House Dust Mites
More is known about house dust mite than any other allergen source – simply because it is such a common trigger for rhinitis, asthma, and eczema. That’s good, because we can give you lots of tips that work on allergen avoidance when it comes to dust mites. The most important pointers to getting on top of house dust mite are:
- Use a good allergy air purifier in your home.
- Clean your bedding, carpets, furniture with high quality allergy cleaning products.
- Minimize allergen ‘reservoirs’ like carpets, sofas and curtains.
- Keep your home dry, which reduces mould as well as house dust mites.
Allergen avoidance has to be done holistically, but the investment will pay off in terms of reduced symptoms and better quality of health and life.
See our entire range of Dust Mite Relief Products
Top Dust Mite Relief Products per Category:
Dust Mite Free Home Package
The Dust Mite Free Home Package includes the key cleaning products for eliminating dust mite and dust mite allergens in your home. The package consists of the most popular Allersearch products, including the award winning ADS Dust Stray. Dust Mite Free Home
Allergen Wash
Allersearch Allergen Wash is an all in one laundry detergent that cleans bedding and all other fabrics while safely and effectively removes dust mite allergens in any water temperature. Besides dust mite allergens, Allergen Wash also destroys pet dander, pollen, and mould on contact. Allergen Wash
Blueair 450E
The Blueair 450E air purifier is a great unit for everyone with dust mite allergies and who want to have a unit that is ultra quiet. The Blueair unit is one of Blueair's best sellers and is ideal for medium to large rooms. A remote control and digital display provide extra convenience.
Blueair 450E
Blueair 650E
The Blueair 650E is the larges air purifier in the Blueair range. It moves the most air and is thus ideal for large to very large rooms. The filtration technology that Blueair units use are ideal for dust mite as well as other common allergens such as pollen, mould and pet dander.
Blueair 650E
FAQ about Dust Mites:
- What are dust mites?
- What is a dust mite allergy?
- How common is dust mite allergy?
- Where do dust mites lurk in my home?
- What’s the link between dust mite and humidity?
- How can I get rid of dust mites in my housework routine?
- How can I get rid of dust mites with home improvements?
- Should I use an anti-mite spray to get rid of house dust mite?
- Is dust allergy always a result of house dust mite?
What are dust mites?
Dust mites (or House Dust Mites) are tiny (200-300 micron long) eight-legged creatures called arachnids and are closely related to the spider and the tick. They are found in every human habitation. There are two common species of house dust mite – the European house dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) and the American house dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae). It is not dust mite itself which is the allergen, but digestive enzymes (proteins) contained in its droppings. The most important dust mite allergens are the proteins Der p1, Der p2 and Der p5. The whole droppings themselves are particles between 4 and 20 microns in size, but may crumble into smaller particles that can be as small as 0.5 microns across. House dust mites feed upon the shed skin scales of humans and other animals found in house dust (hence their name). But dust mites don't bite or spread diseases. They are harmful only to people who become allergic to them. While usual household insecticides have no effect on dust mites, there are many ways to reduce exposure to dust mites in your home.
There may be many as 19,000 dust mites in one gram of dust, but usually between 100 to 500 mites live in each gram. Each mite produces about 10 to 20 waste particles per day and lives for 30 days. Egg-laying females can add 25 to 30 new mites to the population during their lifetime.
What is a dust mite allergy?
The house dust mite allergen is one of the most potent triggers of allergic reactions like rhinitis (running eyes, sneezing), asthma (wheezing, breathing difficulties) and childhood eczema. As with other allergens, dust mite allergen causes an ‘over-reaction’ in an allergic person. Immune molecules known as immunoglobulin E are produced and these cause the release of an inflammatory chemical called histamine from mast cells (a type of immune cell). It is histamine that produces the characteristic symptoms of an allergic reaction. A non-allergic person’s immune system will not produce this reaction on exposure to allergens in pollen.
How common is dust mite allergy?
House dust mites are the most common cause of allergy symptoms in the UK.
Where do dust mites lurk in my home?
Dust mite favour bedding, mattresses, soft furnishings, soft toys and, to a lesser extent, carpets. The moisture and warmth produced by your body during sleep add to the problem – making the bed an ideal environment for coming into contact with house dust mite allergen. It is also easy to disturb dust mites. Walking across a carpet, getting in and out of bed or turing in bed will stir up a cloud of house dust mite and its allergen.
