One indicator of spring in Southwest Florida? Pollen problems for both vehicles and people.
Have you noticed a yellow-ish film coating your sedan, pickup, Jeep or other car lately? Maybe some round white spots on your windows? You’re also breathing that same fine dust. Maybe it’s not only your chariot of choice experiencing the unpleasantness but also your respiratory system. But first, let’s handle the wheeled situation.
Andrew Casabene, site manager at Downtowner Car Wash in Estero, explains what you’re dealing with.
"Pollen is mildly acidic, so it likes to work its way into the clear coat if it sits on there long enough. So just depending on the condition of the paint, if it's sitting outside, it just likes to etch its way slowly in over time. So it can be difficult to remove hand washing or going through automated tunnels."
And the hard-to-remove part really does matter.
"Over time, when it's combined with rain or moisture, it can become abrasive," Casabene said. "So if it's removed improperly, you can start getting light scratching or swirling on the paint, which is very expensive to repair."
Besides hitting the car wash, where they have particular methods for removing the pollen, there are things you can do yourself to remove the stuff. A microfiber mitt or sponge can help get rid of that pollen layer.
And what’s good for the car is good for the body, says Dr. Julie Gatza of the Florida Wellness Institute in Clearwater. Consider showering before bed to get that film off your body and hair, she says.
"If it's on your car windows and doors, it's definitely on your hair and skin and clothes," she said.
Also, "make sure that Fido isn't in the bed with you and maybe the cat that's outdoors because it's bringing in the pollens as well."
Allergies can be a particular problem to Floridians.
"A lot of us are transients, and we've moved from other areas. So we're not always been brought up with the pollens and the different flowers that are native to this area. So a lot of us will experience different symptoms that maybe we didn't from our home states."
What particular flora is causing all the fuss? We asked J.J. Hernandez, nursery manager at Golden Gate Nursery.
"Usually that's most noticeable is from the slash pines, which is a Florida native. And that's where you get that yellow dusty that's all over your car, all over your porch that you see every year. There's the bald cypress, which they're starting to come and refoliate. It's a deciduous tree. And then when they refoliate, usually they're starting to bloom also. And also another main one is the oak trees, which is another Florida native or the live oak, which grows in this area," Hernandez said.
He believes that some of the blooming flowers causing additional problems are due to the drier weather we’ve had since last summer. Whatever the cause, he thinks that this spring, the pollen does seem to be more prevalent.
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