People might be tempted to get their washing outside – but it comes with a health risk
People could be making a common condition worse by doing this to clothes(Image: Getty)
People might soon be tempted to take their washing outside to dry, with glimpses of sunshine appearing this week after an especially bitter and wet winter. But anyone with a common allergy should be aware that it may lead to health issues.
The Met Office claims that “almost 10 million people in England” are affected by hay fever, with sufferers coming from all ages. Weather experts claim that this amounts to almost one in four adults and one in ten children, with further research showing that “the number of sufferers is rising year on year”.
As more people develop allergies, they have been reminded that some spring and summer tasks could make symptoms worse without realising it. In advice shared by the Met Office on its website, it advises sufferers: “Avoid drying washing outdoors when the pollen count is high or when cutting the grass, as this can bring pollen into the house.”
Also backed by the NHS, these common tasks can stir up pollen that causes these allergies, and clothes become magnets for stray particles to land on, increasing exposure, especially when brought back into the house. The same advice urges people who suffer to avoid cutting grass or keeping fresh flowers in the house.
People who have no choice but to air their clothes outside in the UK during peak pollen season should shake clothes out thoroughly before bringing them inside. If symptoms are severe, wash them again, as laundry fibres can easily trap pollen.
Air-dried clothes and bedding could be a ‘magnet’ to airborne pollen in the spring and summer(Image: Getty)
How to tell if you have hay fever?
The NHS says on its website that hay fever “can last for weeks or months” at a time. Symptoms are usually worse between late March and September, especially when it’s warm, humid and windy, and the pollen count is at its highest.
Symptoms include:sneezing and coughinga runny or blocked noseitchy, red or watery eyesitchy throat, mouth, nose and earsloss of smellpain around the sides of your head and your foreheadheadachefeeling tired
Common symptoms include sneezing, coughing and a runny or blocked nose(Image: © Grace Cary via Getty)
However, some research indicates that the hay fever season is shifting with climate change. A spokesperson from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said: “Studies suggest that some types of pollen and other allergens could be released earlier in the year and for longer durations as the climate warms. This may mean that hay fever could be triggered as early in the year as January or February.”
For the latest pollen forecast, download the Met Office app from the App Store (Apple) and the Google Play Store (Android). Turn on the pollen notification feature for daily updates.
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