| What are they? - Dust mites are tiny bugs that live in | | | | pillow. |
| most human habitats. They are a subspecies of | | | | Freezing dust mites is effective as well. If you don't |
| Arachnida (meaning that they're vaguely related to | | | | want to wash your pillow, or your child's favorite teddy |
| spiders) and they are sub classified as Acarina, or | | | | bear, stick it in the freezer for about 48 hours. Then |
| acari. | | | | run a vacuum over it or toss it in the dryer on fluff to |
| Where do they live? - Dust mites live in carpet, | | | | make sure the detritus is removed. |
| furniture, bedding, beds, nice cool damp places that end | | | | Air your sheets every day. This is a very common |
| up with a lot of "dust" for them to feed on. Their main | | | | practice in Europe. Instead of making your bed, fold the |
| food source is dead skin cells, which we, and our pets, | | | | sheets down so that they are exposed and can dry |
| shed in abundance. So you'd think they would be a | | | | out, thus reducing the amount of humidity closest to |
| good thing to have around. Just like in any eco-system, | | | | your skin. |
| something needs to exist to scavenge and clean up | | | | Another old-fashioned practice is to use a linen spray. |
| after everyone else. | | | | There are many commercially available sprays on the |
| This is true, however within the dust mite digestive | | | | internet. I have yet to see one in a grocery or health |
| system (which has no real stomach, but is a very | | | | food store. (I've been researching for this article) They |
| simple gut) are proteases that end up in their fecal | | | | are very easy to make and it is then possible to |
| matter as well as their shed skins and tend to cause | | | | control what goes into them. For more information, |
| allergies in some humans. Allergies can ultimately lead | | | | please visit our website. |
| to asthma in some cases. For the rest of us, they're | | | | Wash, vacuum or steam clean your curtains every |
| just living in what my 11th grade sociology teacher | | | | once in a while. (Or if you have slat blinds, take them |
| would call a "symbiotic relationship" with us, and our | | | | down and give them a good washing in the sink.) |
| houses. And they're gross. | | | | Anywhere dust settles is a habitat for dust mites, so |
| Is there more than one variety of dust mite? - Yes. | | | | this rule goes for canopies and dust ruffles too. |
| There is the European House Dust Mite or | | | | Purchase a one room HEPA filter to keep the air in |
| Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, the American House | | | | your bedroom clean. Also keep the general house |
| Dust Mite or Dermatophagoides farinae and the | | | | humidity at or below 50%. Dust mites don't thrive in dry |
| Euroglyphus maynei. None of them are exclusive to | | | | environments. If you need to use a humidifier or |
| just Europe or North America, they seem to cover | | | | vaporizer at night, make certain you ventilate your |
| pretty much all human habitats. | | | | bedroom during the day to keep moisture down. |
| How do I prevent them? - The best thing to do is to | | | | 2. Furniture and floors - These are necessary parts of |
| keep your house as clean and dust free as possible. | | | | our every day lives as well. If you're genuinely |
| Yes, this is impossible unless you live in a scientific | | | | concerned about allergies, stay away from cloth and |
| clean room. However there are things you can do to | | | | overstuffed furniture. Get leather covered, wood or |
| cut down on the number of dust mites inhabiting your | | | | plastic furniture instead. You can also get dust mite |
| space and thus being a potential allergen. | | | | proof covers for some furniture pieces if you don't |
| 1. Bed and bedroom - You spend 1/3 of your life in | | | | want to give up Mom's old couch. |
| your bed, asleep. (At least that is the goal) During that | | | | Steam clean your furniture (if appropriate) to kill the |
| time you shed skin cells, hair, etc. Thus Dust Mites tend | | | | dust mites with heat. If the cushion covers on chairs |
| to love living in your mattress, your blankets, your | | | | and couches are removable and washable, wash |
| sheets and your pillows. These are places that end up | | | | them. If not, toss them in a dryer on high for about 10 |
| being cool and humid because of your breathing and | | | | minutes. |
| or sweating throughout the night. As they wish to | | | | Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter as part of its |
| inhabit the same space you inhabit, you will inhale dust | | | | design. Most of these are the "non-bag" variety, |
| filled with their offal and if you have an allergy to them, | | | | meaning they just use a container, which is easier to |
| you will sneeze, cough, etc. | | | | dump and has less chance of things escaping. |
| There are dust mite proof coverings for all of your | | | | Again, if you are overly concerned about allergies, get |
| bedding. Many mattress covers and pillow covers are | | | | rid of your carpet and install hardwood, terrazzo, or tile |
| made of plastic, which becomes another issue with | | | | floors, which are easier to care for and less habitat |
| chemicals. Dust mite proof covers that are certified | | | | friendly. |
| organic can be found here. | | | | When you dust or sweep, use a cloth or dusting |
| Dust mites react poorly to extreme temperatures. | | | | product designed to trap the dust instead of a feather |
| Wash all of your bed linens in hot water. At least 140 | | | | duster or similar object that just pushes the dust back |
| Farenheight (60 Celsius) to make sure that you kill off | | | | into the air so it can settle somewhere else. If you're |
| everything, eggs, larvae and adults. Drying your bedding | | | | going to sweep with a broom, mop immediately |
| on high heat (or if it is not suitable for the dryer, hanging | | | | afterward to make sure you capture as many dust |
| it in the sunlight) is another good idea and the two | | | | particles as you can. |
| should be combined whenever possible. Wash your | | | | Keep a HEPA filter in your house or install a HEPA |
| sheets, pillows, and blankets every week if possible. If | | | | filter in your furnace so that allergens are trapped and |
| you don't want to wash your pillow that often, get a | | | | your air is kept cleaner. |
| dust mite proof cover and wash your pillow case | | | | Keeping the dust down in general will help reduce the |
| every week. Wash the cover when you wash the | | | | dust mite population in your home. |