You know it's coming. There's no way to stop it. And you dread it. It's the onslaught of weed pollen that comes out every year from August until October and triggers your annoying allergy symptoms. Ragweed plants can produce a billion pollen grains each day during an average season, and although you can't avoid it entirely, planning ahead will help you prevent at least some suffering. Take Claritin for 24 hour non-drowsy allergy symptom relief and follow these steps you can take to minimize your exposure:

• Stay indoors during peak pollen production, usually from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.
  
  
• Monitor pollen counts and adjust outdoor activities accordingly. Dry, windy days, especially after a rainy day, can be particularly high in pollen.
  
  
• After you've been outside, change your clothes and take a quick shower – pollen from the air can collect on your clothes and hair.
  
  
• Pollen can also get inside your car. When traveling, keep windows rolled up and use your air conditioner on recirculate to reduce exposure.
  

Molds are also in full force during the autumn months in some areas – especially the South and Midwest. Mold counts are generally highest during late summer and early fall, due to decaying vegetation. Parasitic fungi are also numerous during harvest time, when their spores become airborne.

You can reduce your exposure to molds by controlling mold growth indoors, avoiding places where molds tend to grow, and minimizing activities that can stir up mold spores. To reduce your exposure to mold allergens:

Outdoors

• Avoid areas that are breeding grounds for molds – basements, garages, crawl spaces, barns, compost heaps, woodpiles and fallen leaves.
  
  
• Keep the yard free of fallen leaves.
  
  
• Avoid yard work that may increase your exposure to pollen and molds, such as mowing, raking and weeding. If you must do yard work, wear a pollen-filtering mask.
  
  
• Store firewood outdoors.
  

Indoors

• Keep the humidity in your house below 50% to discourage mold growth. If humidity is high, use air conditioners and dehumidifiers. Also consider installing a dehumidifier in the basement or other damp, enclosed areas.
  
  
• Use an exhaust fan over the stove and in the bathroom to remove extra humidity generated by cooking and showering.
  
  
• Air out damp clothes and shoes before putting them away.
  
  
• Don't leave damp laundry lying in the washing machine for long periods of time.
  
  
• Clean the refrigerator and empty the water pan regularly, and discard spoiling food promptly.
  
  
• Wash shower curtains and bathroom tiles, grouting and fixtures with mold-killing and mold-preventing solutions.
  
  
• Use machine-washable bath mats in the bathroom.
  
  
• After leaving the shower, be sure to stretch out the curtain to deter mildew.
  
  
• Keep indoor plants to a minimum, since soil encourages mold growth.
  
  
• Wear a mask if you transplant houseplants or dig around in the soil. Also, immediately empty the water that seeps into the saucers under plants when they're watered.
  
  
• Even dried flowers, including holiday wreaths, often contain molds.
  
  
• Open curtains to allow drying sunlight to shine in.
  
  
• Avoid using pillows, mattresses and furniture that are filled with foam rubber, since sweat makes them moldy. Instead, choose items labeled "hypoallergenic."
  
  
• If you use a humidifier, follow the manufacturer's directions closely, and thoroughly clean equipment regularly. If the humidifier gets moldy, it can spray allergenic spores into the air you breathe. Consider using a steam vaporizer, since most molds don't survive in boiling hot water.
  
  
• Consider using a HEPA filter, especially if you also use a humidifier, to pick up any mold spores that enter the air.
  

For more information on weed pollens or mold spores, visit the Allergen Guide.