The winter season is coming to a close, but the flu is still going around at this point in the year. Many families take steps to safeguard themselves against germs and viruses that are more rampant this time of year by getting a flu shot. If you end up getting sick, you should get a diagnosis from a doctor to make sure it’s the flu. However, many times you could be under the weather due to seasonal Allergies.

Colder weather doesn’t always mean there are fewer Allergens in the air, and cold and flu season can make seasonal allergies harder to identify so you can take steps to safeguard yourself against them.

Identifying The Source

In America, around 35 million people are allergic to pollen. Winter allergies, colds, and the flu all share similar symptoms – a stuffy nose, sore throat, sneezing, and coughing. This makes it more difficult to identify what might be affecting you.

One way to tell the difference is by looking at the amount of time that you’re feeling under the weather. Cold and flu symptoms typically only last a few days to a week. Allergies can last much longer, or even year round if you’re exposed to allergens in your home. Another way to tell the difference is whether medicine effectively treats your ailments. If cold medicine isn’t helping, you might be feeling bad due to allergies.

Safeguarding Against Common Allergens

Pollen, ragweed, and mold are common outdoor allergens that affect millions of people in the fall and winter months. If you suspect you’re allergic to these, you can get a test from a doctor and be prescribed anti-allergens. You can also avoid handling outdoor plants, and making sure you bundle up with gloves if you’re doing any winter gardening.

Unfortunately, it gets a little trickier with indoor allergens. Indoor air can sometimes be much more polluted than the air outdoors.This is because outdoor allergens get inside out homes on our clothes, shoes, pets, you name it. When you combine these with common household allergens like pet dander and dust mites, you end up with the perfect storm of airtborne allergens inside your home.

Some easy steps you can take to reduce the amount of allergens inside your home is to keep your outdoor clothes like shoes and coats in a secluded part of your home like a mud room. You’ll also want to wash your hands regularly. Bathing your pets more often in the times of year that you’re prone to allergies will help, and regularly vacuuming your carpets and furniture will help as well. Keeping your windows and doors closed tight in the wintertime will also reduce the amount of outdoor allergens entering your home.

If you want to really make sure your home is clean, you should have your carpets cleaned by a professional carpet cleaning company. When the season begins, reach out to a carpet cleaner in your area. You can find the best ones by conducting a search on Google – just enter your nearest city and the service you’re looking for, then look through each company’s reviews and websites to see what they have to offer. For instance, if you lived in High Point, North Carolina, you’d enter High Point carpet cleaning to view local results in your area.

Remain diligent about safeguarding yourself from common allergens, and happy carpet cleaner hunting!