Do you know that house mites are the most common trigger of asthma?
These are mites that live in house dust. It is the feces of the them that is the actual allergen that causes breathing problems.
These creatures produce feces about 20 times a day. Aside from being an allergen, the stools of these guys is light enough to float in the air, so it is easily inhaled by those of us who occupy homes and buildings.
Then, when you consider there are about 40,000 mites per speck of dust, you can imagine (even if you'd rather not) just how many of these dust mite stools enter your respiratory tract.
Your indoor environment is especially vulnerable to these creatures if you live in a humid area, or if your home is subject to humid conditions for whatever other reason.
Humid environments create the ideal habitation for them, primarily since they result in a greater food supply for these mites. Staples of their diet include plant materials, molds, and fungi. All of which thrive in humid conditions.
Asian countries are more prone to these microscopic creatures induced asthma attacks. However, there is a solution, it is to have clove near to mites infested areas.
Based on the facts mentioned above, you can see why it is so critical to take action for the specific purpose of minimizing these fellows in your home, particularly if someone in your home suffers from asthma.
In which case, we have compiled a list of 6 ways you can reduce the mites that reside in your home.
6 ways to reduce dust mites:
1. Encasings.
Bedding is the favorite home for them. This being the case, you should encase your bedding and pillows with impermeable rubber or vinyl plastic wrappings.
2. Washing
You should wash clothes and bedding regularly. Washing in 60oF water is effective, but 130 F water will kill all mites. Washing in cold water kills about 90% of them.
3. Dry Cleaning
Dry cleaning kills all of them.
4. Heating
Any type of heating will help minimize their presence. Some examples include steam-cleaning carpets, tumble-drying (drying machine), direct sunlight exposure, and electric blankets.
5. Air Conditioning
Air conditioning will dry out your indoor environment, which will reduce the food supply for mites, resulting in reduced their populations.
6. Air Purifier
Despite your best efforts to remove them from your home or other indoor environment, they are simply too numerous and reproduce too frequently to keep their numbers lowered without the aid of an air purifier.
Keep in mind though, an air filter (e.g. HEPA) will not make much of a difference. First of all, most dust mites are too small to be captured by even the best of filters. In addition, most of them will not even pass through the filter's screen anyway.
Despite manufacturer's claims that their units complete so many air exchanges per hour, or filter so many square feet per hour, these are mostly based on theoretical calculations. The reality is that most pollutants in a given room or home will not pass through a small, stationary filter.
You are better off with a negative ion and ozone generator. Negative ions and ozone are much more effective at purifying air than a filter, due to the fact that they can remove pollatants from the air that are as much as 300 times smaller than the smallest particle a filter can remove.
Plus, they can be emitted throughout your home, so they are more thorough in the area they cover. Negative ions and ozone are also capable of penetrating walls, furnishings, bedding, etc. to destroy these mites and their stools.
About the Author
Eddy has a site which shares how he managed to discover a simple yet hidden way on treating asthma that guarantees to relieve you anytime. Get a free report and articles at http://www.uniqueasthmatreatmentsecrets.com.
6 Ways To Reduce House Dust Mites
Allergies - Reducing Bedroom Dust Mites
In this article we're going to discuss simple steps for reducing the dust mite allergens in your bedroom.
Dust mites. You can't see them but they're there. And they do most of their attacking at night while you're asleep. Why? Because dust mites generally live in your bed; on the mattress, the pillows, your blanket, just about anywhere you can think of. Enough of these little creatures can make your life a living nightmare.
But there are simple steps you can take to help reduce the number of dust mites you have to share your bed with and hopefully make your sleeping experience a little more enjoyable.
First, a little bit about what dust mites are. They are actually microscopic spider-like creatures that feed on the flakes of your skin. They reside anywhere that is considered to be a "dust trap" which include the things already mentioned plus your draperies, carpets and upholstery. And since dust is just about anywhere, dust mites are just about anywhere as well. Dust mite exposure is a significant cause of indoor allergies, which are much different from outdoor allergies. These allergies can lead to asthma and hay fever. Studies show that over 45% of homes in the United States have concentrations of dust mites that are considered to be dangerous enough to cause asthmatic conditions.
So just how do we reduce the number of dust mites in our homes?
For starters we can cover our beds with dust proof covers. These are covers that are specially made to go over our mattresses and pillows. These covers are not cheap but the good that they do far outweighs the cost. These covers can be purchased in a department store that sells bedding supplies.
Another thing that can be done is to vacuum regularly, most preferably with a vacuum that has a hepa filter so that the allergens don't end up just going back into the air when the vacuum is emptied. A hepa filter and bagless vacuum is your best bet for keeping the allergens out of your home after you have picked them up off the floor.
Another thing that is very effective for getting rid of the dust mites in your home is to steam clean as many items as possible. Some articles can't be steam cleaned so you have to use caution when doing this so as not to ruin any of your items. The reason steam cleaning works is because dust mites need a dry environment to live in. The moisture from the steaming is what helps kill them.
It should be noted that while these procedures do reduce the level of dust mite concentrations below severe symptom levels, they do not reduce them to the point where people do not still have sensitivity to the allergens, such as sneezing and coughing. Unfortunately it is impossible to completely reduce the level of dust mite allergens to absolute zero unless you are living inside a bubble and the technology for such an environment is not quite yet with us.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Allergies
Special Cleaning Required to Reduce Dust Mites
Dust mites are very common, but for some people they can cause huge problems. These microscopic bugs are found in nearly every home and survive on old skin cells shed by humans and pets. Dust mites are not usually harmful to humans - they don't bite or suck blood - their waste products and dead remains are so small that they can be inhaled as dust and cause allergies in some people. An allergist can find out if you are allergic to dust mites.
If a person living in your home is allergic to dust mites, you'll need to take measures to get rid of many of the mites and remove the source of the allergic reaction. One place to start is by making the conditions less hospitable to the mites.
This can be done by reducing the humidity in your house; if the humidity level is below 50 percent in your home, you will experience a greatly reduced dust mite population.
Having a clean house is also important. Use a professional upholstery and carpet cleaning service, especially when there are pets in the house. Clean and vacuum your floors, upholstery, and drapery regularly.
Change the bedding on all beds at least once a week and clean it in hot water to kill any existing mites. While your sheets are in the laundry, vacuum your mattresses thoroughly. Dust mites love living in our bedding, because we shed millions of skin cells in our beds so this step is especially important for improving the situation.
Use an air filter too, but be sure to use a high quality filter that can catch the microscopic mites and their byproducts. Don't use a washable filter because they can actually harbor mites and make the problem worse. Be sure to use appropriate allergy-reducing filters in your furnace as well.
If your sensitivity is more severe, you may have to take more drastic measures. Unfortunately, pets in the home are one of the worst sources of dust mite problems since mites love to feed on their dander. It is impossible to completely eliminate mites when a furry or feathery pet lives in the house. If you can't find relief through any of the other methods, you may need to find a new home for your pets.
Finally, make your home less favorable for the dust mite population. Buy latex covers for your mattresses, hypoallergenic pillows, and short-pile carpet. Ensure that your furniture is not of the overstuffed variety, since this type of furniture can contribute to the dust mite population.
These steps may seem drastic, but dust mites are very troublesome to eliminate. You may need to try several of these methods until your reactions decrease. Once you are able to breathe easier and live more comfortably in your own home, you'll find that your efforts were worth it.
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