Every spring, as much as I enjoy the blooming of flowers and other greenery, I fear its effect on me: stuffy nose, red, itchy eyes and sinus discomfort. As a seasonal allergy sufferer, this is something I’m sadly used to, but in the meantime, I’ve built a toolkit of products that help me avoid my allergy symptoms. allergy-proof my home.
Despite seeing pollen all over the streets in my area this spring, and considering that May is usually worst month for allergiesI have never had any allergies. I think the following products are the reason why.
1. Air purifiers
I am like that air purifier fans I currently have, one in each of the most populated areas of my apartment: my bedroom and living room. When spring allergy season starts, I tend to keep it running low to continue catching bugs and preventing them from entering my airways. I blow them up whenever my allergy symptoms are bad, or there are wildfires in the area, as I live in Southern California.
Two that I currently use and recommend Oransi Mod Air Purifier again Airthings are refreshing.
Although I always knew that air purifiers can trap pollutants, mold spores, and smoke allergens, I didn’t know that they can also protect against illness by filtering out germs. During CNET’s lab testing, we found the the best air purifiers for that purpose: be Shark HP232 on low fan setting and Coway Airmega 400S in the upper part of the fans.
Pro tip: Make sure you change your air filter regularly, or you can spit allergens and other impurities back to the air you breathe.
The Oransi Mod air purifier, which I currently have is running out of steam in my living room.
2. Robot space
As someone who is allergic to both pollen and dust, keeping the home clean is important. To make my floors flawless, I rely on my help robot vacuum.
Although it does not have a HEPA filter reduce particles that stay in the air when I clean, and it’s an older model that’s no longer sold, my Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni robot vacuum still gets dust and other particles on my floors, preventing them from moving in the air. Also, its disposable dustbin prevents me from having to manually empty the bugs into the trash, where I might inhale them.
To reduce the particles kicked into the air while my robot vacuum is doing its thing, I always open my windows or have my air cleaners running.
Both the Mova V50 Ultra as well as Ecovacs Deebot T80 Omni robot vacuums with HEPA filters.
3. Air quality monitors
Although my Airthings Renew air purifier has a built-in air quality light that glows green, yellow or red depending on PM2.5 particles (respirable particles with diameters of 2.5 and smaller), my Orange model does not, so I rely Airthings View Plus an air quality monitor between my living room and kitchen to keep me updated on the state of my air in that area.
In addition to temperature, air pressure and humidity, View Plus tracks volatile organic compounds (VOCs, airborne chemicals), carbon dioxide (CO2), radon (radioactive gas) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
I also have an Airthings compact Developing the Wave monitoring the air quality in my room. Since the Renew air purifier sensor only measures PM2.5 particles, I use Wave Enhanced to measure temperature, humidity, air pressure, CO2, VOCs, ambient noise and light to see how different levels can affect my sleep.
All of my Airthings monitors connect to an app on my phone, where I set up notifications to let me know when air quality drops and giving advice to improve it. The app also has a pollen forecast that lets me know when it’s time to turn on my air purifiers, but you can easily check the pollen count online or using other applications.
An Airthings air quality monitor on the wall between my living room and kitchen.
4. A customized humidifier
Allergies can cause inflammation, irritation of the nasal passages, which can reduce the moisture that is released a humidifier. Since my bedroom is usually dry, this is all the more reason for me to use mine Levoit OasisMist Humidifier.
However — and it’s a big one — it’s important to note that by increasing humidity, a humidifier can make your space less hospitable to mold and dust, which are allergens. To reduce this, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology recommends keeping the humidity in your home between 40% and 50%. An air quality monitor or a humidifier that lets you set the humidity level, like the Levoit model I have, can help you maintain this balance.
I would recommend consulting with your doctor or physician to see if a moisturizer is right for your specific needs. If so, you’ll also want to make sure you regularly clean your humidifier and change its filter according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Saline nasal rinse
After a bad sinus infection last spring, my doctor recommended that I use a saline nasal rinse when I experience symptoms of allergies or illness, or when the pollen count is high. Specifically, he advised me to use the Arm and Hammer Simply Saline Nasal Care Daily Mist.
Allergy experts also agree that saline nasal rinse can to help prevent allergy symptoms. If nothing relieves your symptoms, talk to your doctor about allergy treatment, such as antihistamine tablets or a steroid nasal spray.
My trusty Simply Saline nasal rinse, which I use on high pollen days and whenever symptoms arise.
An important point
Allergies are the worst. Simple and easy. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do anything to fight them. As someone who suffers from seasonal allergies, I can say that once I started using the tools and products mentioned above, my allergies became much more manageable.
Now, I can truly enjoy spring flowers instead of seeing them as the root of my stuffy, itchy nose.