Summer is just around the corner, with rumours of a heatwave in the coming weeks, but with the nicer weather comes inevitable seasonal allergies.
It's thought that as many as one in four UK adults suffer from hay fever, and with climate change ramping up, we could be experiencing a hay fever season that is both more severe and extending well into September or October.
To make things worse, the UK is currently experiencing a shortage of hay fever tablets. The lack of available allergy remedies is down to a shortage of chlorphenamine maleate, which is the active ingredient in Piriton and other similar items.
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Meanwhile, the Met Office has issued high pollen warnings for later this week. In the north west, pollen counts are set to be at a moderate level up to and including Thursday. But on Friday and Saturday things will become worse for hay fever sufferers.
When pollen enters the body of a hay fever sufferer, it triggers the production of histamine, which then creates all those unwanted symptoms. Thankfully, home and kitchen appliance company AEG have provided some tips as to how people can avoid feeling uncomfortable.
It said common habits including washing and drying can help alleviate the itch.
Masks could be worsening symptoms
In recent years we have all had to get used to is wearing masks in public settings. While there is some reason to believe that any physical barrier such as a clean, breathable disposable mask or a fabric mask could be blocking pollen particles, the downside is that without proper hygiene, these could be collecting pollen particles in abundance.
The best way to make sure that that our masks are pollen free is to always use a fresh disposable mask, and/or wash reusable masks regularly to make sure pollen isn't collecting in the fabric.
Shower and wash hair more often than normal
We like to move around a lot, especially now we have that little bit more freedom to do so. But with this we should be mindful that we may be collecting pollen particles wherever we go on our clothes, but also in our hair and skin.
Therefore, you’ll need to wash all clothes more often in the summer months when the pollen count is at its highest, but also get yourself in the shower a little more often than you might do normally. This will not only help you cool down, but also wash away those pesky pollen particles.
Wash pillowcases more often
Our bedding can be another key place where pollen particles can collect, particularly as we spend a lot of time face-to-pillowcase. In the summer months, it’s advisable to wash our bedding more than normal so that when we jump under the covers at the end of the day, we’re not facing even more allergens.
Take clothes off ahead of entering the bedroom
You might also want to consider taking clothes off ahead of entering the bedroom and washing hair ahead of climbing into bed. This means that any pollen particles that may be clinging to us aren’t brought into the bed ready to agitate us later.
Where possible, avoid leaving windows open throughout the day too as you could be inviting pesky pollen particles in that will later settle on bedding overnight.
Drying clean laundry outside worsens symptoms
Hanging clothes outdoors in the summer is the more sustainable choice than using tumble dryers for all our washing loads. But during these months there are a few extra things to think about; one of the most crucial being the time of day.
Pollen is very light and easily picked up by the warm air, therefore it rises early in the morning and falls back down during dusk. Because of this, we should avoid having our washing out on the line during these times of day.
Be mindful of open windows when drying clothes indoors
An alternative to outdoor drying is to dry clothing indoors on drying racks, where the warmer air will certainly make short work of drying your clothes. But be mindful of open windows, as they will still allow pollen to blow in and settle on your clothes almost as much as if they were hung outside.
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