How to Cope with Dust Mite Allergies
For Asthma and allergy sufferers dust mites and other allergies in your breathing zone can be hell, leading to sneezing, itchy eyes or a runny nose and in some cases severe respiratory problems. The summer can be a problem for allergy sufferers too, with grass being cut frequently as well as pollen in the air can make an allergy sufferers summer intolerably.
Summer Can Prove A little Unpleasant for Allergy Sufferers
Most of the time you will see asthmatics taking their inhaler after sporting events or in the summer as previously mentioned. In the outside world it’s vital to have taken or have to hand your medication as there are all sorts of impurities and allergens floating around in the air, but at home there are a few steps you can take to make sure you have a healthy home and improve your air quality.
We can actually do some things for these problems to help eradicate dust mites and other allergens and ease the inconvenience. Conventional medication for conditions like asthma help combat respiratory problems using things like inhalers should the asthmatic feel their breathing becoming difficult.
It is estimated that 80% of allergy issues are often caused by the airborne dust mite and they can double their numbers in 10 hours.
There are specialist items like allergy friendly pillows, obviously a good choice since mattresses can harbour dust mites and dead skin cells which mites live off.
Dust Mites Allergens & Treatments
Dust mites and specifically their faeces & enzymes are the allergen that affects many people but with some naturally based cleaning solutions and a professional carpet clean, they can neutralise the effectiveness of the allergens. This will give allergy sufferers with some much needed relief.
Some Dust Mite Anti Allergen formulas render the allergens permanently harmless to people who display allergic symptoms to dust mite allergens.
These dust mite anti-allergen treatments are not even damaging to pets or humans which makes them an ideal solution since they are based on natural extracts found in plants and trees. Ideally furnishings such as carpets, bed linen, seating and mattresses would be treated but carpet cleaning undertaken by a professional using these products can help get rid of the dust mites and other dirt hidden away in the fibre and pile of your carpet. This could also be a concern for office environments where commercial carpet cleaning advice should be sought.
Relief for Allergy Sufferers – A Healthy Home
As any allergy sufferer will tell you, if there is a way no matter how small to help combat the discomfort of allergies then it would be worth looking into even if it would only provide a healthy home and neutralise the dust mite allergens.
Dust Mites In The Home Can Make You Ill
You probably think you are well acquainted with everyone you live with – family, friends, housemates, perhaps a pet. But almost every home in the UK has unwanted guests. They are ugly creepy crawlies, they look like bizarre alien creatures from a science fiction film, and they could be making their home in your bed right now. I’m talking of course about dust mites, the hidden menace in the home, invisible to the eye but causing problems wherever they go.
Aside from the slightly disturbing knowledge that they could be living in your carpets and bedding, dust mites are also one of the most common causes of asthma, eczema and an endless list of other inconvenient allergies. Technically it’s not the mites themselves but their droppings that disagree with people, as they contain an enzyme that is highly allergenic to over 20% of the population. Their food is the 50 million dead skin cells every human sheds each day, and it can be very tough to get rid of them completely. Tough, but not impossible. If you think there might be dust mites in your home, there are three important things to remember:
Keep it Clean – the most obvious way to get rid of dust mites is to remove the dust. They like to live in ‘dust bunnies’ and deep in the carpet pile so regular hoovering, daily if you have to, will help to restrict their food supply and suck them out of the carpet too. Leave windows open whenever the weather is good enough as they don’t like sunlight, not to mention a healthy breeze will literally blow them away as they are so small!
Keep it Fresh –You might not think air quality would have much effect on dust mites considering they live in the carpet and furnishings, but in fact the right air conditioner could make all the difference. Even if you hoover every day the dust particles still have time to settle and create new homes for mites. Installing an air purifier with a HEPA filter literally removes all particles larger than 0.0003mm from the air before the dust can settle, meaning less food for mites.
Keep it Dry – Dust mites like to live in homes where the relative humidity (RH) of the air is 50% or higher. The ideal RH in the home varies depending on where you live and who you ask, but it is usually around 45%. If humidity levels in your home are above 50% trying to reduce it is a good idea as this will not only stop the mites but can also improve the general health of the occupants. Basic things like keeping windows open when cooking or showering can make a difference but if the problem persists then using a dehumidifier is a quick and easy way to remove moisture from the air, maintaining the optimum RH and killing dust mites dead!