Although there are many components in house dust to which people may be allergic, the most important is the dust mite. Actually it's not the dust mite itself, but the waste product particles produced by the mite and fragments of dead mites, which are the main substances in house dust to which allergic people react.
The dust mite is a microscopic creature, related to spiders and ticks that lives primarily in mattresses, pillows, duvets, carpets and soft furnishings.
Mites do not live on people, but they live near them, feeding off shed skin scales. As well as needing our skin to survive, mites also require humidity of at least 50%, warmth and darkness as they are sensitive to UV light.
The greatest source of mites in the house is the bedroom, particularly the mattress, which provides the best conditions of warmth, humidity, darkness and food for their growth.
A mattress can contain over a million dust mites. Each female lays, up to 60 eggs in her lifetime, with a new generation produced every three weeks. During the lifetime of a mite, about 80 days, it produces one thousand allergy causing waste particles. It is easy to see why mattresses contain large numbers of living and dead mites.
Live mites are too large to be inhaled, rather it is the smaller waste particles and fragments of dead mites. These smaller particles are easily disturbed and readily become airborne and are inhaled, causing allergy symptoms.
So walking on a carpet, making a bed or disturbing other soft materials where mites live can lead to allergy symptoms, such as a shortness of breath, runny nose, sore watery eyes, sneezing.
Studies have shown that the most, important rooms to deal with are bedrooms, where most time is spent and where dust levels are highest.
1. encase mattresses, duvets and pillows in allergen proof covers to prevent mite allergens escaping. - Or replace duvets and pillows with ones already having an allergen proof outer fabric.
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2. for bunk beds encase both mattresses.
3. avoid using feather pillows and duvets as they are difficult to wash. Man made fibre pillows and duvets can be washed at 60ºC or cold washed with an anti dust mite wash additive.
4. only use washable blankets and wash all bedding in hot water at least every two weeks. This kills any mites and washes out all mite allergens. If bedding cannot be hot washed, use an anti dust mite wash additive. Alternatively obtain duvets and pillows that come with a dust proof barrier already incorporated, which can never be colonised by mites, reducing the need for washing frequency.
5. remove carpets where possible and use anti house dust mite treatment on any that remain and use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. A wipeable floor is best with washable rugs when required as long as they are washed every two weeks.
6. remove soft toys, cushions and soft furnishings. Washable toys may be kept in small numbers as long as they are regularly washed. All clothes should be kept in cupboards, drawers or sealed bags.
7. do not use heavy curtains or Venetian blinds unless they are regularly washed or wiped. Wipeable blinds are better.
8. do not shampoo carpets as residual moisture will increase mite growth, use a dry cleaning product to remove dust mite allergen.
