Understanding DUST MITE ALLERGY
What are Dust Mites and Dust Mite Allergens?
Although there are many components in house dust to which people may be allergic, the biggest culprit is the dust mite. Dust mites produce waste particles, and it is these particles along with their body fragments that cause allergic sensitivity. These particles are called dust mite allergen and continue to cause allergic symptoms even after the dust mite itself has died. Dust mites are present in nearly all homes in areas where the relative humidity is greater than 50% for some portion of the year.
Allergy Alert! Your Improving Life Indoors Allergy Education
The House Dust Mite: Under the Microscope
Dust mites are eight-legged arachnids, relatives of spiders and ticks. The dust mite is microscopic and cannot be seen by the human eye. Adult dust mites live for 2 to 3 months, during which time the female mite can lay 25 to 50 eggs every three weeks. Each dust mite produces approximately 20 waste particles a day, and more than 100,000 of these waste particles may be present in only a gram of dust.
Dust Mite Allergen: Where Are You at Risk?
Dust mites can live in even the cleanest homes, and millions of dust mites can inhabit a single bed. The bed is the biggest source of dust mite allergen exposure, as it provides the perfect conditions for dust mite growth and their greatest food source; the shed scales from human skin. Dust mites are photophobic, meaning that they thrive in dark, warm and humid environments such as your pillow, mattress, box spring, blanket, carpet, upholstered furniture and other soft materials.
What Allergen Avoidance Steps are Important for Dust Mite Allergies?
For dust mite allergy relief, emphasis is placed on the bedroom, as it is the place where people spend a large percent of their time each day and where they are most likely to be exposed to dust allergens. Although some may think that the dust mite is inhaled and causes allergy symptoms, it is the dust mite waste particles and body fragments that become airborne and trigger allergies. Dust mite allergens are dispersed as we sleep in bed at night, fluff pillows or make the bed, walk or sit on carpet, sit on stuffed furniture, and come in contact with any soft, stuffed materials.
Scientific studies have shown that taking allergen avoidance steps to minimize dust mite allergen exposure in the bedroom leads to a decrease in allergic symptoms and a decrease in medication requirements for the dust-allergic patient. Studies have also demonstrated the effectiveness of encasing bedding as part of an allergen avoidance program. Focusing on the bedroom and prioritizing allergen avoidance action steps will help decrease allergy symptoms such as nasal congestion, itchy or watery eyes, runny nose, asthma, and skin conditions.
Allergen Avoidance Action Steps: Dust Mite Allergy
- Focus on the bedroom.
Focus on the bedroom and prioritize other allergen avoidance action steps as you work to decrease allergy symptoms.
Use allergy encasings on the bed
Scientific studies, using Allergy Control® bed encasings, have demonstrated the effectiveness of encasing the bed to create a barrier against allergens.
- Wash linens, blankets and any un-encased bedding every week in hot water.
- Remove or treat carpets.
Removing carpet will eliminate a large allergen source. If carpet cannot be removed, vacuum thoroughly and apply a carpet treatment to denature allergens.
- Remove dust collectors and keep surfaces clean.
Wipe surfaces with a treated cloth and keep surfaces clean. Remove upholstered furniture in favor of leather or wipeable furniture and minimize or wash soft drapery.
- Keep humidity levels below 50%.
Dust mites thrive in high humidity. Use air conditioners or dehumidifiers to keep levels ideally between 35-40%.
- Use HEPA air filtration to capture allergens.
HEPA filtration vacuums and HEPA air cleaners capture 99.97% of allergens down to 0.3 microns that pass through the filter.
- Use central furnace filters to capture allergens in your vent system.