Top Eight Ways to Preserve Health In-Home and Outdoors this Allergy Season

(Franchise Buy) - By . Updated Apr 30, 2013

Nashville, TN – According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), pollen season can begin as early as February and last through October. But most people with allergies tend to experience the greatest effects in the spring. With the changing of the seasons comes an increase of pollen and mold in the environment, sparking the widely understood irritant symptoms of sneezing, sniffles, stuffiness and itchy, watery or dry eyes. Common spring allergy triggers include certain types of grasses, trees and flowers, and mold spores.

“At Chem-Dry, while we understand that it’s difficult to completely avoid spring allergies, we also know that there are preventative measures that allergy sufferers can take to help relieve or minimize associated symptoms, both inside and outside the home,” said Dan Tarantin, CEO of Chem-Dry. “Hiring a professional cleaning service to eliminate allergens from your carpets and upholstery is one important step toward ensuring a healthier home. Our carbonating, green-certified solution can safely deep clean carpets and eliminate the toughest germs and allergens. And since Chem-Dry uses 80 percent less water than typical steam cleaning, your carpets dry in hours instead of days and aren’t prone to the mold and mildew growth that can occur from the excessive water used in steam cleaning and can further aggravates allergies.”

Below are eight tips to help safeguard your health this allergy season, both in- and outdoors.

1.      Shut out pollen. Keep doors and windows shut to help keep allergens out of your home. When you do open the doors or windows to allow in the spring breeze, make sure to vacuum afterwards and use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.

2.      Eliminate mold. Mold can kick allergy symptoms into overdrive, so the AAAAI recommends keeping an eye on the areas in your home where mold is most common, including basements, bathrooms, kitchens, and any areas with leaks.

3.      Avoid outdoors from 5-10am. This is when pollen counts are highest, so it’s best to schedule outdoor activities for the afternoon or after storms, when pollen levels are lower.

4.      Avoid certain grasses. The following are the most common grasses that trigger allergies: Timothy, Johnson, Bermuda, Orchard, Sweet Vernal, and Kentucky Bluegrass.

5.      Avoid smaller flowers with little color. These flowers cause severe allergy symptoms, while brightly colored flowers that attract bees and other insects or hummingbirds are generally not allergenic.

6.      Use a household dryer. Avoid air-drying your clothes outside as pollen may gather on them.

7.      Wash your hair. If the pollen count is high on a given day and you’ve been outside for an extended period of time, washing your hair will help eliminate allergy symptoms.

8.      Clean hotspots. To remove pollen and dust, wash pillowcases regularly with hot water. Also, remember to carefully clean bookshelves, vents, windowsills and other areas where pollen can settle.

About Chem-Dry

Founded in 1977, Chem-Dry is the world’s leading carpet and upholstery cleaning service, with a network of over 3,500 units in 35 countries serving over 10,000 homes a day worldwide. Its green-certified solution and proprietary hot carbonating extraction cleaning process provide a deeper clean, allow surfaces to dry faster, and leave homes healthier. Chem-Dry has been ranked the number one carpet cleaning franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 25 consecutive years and has been selected by Franchise Direct as one of the top 100 global franchises. For more information or to schedule a cleaning, visit www.chemdry.com or, for franchise opportunities, visit www.chemdryfranchise.com.  Chem-Dry is owned by Harris Research, Inc., which is also the founder and owner of the fast-growing N-Hance Wood Renewal franchise.

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