Hidden allergens on your Christmas tree? How to keep the holidays sneeze-free

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — If a fresh tree and scented candles aren’t enough to tickle your nose this holiday season, how about the dust and mold that sometimes make their way onto your Christmas tree?

As festive, fresh pine smells fill up the air, that holiday spirit can quickly dissipate if you have allergies.

Some tree businesses, like Mr. Jingles Christmas Trees in Hollywood, have hypoallergenic trees. The thick, waxy coating on their Nordmann firs traps allergens and minimizes the release of fragrant oils.

However, doctors say pine allergies are quite uncommon. The issue isn’t usually the tree, but everything else that comes with it.

“There’s weed pollen, mold, critters that are in trees,” said Dr. DeVon Preston, an allergist and immunologist with Cleveland Clinic. “So when you bring that into a home, unless you like, shake it out or wash it off, clean it, then you have the high potential to release mold and other pollens into your home.”

Whether real or artificial, Preston says wiping down your tree can help reduce those allergens hiding in the branches, and same goes for any decorations you may have sitting in storage.

“The ornaments, yeah, we dust them down every year,” said Raha Sharaflari of Hollywood, who suffers from seasonal allergies. That doesn’t stop her from enjoying her favorite: a Noble fir.

“Last year, it was up for a while, but I love the tree, I love the feel, so I try to keep it up for as long as I can,” she said.

When it comes to real trees, Preston said be mindful of how long you keep them up after the holidays.

“The longer you keep it in the home, the longer the mold has to grow and release more spores, so I tend to recommend that, once the season’s over, get rid of your trees.”

Allergists also recommend running an air purifier near your tree to help catch anything you miss.