Dust Mites and Your Lungs

Dust mites are the most common cause of allergic reactions. In Allergic asthmatics about 90% of them react to dust mites while 10% of non asthmatics react to them. The reactions would include sneezing, itchy eyes, stuffy nose and coughing. Dust mites are an allergy trigger and can cause an asthma attack. New research says they trick the immune system into believing it is being infected by a bacteria therefore it tries to fight it off, this can cause an attack.

Dust mites like dark, humid environments so sunlight and humidity under 50% is not good for them and their populations decrease. They are not as prevalent in cold, dry or very hot places. Also they are seen in reduced numbers in high altitude areas.

They live on all kinds of fabrics, wool, cotton, polyester and are even found on clothing. It was shown that people wearing wool sweaters had higher levels of dust mites than other materials. The fact that people don't wash wool in hot water might be one factor. Dry cleaning is said to kill the mites but not all the allergens.

The type of furniture and decorations in the home can make a difference in the amount of dust in the home. Carpets can be great hiding places for them, especially hard to vacuum shag type. Upholstered furniture, multitude of pillows, stuffed animals, dried flowers and knick knacks harbor them. Also the amount of furniture in the home can make a difference. If your home is cluttered it will collect more dust than if it is sparsely decorated. But even a empty home will have dust.

.

There are 30,000 types of mites. Two type that affect the home would be dust mites and food mites. Food mites are found around stored food like grains, dried milk, vegetables and sugar. Dust mites live in our dust and feed on dead skin cells and other organic debris. They are a species related to the spider and are microscopic in size and cannot be seen with the naked eye. They are Implicated in COPD, dermatitis, rhinitis, conjunctivitis. Their partially digested fecal matter is what causes the reaction in sensitive people.

To reduce the amount of dust mites means the amount of dust must be reduced in your home. The more dust you have, the more dust mites. So clean often. It is advised when you dust to use a damp cloth to prevent airborne dust and use a mask as dust is both an allergen and a irritant. Vacuuming should be done using a HEPA filter. Steam cleaning is beneficial and you can use a dehumidifier to keep moisture down.

It is said the majority of dust mites will be on your bed. Wash pillows, pillow cases, sheets and spreads often in hot water at 130-140 F. Putting items in the freezer overnight can kill dust mites. Encase pillows and mattresses in anti allergen dust proof barriers. Only use anything on the bed that can be washed in hot water.

Pet hair and dander add to dust and dust mites. Dirt and pollen from the outside tracked in or hitch hiking on fur by outside furry family members can also contribute to dust. Extra brushing and bathing of your pet can reduce the amount in your house. Wiping them down daily with a wet rag is said to help get rid of some dander and outside pollen. You can also try to keep them out of the bedroom. People who keep a lot of things in their living space like hoarders or people with squalor syndrome will find themselves with very high levels of dust mites.

You can't escape dust mites by going to work. They like to be around books, papers and files that have accumulated dust. If your workplace has accumulated equipment that is collecting dust than you are still being exposed. And of course the computer is known to attract dust and needs to be cleaned. You have more control in your home as far as cleaning than you do at work. This could in some instances make your workplace more problematic.

During the holidays people are visiting friends and family. While traveling you still run into the problems of dust mites with less ability to control them. Even plane seats have them. If you stay at a hotel, the room and especially the bed will have dust mites. If you stay in someones guest room you will also be exposed and maybe to an extent where you will get a reaction. Some people travel with their own sheet sets or pillow cases to help them. Folks can use this time to do deep cleaning for the holidays to reduce the amount of dust mites in their home environment.

House dust is made up of many things including dead skin, dander, hair of pets and people, ash, fungi and mold. It can also consist of cockroach fragment and waste plus other insect debris. Sometimes included would be fibers, particles from space, sand, wood and paper particles, plant pollen, flour, sugar, dirt and of course dust mites. The particles become airborne and fall all over everything. When we breathe we inhale small particles including the microscopic dust mite waste, we ingest dust also.

The specific consistency will depend on different factors. The make up of your home, structure, the age, what type of furniture and appliances, how sparse or cluttered it is inside. Also do you smoke, have pets, and how often do you clean. Are you near a busy street, do you have loose dirt around your home, types of plants inside and outside. Despite all that, dust is a factor be it outer space or on earth and we have always lived with it.

Both dust mites and bed bugs are associated with the bed. Dust mites are microscopic spider-like arachnids and cannot be seen with the unaided eye. Even though they are small bed bugs are visible without a microscope and are literally blood suckers. Unlike bed bugs, dust mites do not bite. Dust mites to some extent are inevitable and we try to control their numbers. Bed bugs are not inevitable and we just want them gone.

Things that are done to control dust mites can help in getting rid of bed bugs. Getting rid of clutter is primary for both. Dust mites live in dust and clutter promotes dust. Bed bugs on the other hand have more places to hide among the clutter. Some mattress and pillow encasement's that were originally for dust mites were tested for bed bugs and are labeled for both. Extreme heat and cold can kill both. Steam cleaning, washing in hot water and using a dryer is said to kill bedbugs and reduce the number of dust mites as does freezing in a freezer or spraying with liquid CO2 at -110º F.(bit extreme for dust mites).