Beurer Magazine
Everyday Wellbeing
Hay fever: how to keep pollen out of your home
If your spring started with a box of tissues and eyes that will not stop itching, you are in good company. Allergic rhinitis, better known as hay fever, is a familiar complaint across South Africa, and depending on where you live the grass pollen season can drag on into autumn. Here is what pollen does to you, when it peaks where you live, and the practical steps that keep it out of your home.
Key takeaways
- Hay fever is your immune system overreacting to pollen. In South Africa grass is the most common pollen: around Cape Town it flies in spring and early summer, inland and on the east coast from January into autumn.
- Most pollen gets in through open windows, on clothes and hair, and on pets. Closing up at peak times, showering after being outdoors and damp cleaning cut it right down.
- An air purifier with a HEPA filter takes pollen out of the air in the rooms you use most.
In this article
- What is hay fever?
- Symptoms of hay fever
- What causes hay fever?
- When is pollen season in South Africa?
- How does pollen get into your home?
- Five ways to keep pollen out of your home
- Managing hay fever when you are out and about
- How does an air purifier with a HEPA filter help?
- Air purifiers from Beurer South Africa
- Common questions about hay fever and air purifiers
What is hay fever?
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen. It has nothing to do with hay or fever: the medical name is allergic rhinitis, and it means your immune system has decided that pollen, the fine dust that grasses, trees and weeds release to reproduce, is dangerous. Every time you breathe it in, your body responds as if it were fighting an infection. It releases histamine and other chemical messengers, and the lining of your nose, eyes and throat becomes inflamed. That inflammation is what you feel as sneezing, itching and a blocked or runny nose.
Symptoms of hay fever
The typical signs of hay fever are sneezing, itchy watery eyes and a blocked or runny nose. No two people have exactly the same mix, but most will recognise a few of these:
- Sneezing fits, often first thing in the morning
- Itchy, red or watery eyes
- A blocked or constantly running nose
- An itchy throat or roof of the mouth
- A tickly cough
- Itchy skin or a rash
If this sounds like you every spring and summer, hay fever is the likely explanation. A pharmacist can help with the day to day symptoms, and an ear, nose and throat specialist or an allergist can test exactly which pollens set you off.
What causes hay fever?
Hay fever develops when the immune system overreacts to pollen. Why one person reacts and the next does not is still not fully understood, but researchers do know that a few things make it more likely:
Family history
If one or both of your parents have allergies, your own chances are higher. The tendency to develop allergies is inherited, though not the allergy itself. A family history does not mean you will get hay fever, only that the odds are stacked a little against you.
Air pollution
Dirty air may make pollen more aggressive. A 2023 study of birch trees found that pollen collected in places with more particulate matter and nitrogen oxides carried more of its main allergen.A That may be one reason hay fever feels worse in big cities, where traffic and pollen share the same air.
Childhood environment
Children who grow up on farms, around animals and farm milk, get less hay fever and asthma than children who do not.B This observation is the basis of the so called hygiene hypothesis: contact with a wide range of bacteria and other microbes early in life may teach the immune system to leave harmless things like pollen alone. Exactly how that works is still being researched.
Diet
Diet may play a part too. A balanced plate with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats is thought to support the immune system, while a diet heavy in processed food, sugar and saturated fat is thought to promote inflammation. A review of studies from several countries found that children and teenagers who eat fast food often are more likely to have allergic rhinitis.C That is a link, not proof that takeaways cause hay fever.
When is pollen season in South Africa?
In South Africa the pollen season starts at the end of winter, and how long it lasts depends on where you live. Tree pollen comes first everywhere: the main tree season starts in the last week of August, peaks in September and tails off by early December.D Grass pollen, the most common pollen in the country, follows the rain. In the winter rainfall region around Cape Town the grass season runs from late September to January, which is spring and early summer, with a peak in October. In the summer rainfall regions such as Gauteng, the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal grass pollen rises from January, peaks around March and only drops away in May or June, so late summer and autumn are the worst months there.D After grass, the most common pollen types across the country are cypress, mulberry and buddleja. The researchers behind the national pollen network, Esterhuizen and colleagues, concluded that "the main pollen types found in South Africa were from exotic vegetation", mostly wind pollinated trees from the northern hemisphere.D Knowing which pollen troubles you, and when it flies, is half the battle.
