Hay fever sufferers may also experience a cough, an itchy nose, and fatigue. However, experts have discussed a strategy to tackle hay fever focusing on your laundry. This Thursday will be a high pollen day across the majority of the UK. While many know to stock up on antihistamines, few will know they can use the laundry to great effect to tackle hay fever.
An expert at Christy England, which provides towels to the Royal Family and is the Official Towel Licensee to The Championships, Wimbledon, explained all to Express.co.uk readers.
They told us how washing your bedding is essential for any time of the year, but during the spring months, it’s especially important.
It’s important to wash your bedding once a week during hay fever season to help reduce the symptoms.
Doing this will help reduce trapped pollen sticking to your linens, as well as sweat from the increasingly warmer nights.
Lucy Ackroyd, Head of Design at Christy, said: “To eliminate allergens, put your bed sheets on a hot wash at least once a week.
“If you suffer from heavy night sweats due to your hayfever or allergies, make sure you change your bedding at least twice a week to keep your fabric feeling clean and fresh.”
She went on: “It’s also important to regularly wash your clothes and change your outfit after a long day of lounging outside – you don’t want that pollen coming home with you.”
The type of bedding you choose can also help to prevent allergy symptoms.
Lucy said: “Choose a cool bed linen made with blended anti-allergy hollowfibre and microfibre to minimise the buildup of dust mites.”
It’s also a good idea to shower when you get home if you have hayfever, and put clothes in the wash.
You will likely have pollen on your hair and skin and clothes.
Washing this off immediately will stop pollen travelling around your surfaces.
This includes the fabric of your sofa and your bedsheets.
The mattress you choose can also have an effect on allergy symptoms.
Keep your room clean, tidy, and hoovered. Your mattress can also be home to a range of bacteria and dust mites that can really set off your allergies.
Director at bed specialist Time4Sleep, Jonathan Warren said: “If you’re looking to reduce allergic reactions in the home, choosing the right mattresses is key.
“The inner cavities of coil spring mattresses can provide a home for dust mites as well as skin cells and mildew which can trigger allergies.
“It’s better to opt for a mattress with a solid core such as memory foam or latex so that there is reduced space for allergens to hide.”
An expert also detailed the importance of mowing your grass to prevent hayfever symptoms.
Symptoms increase in the garden, due to increased exposure to pollen.
The grass is the number one suspect for your hayfever symptoms, according to Carlos Real, gardening expert and managing director of TotalLawn.
“Grass is the most common cause of hay fever as grass pollen scatters in the wind,” Carlos said.
