Short answer
North Texas has two big pollen peaks, mountain cedar in winter and oak in early spring, plus grass through the warm months and ragweed in the fall. Keep windows closed on high-count days, damp-dust instead of dry-dusting, vacuum with a HEPA filter, wash bedding weekly in hot water and change your HVAC filter on time. Allergic family members should wear a mask while cleaning or let someone else do it.
Anyone who's lived in DFW for a few winters knows the cedar fever feeling. Itchy eyes in January, a film of yellow on the car in March, sneezing again in the fall. Cleaning won't cure allergies, and it doesn't replace an allergist. What it can do is cut down how much pollen and dust you're living with indoors.
When the pollen hits
A 2025 study by Crisp and Richards looked at 15 years of counts, 2009 through 2023, from the National Allergy Bureau's pollen station in North Texas. These are the average season dates it found.
| Pollen | Average start | Average peak | Average end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juniper (mountain cedar) | Nov 2 | Jan 17 | Mar 27 |
| Oak | Mar 13 | Mar 31 | Apr 17 |
| Grass | Mar 7 | May 9 | Nov 3 |
| Ragweed | Jul 21 | Sep 29 | Nov 14 |
The study found that oak and juniper together make up more than half of the pollen in a typical year, and that daily pollen levels have been rising over time. Season edges in a study like this are statistical, so your nose may notice a shorter season than the table shows.
Local health systems describe the seasons in rounder numbers. Children's Health in Dallas lists cedar in December through February, oak and other trees in February through June, grass in March through September and ragweed in August through November. It also notes that mold is around all year and peaks from July through late summer. Texas A&M AgriLife says cedar pollen usually starts in mid-December, peaks in mid-January and tapers off by early March, and that cold fronts tend to set it off.
For daily counts, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology points people to the National Allergy Bureau at pollen.aaaai.org.
Keep pollen outside
Most pollen gets in on people, pets and open windows. Stop it at the door and you have a lot less to clean.
- Windows and doors closed on high-count days. UT Southwestern, Baylor Scott and White and Texas A&M AgriLife all give this advice. Run the AC instead.
- Shoes off at the door. Put a washable mat outside and another inside, and wash them often in pollen season.
- Shower and change after time outside. UT Southwestern and Baylor Scott and White both recommend it. Don't bring yard-work clothes into the bedroom.
- Don't line-dry laundry. Baylor Scott and White advises against it during allergy season. Sheets on a clothesline in January come back covered in cedar.
- Wipe down pets. A damp towel over a dog's coat after a walk keeps pollen off the couch and the bed.
Clean so the dust stays gone
Damp-dust, don't dry-dust. A feather duster or dry rag lifts pollen and dust into the air, and it lands somewhere else. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology recommends a wet mop or cloth. A barely damp microfiber cloth works well on most surfaces.
Vacuum with a HEPA filter. AAAAI recommends a vacuum with a HEPA filter or double bags. It also says people with allergies should wear a mask while vacuuming or have someone else do it.
Clean when the allergic person is out. ACAAI says dust can take more than two hours to settle after cleaning. It suggests cleaning when the allergic person is away and not cleaning their bedroom right before bedtime. ACAAI also suggests wearing an N95 mask while dusting, sweeping or vacuuming.
Hit the horizontal surfaces often. Window sills, ceiling fan blades, the tops of door frames, bookshelves and the top of the fridge collect a film fast in pollen season.
Wash the soft stuff. Throw blankets, couch pillow covers and curtains hold pollen. Wash what you can, and vacuum upholstery with the brush attachment.
The bedroom matters most
You spend hours in it every night, so this room gets the most attention.
- Encase the mattress and pillows. AAAAI recommends allergen-proof covers on the mattress, box spring and pillows.
- Wash bedding weekly. On temperature, the sources disagree, and we'd rather tell you than pick one quietly. AAAAI's indoor allergen page says to wash in hot water at 130 degrees F and dry in a hot dryer. ACAAI says no more than 120 degrees F. A 2013 practice guide from both groups says weekly washing is what matters and high temperature isn't necessary, and warns that water heaters set above 120 degrees F are a scald risk. Our take is weekly, the hottest water the fabric label allows, then a hot dryer.
