What Is a Dust Mite?
A Dust mite is a tiny creature that thrives in the dust of your home feeding off your dead skin flakes found on mattresses, pillows, carpets, and upholstered furniture. Dust mite droppings and pieces of dead dust mites can trigger the allergic cascade, meaning, the immune system response when your body is exposed to an allergen.
There is a causal relationship between both dust mite exposure and the development of asthma in children and asthma exacerbations among people who are sensitive to dust mites. The higher the dust mite level in your home, the greater the chance you will develop an allergic reaction to dust mites.
What Can I Do to Decrease Dust Mite Exposure?
Since you spend more time in your bedroom than any other room in your house, it makes sense to place your most intensive efforts here. All of the following interventions can help you decrease your dust mite exposure.
- Allergen-impermeable bedding cover: Cover all mattresses and pillows with a dust proof or "allergen-impermeable" covers. Dust mite levels in bedding are closely related to risk of asthma attacks
- Dehumidifier: Reducing home moisture is the single best intervention to control dust mite exposures in the home. Use a dehumidifier to maintain relative humidity between 30% to 50%. During the summer months, an air conditioner can also be used to achieve this.
- Bedding: Wash all sheets, blankets, and bed covers weekly in hot water (130-140 degrees Fahrenheit) in order to kill dust mites. Washing for at least 10 minutes is associated with nearly complete removal of dust mite allergen.
- Stuffed toys: Periodically wash any stuffed toys or animals in hot water (130-140 degrees Fahrenheit) in order to kill a dust mite. Additionally, keep stuffed animals/ toys off your child's bed.
- Carpeting: Where possible replace carpets with linoleum, tile or wood floors. Replacing wall to wall carpets in bedrooms will achieve the greatest benefit if only some flooring can be replaced. If you are not able to remove carpeting, steam cleaning has also been noted to be beneficial.
- Cleaning: If you are severely allergic, the best solution is having someone else clean your home. If this is not an option, always use a damp rag/mop to clean dust as a dry rag/mop will just cause dust mite allergens to become airborne and increase your exposure. If vacuuming, using a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuum filter or a double bag may decrease your exposure. Even better is a central vacuum cleaner system that is vented to the exterior of your home.
Sources:
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Accessed: January 1, 2009. Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR3): Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma
Tips to Remember. Indoor Allergens Accessed March 31, 2009.
Indoor Environmental Asthma Triggers. Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed march 30, 2009. Dust Mites Sharma HP, Hansel NN, Matsui E, Diette GB, Eggleston P, Breysse P. Indoor Environmental Influences on Children's Asthma. Pediatric Clinics of North America (2007) 54:103-120.
