House Dust Mites - An Allergy Sufferers Nightmare
House dust mites are tiny eight-legged creatures that live in our homes, but they are rarely seen.
They belong to the arachnids (a class of arthropods), which include spiders and ticks.
Their presence is often felt, particularly by those with allergies or asthma.
These little bugs feed on dead skin, shed from our bodies (and those of our animals) as the skin replenishes and replaces itself.
Its not so much the mites themselves, but their droppings that can cause problems, as gut enzymes found in their faecal matter can cause strong allergic reactions.
Male dust mites live for 2 to 3 weeks and his primary goal is to mate with a female.
The females can then live to 10 weeks and lay up to 100 eggs.
Dust mites are sensitive to temperature, so drying your bed linen in a dryer is a good idea, as this will kill any mites that might be living in your sheets.
However, be aware that mites love your mattress, pillows and carpets, so sheets is only one thing to worry about.
Allergies such as itchiness, sneezing, skin rashes (and infection of eczema), asthma, watery eyes and runny noses are all symptoms of dust mite allergy.
If you have dust mite allergy symptoms, you should consult your doctor.
Especially look out for sneezing in the morning, which subsides as you move out of the bedroom.
Your doctor may prescribe antihistamines to help reduce sneezing and itchiness, but this is no substitute for removing the cause of the problem.
The best way to prevent these allergies is to stop contact with dust mites and the stuff they leave behind.
This is not easy and means a whole house cleaning regime is needed.
You can take include lowering humidity of your house.
Studies have shown that air conditioned homes (which extract water from the air as they cool it) have much lower levels of dust mites.
You should also consider washing bedding on a weekly basis, and using the dryer to dry the sheets.
Carpets should also be steam cleaned at least once a year.
In your bedroom, consider using allergen-impermeable dust covers on your mattress and pillows, and don't forget that the soft cuddly toys on your bed might also harbour a nice comfy home for the mite.
Wash soft toys regularly in hot water, and then keep them off the bed.
Since dust is one of the main sources of food for the mites, it is essential to dust thoroughly before you vacuum.
Certain vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters are the best for people with allergic problems, as they filter out the smallest of particles, expel much cleaner air in the exhaust than they breathe in.
You can also get air filters for you home that contain the same HEPA filters as the better vacuum cleaners.
Studies have shown that these are effective in removing dust.
They belong to the arachnids (a class of arthropods), which include spiders and ticks.
Their presence is often felt, particularly by those with allergies or asthma.
These little bugs feed on dead skin, shed from our bodies (and those of our animals) as the skin replenishes and replaces itself.
Its not so much the mites themselves, but their droppings that can cause problems, as gut enzymes found in their faecal matter can cause strong allergic reactions.
Male dust mites live for 2 to 3 weeks and his primary goal is to mate with a female.
The females can then live to 10 weeks and lay up to 100 eggs.
Dust mites are sensitive to temperature, so drying your bed linen in a dryer is a good idea, as this will kill any mites that might be living in your sheets.
However, be aware that mites love your mattress, pillows and carpets, so sheets is only one thing to worry about.
Allergies such as itchiness, sneezing, skin rashes (and infection of eczema), asthma, watery eyes and runny noses are all symptoms of dust mite allergy.
If you have dust mite allergy symptoms, you should consult your doctor.
Especially look out for sneezing in the morning, which subsides as you move out of the bedroom.
Your doctor may prescribe antihistamines to help reduce sneezing and itchiness, but this is no substitute for removing the cause of the problem.
The best way to prevent these allergies is to stop contact with dust mites and the stuff they leave behind.
This is not easy and means a whole house cleaning regime is needed.
You can take include lowering humidity of your house.
Studies have shown that air conditioned homes (which extract water from the air as they cool it) have much lower levels of dust mites.
You should also consider washing bedding on a weekly basis, and using the dryer to dry the sheets.
Carpets should also be steam cleaned at least once a year.
In your bedroom, consider using allergen-impermeable dust covers on your mattress and pillows, and don't forget that the soft cuddly toys on your bed might also harbour a nice comfy home for the mite.
Wash soft toys regularly in hot water, and then keep them off the bed.
Since dust is one of the main sources of food for the mites, it is essential to dust thoroughly before you vacuum.
Certain vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters are the best for people with allergic problems, as they filter out the smallest of particles, expel much cleaner air in the exhaust than they breathe in.
You can also get air filters for you home that contain the same HEPA filters as the better vacuum cleaners.
Studies have shown that these are effective in removing dust.
Source...