- Keep pets off the bed in peak season if someone in the house is allergic.
- Keep humidity down. ACAAI suggests keeping indoor humidity below 50 percent, which also helps with mold and dust mites.
Filters and air cleaners
EPA's guide to air cleaners in the home suggests an HVAC filter rated at least MERV 13, or the highest rating your system can handle. Ask an HVAC technician before you jump ratings, since some systems can't push air through a dense filter. EPA says to replace filters every 60 to 90 days, or sooner if they're dirty. During cedar and oak season, check monthly.
A portable air cleaner with a HEPA filter helps in a bedroom. EPA says to size it to the room using its clean air delivery rate, or CADR. Its example is a 200-square-foot room needing a CADR of about 130. EPA also says removing the source of the problem and ventilating come first, and air cleaners add to that.
A seasonal plan for DFW
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Early December, before cedar | New HVAC filter, deep dust, wash curtains and bedding, clean window sills and tracks |
| December to February | Windows closed, weekly bedding, damp-dust twice a week, wipe pets after walks |
| Early March, before oak | New HVAC filter, wash entry mats, wipe patio furniture and sills |
| March and April | Same habits as cedar season, plus washing outdoor cushions and wiping window screens |
| Summer | Watch humidity and bathroom mold. Saharan dust can arrive too |
| Late August to November | Ragweed season. Back to closed windows on high-count days, and another filter change |
KETR, a North Texas public radio station, reported on June 30, 2026, that Saharan dust was back in North Texas, bringing hazy skies, lower air quality and allergy-like symptoms. On those days, keep windows closed and dust surfaces a bit more often.
A note on cleaning products
Strong scents can bother some people with allergies or asthma. A mild, unscented soap and water handles most dusting and wiping. If you disinfect, follow the label and ventilate. And never mix cleaners. Our page on products you should never mix explains why.
Common questions
When is cedar fever season in Dallas-Fort Worth?
Mountain cedar, also called Ashe juniper, is a winter pollen. Texas A&M AgriLife says it usually starts in mid-December, peaks in mid-January and tapers off by early March. A 15-year study of a DFW pollen station found juniper peaking on average around January 17.
How do I get pollen out of my house?
Keep windows and doors closed on high-pollen days, take shoes off at the door, and change clothes after time outside. Damp-dust surfaces, vacuum with a HEPA filter, wash bedding weekly and replace your HVAC filter on schedule.
What temperature should I wash bedding in for allergies?
Sources differ. AAAAI's indoor allergen page says 130 degrees F. ACAAI says no more than 120 degrees F, and an AAAAI and ACAAI practice guide says washing weekly matters more than high temperature, warning about scald risk above 120 degrees. We'd use the hottest water the fabric label allows, weekly, and a hot dryer.
What air filter should I use for allergies?
EPA's guide to air cleaners suggests a filter rated at least MERV 13, or the highest rating your system can handle, and replacing it every 60 to 90 days or sooner if dirty. Ask an HVAC technician what your system can take.
Rather have someone else do it?
V&V cleans homes across Dallas-Fort Worth. Free estimates, insured, se habla español.
Sources
- A 15-year survey of pollen aeroallergens in North Texas (Crisp and Richards, J Allergy Clin Immunol Global, 2025) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Cedar fever season begins in Texas (Texas A&M AgriLife Today, Dec 11, 2024) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Dallas named one of the worst cities for allergies (Children's Health, updated Mar 7, 2024) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Allergist offers tips on dealing with cedar allergy season (Baylor Scott and White Health, Jan 4, 2026) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Seasonal allergy relief (UT Southwestern MedBlog, Apr 14, 2025) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Managing Indoor Allergen Culprits (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Hay fever and pollen counts (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- National Allergy Bureau pollen and mold counts (AAAAI) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Dust Allergy (American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Dust mite allergy practice parameter (AAAAI and ACAAI Joint Task Force, 2013) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home (U.S. EPA) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Saharan dust is back in North Texas (KETR, Jun 30, 2026) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)