Dust mites. They're disgusting microscopic creatures. Not only that, a surging population surge can trigger an allergic reaction or for some make their asthma worse. The best way to minimize the symptoms is rid your clothes, pillows and carpets of the pests. To do that you can't be half hearted. Here are six things anyone can do.
Use protective covers on beds, pillows and mattresses to reduce the problem of mites by as much as 1000 times as compared to non covered ones. Thick vinyl covers, non woven synthetic covers or finely woven fabrics can be used. If you are planning to buy hypoallergenic bedding make sure the pore size is no bigger than 6 micron to prevent dust mites.
et rid of the carpet. In some cases vacuuming carpet can only make things worse. It stirs up the dreadful dust mites and their droppings unless you've got a HEPA filter. If that's not an option replace the carpet with tile or laminate flooring to keep any mites in the neighborhood far away.
Dry them out with a dehumidifier. Mites thrive in warm, humid conditions. Drying the air makes for a less inviting environment for them.
Hot water washing. May not be all that green but it is a way to kill off mites that have taken up residence in your clothing. The water temp has to be about--0 degrees according to the research to work. But it can produce clean clothes that are nearly 100% dust mite free. Compare that to washing in warm water which only eliminates maybe 7% of them and you can see it's a huge difference.
For those items of clothing you'd rather not subject to such hot water another solution is a laundry additive called DeMite. A couple of spoonfuls does the trick. Giving you another way to control mites in the laundry room.
While heat works to eliminate mites in some ways so does cold. Freezing cold. So take your kids' stuffed animals, put them in a plastic bag and leave them in the freezer for a day. You can do the same with sheets and pillow cases. This will stop the mites cold.
So as you can see, when it comes to dust mite reactions antihistamines needn't always be the answer. You can get ahead of them by frequent dusting and vacuuming of the room, washing clothes once a week in hot water, or covering pillows and mattresses with special casings. Any of these can help you deal effectively with allergies caused by dust mites.
As you just read dust mites are a real turn off. But the right vacuum, be it a Dirt Devil, the Miele Callisto, or a spiffy new Hoover can all make a difference in the health and well being of your family. Especially if you have family members suffering from dust and mite allergies.
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