in the bud.” Mayo Clinic. 2022.