Tips and Tricks: Dust Mites
Allergies are the number one reason why people suffer all year long; my family included. I cannot tell you how many allergy medications and sinus medications are in our kitchen cabinet for easy access. Our allergies have lessened since we learned about the effects of dust mites.
Dust mites are small arachnids that feed on skin cells. Personally, these might be worse than spiders and I am terrified of spiders. If your dust mite problem is big (like most home owners) they can produce allergens. You cannot fully get rid of your dust mite problem, but you can help lessen it with some of these helpful tips and tricks!
6. Remove all of the bedding in your house. Your bedrooms are the number one breeding ground for dust mites. You want to wash it in hot water (over 130 degrees Fahrenheit/54 degrees Celsius). After washing you will want to dry your bedding in a hot dryer; this will kill the duty mites that lived through the washing cycle. I would also consider covering your mattress, mattress pad, and pillows with allergenic covers. Use the plastic option if possible since dust mites cannot live in plastic.
5. Buy a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. This type of vacuum will actually pick up dust mite waste and eggs, while other types of vacuums will not. You will want to vacuum all areas of carpet several times a week depending on how many people live in your house and how many pets you have.
4. Learn about humidity levels. Certain places have high humidity and dust mites thrive in high humidity places. To help with this problem you will want to buy a dehumidifier and set it to less than 50 percent. At 35 percent dust mites will propagate less, but some people do not like humidity that low. Set it to what is comfortable for you and your family.
3. If your kids have bad allergies chances are their stuffed animals are a major cause. Dust mites love any sort of fabric. They also thrive in dirty places and lets face it our kids are not the cleanest. Take their stuffed animals and place them in a plastic bag. You will want to get out as much air as possible, making the bag as small as possible. Place them in the freezer for 48 hours. This can kill the dust mites.
2. Animals are the worst when it comes to dust mites. They just LOVE the pet dander. There are a few things you can do to help this problem. Brush your dog frequently. Brush with the hair and against the hair to get rid of the pet dander. You can also wipe your pet down with damp washcloth when they come inside. This will get rid of the dander as well. Vacuum areas where your pet likes to hang out frequently. Those are the places dust mites will hang out the most. Finally, keep your pets out of your room. I know we all like to cuddle with our dogs or cats, but they add more to the dust mite problem. The more humans and animals that are in the bedroom the more dust mite there will be.
1.The number one thing you can do is get your carpets cleaned by a professional. Most families can do this about once a year, however, if you have a lot of animals you may want to get them done twice a year.
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