If you or your children suffer from seasonal allergies, a clean car can decrease the misery.
When it comes to pollen allergies, decreasing your exposure to the offending substance is the goal, as doing so lowers your body’s reaction. Keeping your vehicle clean, inside and out, can help.
Keep your windows rolled up
It’s a beautiful late spring day that seems like a great time to have the windows down…until you start sneezing. During the high pollen times, keep your windows closed. The goal is to keep pollen out, not expose yourselves to more of it.
Recirculate that air — and change the cabin filter!
Use your car’s recirculated air on cool and run your air conditioning if you need to. Cars have interior cabin filters that trap pollen, dust and other particulates, but it needs to be changed regularly.
Most auto cabin filters are located under the glove box, and you can find replacements at auto parts stores or online. If you don’t want to fuss with that, just ask us to change it out at your next service appointment. Fresh interior air is better for you and your family all year long, and during high pollen season it’s key to lowering the amount of allergens you breathe.
Get frequent car washes
During high pollen seasons, wash your car more often to lower your exposure to allergens. At times the pollen in the Willamette Valley is so thick, it’s actually visible to the naked eye — it looks like a light green layer of dust that settles on surfaces, like the hood and roof of your car. Opening car doors stirs it up, which you then inhale and set off a reaction. So if you need an excuse to turn into a local fundraiser car wash or visit your favorite automatic version, you definitely have one during allergy season. If you can’t get to a car wash, even a rinse with a hose helps.
Vacuum, dust and keep it clean
Pollen and other allergens love clinging to fabrics and surfaces, so use a good strong vacuum to keep your car’s interior clean with frequent vacuuming. Dust regularly to improve your vehicle’s indoor air quality. There are numerous portable air purifiers on the market that might improve your car’s air quality as well. Because we spend a significant amount of time in our cars, it’s worth considering how they impact our family’s health.
Brought to you by:
Nicole Kersey
Nicole Kersey has been with Capitol Auto Group since Sept 2022 as a receptionist. She has two great kids: daughter Kiera, age 12, and son Parker, age 10. She loves working at Capitol Auto Group because it’s family-oriented. Outside of work she enjoys attending Parker’s basketball games, shopping with Kiera and playing Mario Kart with her family.