Seasonal Allergies: Causes & Prevention Tips

Found indoors in areas where skin is shed, dust mites can trigger seasonal allergies. Microscopic in size, it’s the faeces that they produce which have negative impacts. Dust mites are commonly found in mattresses pillows, pet beds, carpeting, upholstered furniture, and foam rubber bedding. Because they are an indoor pest, dust mites can cause allergies throughout the year. When dust is present in the home, it’s likely that dust mites are too.

Grass, tree, and weed pollen can be year-round or specific to season, depending on how warm the climate is. Invisible to the naked eye, pollen can travel widely once airborne and access indoors. It can also become attached to clothing, hair and pet hair, and transfer to furniture and carpeting that way. Tree pollen and grass pollen are mostly associated with spring and summer months.

Mould spores can not only be tracked in from outdoors – for example from wet leaves, moist soil, or rotting wood - but can also be found in upholstered furniture, garbage bins, mattresses, air conditioning units, humidifiers, wallboards, wood, fabric, damp basements, closets, bathrooms, refrigerator drip trays, and even houseplants.

Common mould types which cause season allergies include Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium – and can be find in both cold and warm months.

Pet dander refers to the proteins, skin flakes, saliva and urine which attach themselves to dust and pet hair. They can also harbour dust mites, and act as a source of food for them. Dander can cause year-wide allergies, and pet fur can collect pollen, mould spores, and other allergens, so it’s important to remove pet hair from the home regularly and effectively.

During winter (when homes are sealed to keep in heat and are never or rarely ventilated), other airborne irritants can cause allergic reactions. These irritants can be sourced from all over the home. For example, perfumed products like hair stylers, self-care products or scented candles in bathrooms and bedrooms can trigger allergy symptoms. Throughout the rest of the house, paint, cooking fumes, and cleaning products can cause seasonal allergy symptoms. Even car exhaust fumes from garages or smoke from fireplaces and wood burning stoves, can too cause allergic reactions and respiratory distress.