Reducing & Removing Dust From Your
Home
Ways to Control the Dust Mite Population in Your Home
The droppings of dust mites are important allergens which
can cause asthma and allergy symptoms in sensitized people. Dust mites live in bedding,
carpets, stuffed furniture, old clothing and stuffed toys.
Dust mites feed on human skin shedding and are most common
in humid climates -- Dust mites donīt survive when the humidity is below 50%. If
droppings of dust mites are inhaled or come in contact with the skin, they may cause
asthma, allergy or eczema symptoms.
Reduce dust and dust mites
with a Lightning Air Purifier
Here are some control and prevention tips:
* Enclose the mattress and box springs in a zippered
dust-proof encasing. Dust-proof encasings have a layer of material that keeps the dust
mites inside the encasing. Encasings are usually made of vinyl or other plastics.
* Hot water kills dust mites, so wash all bedding in hot
(130 degrees F) water, weekly.
* Put the pillows in zippered dust proof encasings and/or
wash the pillows weekly with the bedding.
* Avoid lying on upholstered furniture or carpet.
* Remove carpeting from the bedroom. Use wood, leather or
vinyl furniture instead of upholstered furniture in the bedroom.
* The person with a dust mite allergy should not vacuum or
be in a room while it is being vacuumed.
* Keep the indoor moisture (humidity) low. The ideal
humidity level is 30-40%. Use an air conditioner or dehumidifier in warm climates to
decrease the humidity. Clean the dehumidifier regularly.
* Humidifiers/vaporizers are not recommended because they
will increase humidity in the room and create a favorable environment for dust mites.
* Chemicals that kill dust mites can be applied regularly
to carpeting and upholstered furniture. A tannic acid solution can help neutralize the
allergen in mite droppings. However, if you use chemicals that are toxic, you introduce a
different type of air pollution into your environment.
* HEPA vacuums or a vacuum with allergen trapping bags help
but often stir up more allergens into the air.
* Change furnace filter and clean air ducts.
* Air purifiers that are based on ultraviolet light
combined with friendly oxidizers can significantly reduce the dust mite population. This
technology renders the dust mites sterile so they canīt reproduce and destroys the food
they need to survive. This type of air purifier can be used to directly treat your
mattress, pillows, stuffed animals, upholstered furniture and carpets. You might also want
to consider an air purifier that uses a combination of ozone and ionization for dealing
with dust and dust mites such as the ones listed below
Dust
& Dust Mites
| Facts You May Not Know about Dust Mites Dust mites are far too small to see with the unaided eye, but for
many of us, you can definitely feel his presence. They are the single most common allergen
that people inhale in their homes.
These mites undermine the health of many people, triggering
runny noses, headaches, and most alarmingly asthma attacks. Unfortunately, they are so
small that they are found in the dust which is everywhere inside your home.
While a definite irritants, these creatures are not
responsible for all allergies - other pollutants such as pollens, pet dander, mold and
tobacco residue (secondhand smoke), to name a few, can also cause reactions. But in terms
of a single allergen, the dust mite is probably the most important one.
Here are some facts about dust mites you may not know:
* 42,000 mites can live in one ounce of dust.
* In most homes, 40 pounds of dust is generated per year,
per 1,500 square feet of space. The dust can host up to 15 species of mites.
* A microscopic insect-like creature, the mite lives
primarily in pillows, mattresses, carpets, and upholstered furniture.
* The mite thrives in humid warm conditions.
* The mite diet consists of shed scales from human skin.
* Fecal matter produced by the mite is the allergen to
which people react.
* Each mite produces about 20 waste particles per day.
These particles continually aggravate allergies even after the mite is dead.
* Female mites can lay 25-50 eggs.
* A new generation is produced every three weeks. |
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