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Dust Mites
One of the most common causes of allergies in the home are Dust Mites.
Our beautiful, modern homes are made airtight, which is wonderful as
far as preventing heat loss, for example. However, it also makes them
an ideal breeding ground for Dust Mites. Although, microscopic in size, these little critters can be a huge burden for those that are allergic to them.
Dust Mites love the warmth and comfort of bedding, mattresses and
carpets. At night, a person provides a wonderful environment for them,
in the shape of warmth, and provides the dust mite with food, in the
form of dry skin flakes. It is not the actual dust mite itself that
causes the allergic reaction in sensitive individuals, it is their
excrement. As these microscopic creatures are so tiny, and their
droppings even smaller, it doesn’t take much for the allergen to become
airborne. Common allergy symptoms include asthma, eczema, nasal congestion, and itchy eyes. It is a good idea to undertake allergy testing to determine if Dust Mites are actually the cause of your symptoms.
It is unrealistic to try and eliminate Dust Mites completely,
however there are number of measures that we can take to help to
control, and reduce their numbers.
- Carpets – wherever possible, get rid of carpets, and go instead for hardwood or tiles.
- Vacuuming – make sure you vacuum with a good HEPA vacuum
cleaner on a regular basis. It is also a good idea to vacuum your
mattress on a weekly basis.
- Bedding – purchase specially made dust mite covers for
mattresses, and dust mite bedding. Wash bedding frequently in hot water
over 140°F. It is also a good idea to add about 10 drops of tea tree
oil to your load.
- Soft furnishings – reduce the number of soft furnishings in
your home, and keep ornaments to a minimum, as they are great dust
collectors. When possible, get rid of upholstered furniture. Look
instead for alternatives such as leather, wicker, rattan.
- Cleaning – when dusting, use a damp cloth, and wear a dust mask.
- Cuddly toys – exposure to sunlight for more than 2 hours
will destroy Dust Mites, so hang them out on the clothes line on a
frequent basis. Alternatively put them in a bag, and place in the
freezer overnight, as this will also destroy them.
- Humidity – a dust mite will flourish in a moist, warm environment. They will not survive if humidity is lower than 50%.
- Curtains – use window blindsin preference to curtains, or have window dressings that can be washed on a frequent basis.
- Hepa air purifiers - these help to remove up to 99.9% of contaminants from the air.
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