Pine Pollen

[Marklkiefer58]

First spring to hammock camp. Live in Georgia so the Pine pollen is in full bloom. Was wondering how people get rid of it on their hammock. My thought was just to take a hose to it or to put it in a bucket of water and swish it around, rinse and probably repeat. But I am just conjecturing. What do other people do? PS, have a chameleon 1.6 if that matters to this question. Thanks, Mark.

[TrailSlug]

Did you use a tarp? I've camped for years and never had that much pollen on my hammock that I though I needed to wash it off.

[SilvrSurfr]

Never had to wash pollen off my hammock. Then again, I almost always use a tarp.

[Otter1]

If one is allergic, the slightest bit is bad news.

Hand wash in h2O should be enough. Rinse and done.

[Marklkiefer58]

When I am camping, yes. But I also just like to throw it up in the backyard and stare at the clouds. Took it down and noticed it was starting to get some pollen. I agree, it wouldn't be a problem with a tarp.

[Shug]

Leaf blower perhaps.
Damp cloth.
Take hammock down and shake it.
Duster.
Hand broom.

Shug

[Five Tango]

I live in Georgia and clean my porch with a blower in one hand and a water hose in the other.I bet it would work on tarps and hammocks too.

[Grumpy Squatch]

In parts of Massachusetts and New England where the white pines bloom we suffer from the yellow scourge for several months a year. I've lived in New Jersey, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wyoming and I've never seen anything like we get here. So if you are talking about the same kind of pollen, good luck.

The bucket idea is a start, but you need some kind of soap/detergent. The problem is that pollen is coated with proteins that help it stick to surfaces, including the resin of female pine cones and especially fabrics. Thus, at least in my experience, it doesn't just wash off of surfaces with a quick spray of water or quick wipe or quick shake. Here we end up with pollen so thick that the first heavy spring rain creates rivers of yellow and it collects on the surface of ponds and lakes. It floats in cluds when the breeze blows. It coats houses. It gets everywhere. I have to change the cabin air filter in my car every 30 days in May and June and sometimes July.

So if you're out in that mess, try a little mild detergent in the water bucket. I find it works better. Good luck.

[Marklkiefer58]

In parts of Massachusetts and New England where the white pines bloom we suffer from the yellow scourge for several months a year. I've lived in New Jersey, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wyoming and I've never seen anything like we get here. So if you are talking about the same kind of pollen, good luck.

The bucket idea is a start, but you need some kind of soap/detergent. The problem is that pollen is coated with proteins that help it stick to surfaces, including the resin of female pine cones and especially fabrics. Thus, at least in my experience, it doesn't just wash off of surfaces with a quick spray of water or quick wipe or quick shake. Here we end up with pollen so thick that the first heavy spring rain creates rivers of yellow and it collects on the surface of ponds and lakes. It floats in cluds when the breeze blows. It coats houses. It gets everywhere. I have to change the cabin air filter in my car every 30 days in May and June and sometimes July.

So if you're out in that mess, try a little mild detergent in the water bucket. I find it works better. Good luck.

Thanks, sounds like our pine pollen. When it rains it looks like gold rivers. By just talking about it I can taste it on the roof of my mouth.

[Grunt]

Having recently moved from your area, I can say I do not miss the Yellow Car Syndrome this time of year. I can't even imagine camping in it.

In the service, we cleaned everything textile with a soft brush a clean water. Good luck, and I hope the morel mushrooms are rampant down there this year. The reports look good so far.