Fight off the pollen invasion

Pollen season – leaving its telltale yellow film on windowsills, tabletops and cars – is upon us with a sneezing, itchy-eyed vengeance. There is no way to avoid the stuff completely, but there are ways to fight back inside our homes.

Here are some options for clearing the air:

Air filtration

•Filters that fit over window screens are a low-tech approach to keeping out the allergens. These reusable filters – some are made of wire mesh, others of plastic – come in frames up to 11 inches tall that expand sideways for a snug fit. They start at about $19 for a seven-inch-tall opening and can cost as much as $28 for an 11-inch model (www.achooallergy.com,www.alerg.com).

•Until you need to turn on the air conditioning, you can use the fan-only mode on window units or a central system to circulate air.

•Room air purifiers filter air within a closed space. They use HEPA filters or other technology to clean air before recirculating it. Prices range from about $40 for a Honeywell model suitable for a 10-by-10-foot room (www.homedepot.com) to $269 for a Hunter purifier that can remove pollen from a 21-by-23-foot room (www.lowes.com).

Housekeeping

Remove pollen regularly from household surfaces by dusting with a microfiber cloth or a slightly damp rag. Clean “top to bottom” to keep particles from flying around.

Personal hygiene

If you are particularly sensitive to pollen, shower and wash your hair before bedtime every night to remove allergens you may have brought indoors.