Your city matters as much as the month. The same network found big differences in pollen types and amounts even between Johannesburg and Pretoria, which share a climate and a rainfall pattern.D The Real Pollen Count, run by the UCT Lung Institute at pollencount.co.za, publishes weekly counts for Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Gqeberha and more, so you know when it is worth keeping the windows shut.
How does pollen get into your home?
Pollen gets into your home through open windows and doors, on your clothes and hair, and on your pets. It is light, sticky and everywhere, so it does not need much of an invitation:
- Open windows and doors: on a warm, windy afternoon a steady stream of pollen drifts straight in
- Clothes and hair: a walk, a school run or a braai outside and you carry a dusting of pollen back indoors
- Pets: a dog that has been rolling on the lawn brings the lawn into the lounge with it
Five ways to keep pollen out of your home
To keep pollen out of your home, close up at peak times, wash it off when you come in, clean with a damp cloth and filter the room air. You cannot change the pollen count, but you can control how much of it ends up inside:
- Keep windows and doors closed at peak times, especially on warm, windy days when the count is high
- Run an air purifier with a HEPA filter in the rooms where you spend the most time, above all the bedroom
- Dry washing indoors or in a tumble dryer during the season, because sheets on the line collect pollen all afternoon
- Shower, wash your hair and change clothes when you come in from outside, and keep outdoor clothes out of the bedroom
- Vacuum and damp wipe regularly, because dry dusting just sends the pollen back into the air
Managing hay fever when you are out and about
Out and about, sunglasses, a quick look at the pollen count and closed car windows all cut down how much pollen reaches you. You cannot seal yourself indoors for four months, so a few habits help on the road:
- Wear sunglasses outdoors to keep pollen out of your eyes
- Check the pollen count before planning a long run, a hike or a day at the sports field
- Keep the car windows closed and the air conditioning on recirculate on high pollen days
- Ask your pharmacist about antihistamines, nasal sprays or eye drops for the days when symptoms flare up
If your symptoms are severe, keep you awake at night or affect your breathing, speak to your doctor. Hay fever is common, but it should not run your life.
How does an air purifier with a HEPA filter help?
An air purifier with a HEPA filter pulls the room air through a very fine filter and traps the pollen in it, so you breathe less of it indoors. HEPA is short for High Efficiency Particulate Air, and the filter catches tiny particles as air is pushed through it. For a hay fever household it is an effective way to get pollen out of the air you breathe indoors, and it deals with a lot more than pollen:
- House dust and dust mite allergens
- Pet hair and dander
- Pollen and mould spores
- Fine dust and smoke particles
- Many bacteria and viruses
- Odours and harmful gases, through the activated carbon layer
How Beurer air purifiers work
Beurer air purifiers clean the air in three stages: a pre-filter, an activated carbon filter and a HEPA filter. A fan draws the room air into the unit. The pre-filter catches the coarse stuff first: dust, hair and fluff. An activated carbon filter then absorbs odours, cooking smells and volatile organic compounds. Finally the HEPA filter traps the fine particles, including pollen, mould spores, dust mite allergens and many bacteria and viruses. Some models add ionisation or UV light as an extra step. The cleaned air flows back into the room through the outlet at the top.
Every Beurer air purifier in the South African range uses a three layer filter. All of them except the LR 330, which combines purifying and humidifying and uses an EPA E10 filter, carry a HEPA H13 filter and reach a filter performance of up to 99.95 percent. Whether it stands in the bedroom, the lounge or a home office, it keeps working while the pollen count outside climbs.
Air purifiers from Beurer South Africa
Beurer South Africa offers air purifiers for rooms of different sizes, all available from the online shop. The compact LR 210 is suited to bedrooms and smaller living spaces of up to 26 m², the LR 220 covers rooms of up to 37 m², the LR 310 covers rooms of up to 54 m², and the app-controlled LR 400 and LR 401 clean rooms of up to 69 m². The LV 500 combines a HEPA H13 air purifier with a cooling fan, and the LR 330 purifies and humidifies the air in one device for rooms of up to 35 m².