What is the link between dust mite and humidity?
To survive, house dust mites absorb water from the air (they don’t actually drink) and when humidity is less than 50% they tend to dry out and die. They also prefer temperatures about 70°F (21°C). It is crucial to get rid of damp in your home and to use background heating if necessary. Ventilate by opening windows, and check for condensation in the kitchen and bathroom. If you live in humid area, then consider buying a dehumidifier (however, be aware that very dry air can be uncomfortable especially if you have sinus or respiratory problems). An air purifier is a good solution, because it creates air movement that helps combat humidity, and at the same time it captures dust mite and other allergens out of the air.
How can I get rid of dust mites in my housework routine?
- Wash soft toys and bed linen weekly with the laundry detergent Allergen Wash from Allersearch – it destroys natural allergen such as dust mite allergen and pollen on contact. Allerwash laundry detergent can be used with cold, warm or hot water temperature, because it has an active ingredient in it that destroys the allergen on contact. If you wash your laundry with a regular detergent, note that a cooler wash will only get rid of some of the allergen and the skin scales the mites feed off. But colder water by itself will not get rid of all the allergens and the mites themselves. Always make sure bedding is completely dry before putting it back, because mites will flourish in the presence of any trace of dampness.
- Consider washing clothes, which bring mites in from outdoors, with the mite-killing detergent Allerwash too. Make sure there is no damp in the wardrobe.
- Curtains, pillows, and duvets will need a good wash every few months as well.
- Vacuum floor, rugs or carpet with a vacuum that is fitted with a HEPA filter and that is leakage free.
- Use a good allergy air purifier to clean the air.
- Wipe down all furniture surfaces with a damp (but not wet) cloth each day and use a allergy dust spray such as ADMS from Allersearch.
- Make your dusting routine as thorough as you can – don’t forget to go behind/under furniture, along skirting boards and picture rails, and anywhere else that dust might collect.
- Try adding a bit of eucalyptus oil to your duster, as this deters mites. There are also ‘anti-mite’ electrostatic dusters which hold onto the dust rather than spreading it around.
These efforts have to be continuous, rather than a one-off, because you can never eradicate house dust mite from your home for good, as new ones are always being brought in on people’s clothes. However, with a good air purifier you will limit your exposure to the allergens, and with the use of the Allersearch line of Cleaning Products you will quickly limit the number of mites in your home.
How can I get rid of dust mites with home improvements?
- Get rid of any clutter, like piles of newspapers and books, where more dust can build up. Put ornaments into glass cabinets rather than on open shelves.
- Consider replacing upholstered sofas and armchairs with leather or vinyl covered furniture, which house dust mite cannot penetrate.
- Similarly, could you perhaps replace carpets with wooden or vinyl flooring.
- In bedrooms (prioritise those of people with allergies) start afresh with new mattress, duvet, and pillows and cover with mite-allergen proof covers (research has shown this does improve asthma in children allergic to house dust mite and these covers are probably the best investment you can make in tackling house dust mite).
- When choosing a new bed, remember that a raised bed makes cleaning underneath, where dust collects, so much easier. Padded headboards are dust traps, and a slatted base is good because it will encourage circulation of air around the bed.
- Replace curtains, which gather dust, with blinds.
- Seal up any cracks between boards on the floor so that dust does not come up from the space below the floorboards.
- Keep walls simple – no picture rails, no clutter on ledges.
These measures will create an entirely new environment which could seriously reduce the house dust mite burden in your home.
Should I use an anti-mite spray to get rid of house dust mite?
Using an anti-mite spray is an important part of your regular cleaning routine. A spray can penetrate mite reservoirs in carpets, for soft furnishing and mattreses we recommend using X-Mite from Allersearch. It is a dry powder that helps to get rid of mites where they nest. Be careful to cleaning products with natural ingrediance, spraying a chemical, especially on a regular basis, may create problems for those with multiple chemical sensitivity and is certainly not recommended if there are young children around.
Is dust allergy always a result of house dust mite?
Although house dust mite is the most common cause of dust allergy, it is not the only one. Dust allergy may also be due to mould spores or pet dander.
Links
Advice from the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology http://www.acaai.org/allergist/allergies/Types/dust-allergy-information/Pages/default.aspx