In a bedroom, noise matters as much as room size, because the purifier runs while you sleep. The LR 210 has a night mode with a dimmed control panel that runs at around 31 dB, the LR 220 runs at around 32 dB in night mode with dimmed lights, the LR 400 and LR 401 drop below 30 dB in night mode, and the LR 310 runs at around 30 dB on its lowest level. The LR 330 also has a night mode, and the LV 500 has a sleep mode that switches off the display and the indicator lights.
From the Beurer South Africa shop
Beurer LR 220 Air Purifier | Clean Air for Allergy Sufferers | Filters Pollen, Dust & Bacteria | Rooms up to 37m²
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Beurer Germany LR 210 Air Purifier: 99.95% Cleaner Air for Allergy Sufferers. For Rooms up to 26m2
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Beurer LR 330 2-in-1 Air Purifier & Humidifier | Filter Allergens, Dust, Pollen, Pet Hair & More | For Rooms Up To 35m²
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Beurer Air Purifier with HEPA Filter: 99% Cleaner Air for Allergy Sufferers: LR 310 for Rooms up to 54m2
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Beurer LR 400 Air Purifier with App: 99% Cleaner Air for Allergy Sufferers with HEPA FiIter for Max Room Size 69m2
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Beurer Germany LR 401 App Controlled Air Purifier with Smart Sensor: 99% Cleaner Air for Allergy Sufferers
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Beurer LV 500 Air Purifier & Cooling Fan | Filters Allergens & Cools | HEPA H13 Filter
BeurerCommon questions about hay fever and air purifiers
Which Beurer air purifier is best for a bedroom if you have hay fever?
For a bedroom or a smaller living space of up to 26 m² the compact Beurer LR 210 is the natural fit, the LR 220 covers rooms of up to 37 m², the LR 310 covers rooms of up to 54 m², and the app-controlled LR 400 and LR 401 handle rooms of up to 69 m². For sleeping, look at the night mode: the LR 210 runs at around 31 dB in night mode with a dimmed panel, the LR 220 at around 32 dB, and the LR 400 and LR 401 drop below 30 dB. All of them use a HEPA H13 filter, so the difference is room size, noise at night and whether you want app control.
Does a HEPA air purifier remove pollen from the air?
Yes. A HEPA H13 filter traps fine particles, including pollen, mould spores and dust mite allergens, as the room air is pushed through it. Beurer air purifiers with this filter reach a filter performance of up to 99.95 percent.
When is hay fever season in South Africa?
The season starts at the end of winter. Tree pollen flies from the last week of August to early December and peaks in September, in spring. Grass pollen, the most common pollen in the country, follows the rain: around Cape Town the grass season runs from late September to January, spring and early summer, while in the summer rainfall regions such as Gauteng, the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal it rises from January, peaks around March and lasts into May or June, late summer and autumn.
Does an air purifier also help with pet hair, dust and smoke?
Yes. The same HEPA filter catches pet hair and dander, house dust, dust mite allergens, fine dust and smoke particles, and the activated carbon layer absorbs odours and cooking smells.
Where can I buy a Beurer air purifier in South Africa?
From the Beurer South Africa online shop at beurer.co.za. The models in stock, with current prices, are listed above in this article.
Sources:
A Stawoska I, Myszkowska D, Oliwa J et al. Air pollution in the places of Betula pendula growth and development changes the physicochemical properties and the main allergen content of its pollen. PLoS ONE 2023; 18(1): e0279826
B von Mutius E. Farm lifestyles and the hygiene hypothesis. Clinical and Experimental Immunology 2010; 160(1): 130 to 135
C Wang CS, Wang J, Zhang X et al. Is the consumption of fast foods associated with asthma or other allergic diseases? Respirology 2018; 23(10): 901 to 913
D Esterhuizen N, Berman DM, Neumann FH et al. The South African Pollen Monitoring Network: insights from 2 years of national aerospora sampling (2019 to 2021). Clinical and Translational Allergy 2023; 13: e12304
This article offers general information and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist.