If you or anyone in your household suffers from itchy skin, a runny nose, painful facial pressure, nasal congestion or post-nasal drip when inside the home (even when not carrying out any cleaning tasks), this could be a clear sign that dust mites may be prevalent and out of control in your home.
While many people suffer similar reactions to dust itself, dust mites are a whole different problem.
What are dust mites?
Microscopic pests that feed on dead human skin cells and thrive in humid settings, dust mites are not visible to the naked eye, and do not bite us, sting us, or burrow into our bodies – thank goodness! Rather, those who have a dust or dust mite allergy, will experience symptoms such as inflammation of the nasal passages when they inhale proteins in the dust coming from the faeces of dust mites, their urine, or their decaying bodies; gross, right? Anyone can develop an allergy to dust mites, but if you suffer from hay fever, asthma or eczema, you may be more susceptible.
Clumps of dust are a favorite breeding ground for dust mites, and if your home doesn’t get cleaned as often as it should, you could be unwittingly inviting mites in and giving them access to your entire home.
With dust mite allergies affecting an estimated 20 million Americans, it’s a big problem, but fortunately, one that you can tackle yourself.
If you’ve been tested for a dust mite allergy by your local healthcare provider, or have many of the symptoms and so believe this to be the problem, reducing your symptoms starts with cleaning your home. Now, you can either do this yourself, or to prevent your allergies from becoming even worse, you could hire a local cleaning company to come in and get the place dust-free for you. While a one-off clean will work initially, it’s important that you keep on top of cleaning so that you don’t give the mites a reason to come back again.
Whether you tackle the cleaning yourself, or hire the professionals, here are a few simple steps to take for a dust mite-free home:
- Change your bedding on a regular basis
Bedsheets and comforters etc, attract dust and if not switched out frequently, it can accumulate and provide dust mites with the perfect environment for breeding. Along with swapping to allergen-proof covers for your bedsheets and pillows etc, you should try to change your bedding weekly.
- Keep all surfaces clean
With a few simple store cupboard essentials – such as white vinegar and baking soda – you can make an effective and eco-friendly solution for cleaning all surfaces hygienically throughout the home. Basically, any surface that might attract dust and pet dander, for example, should be cleaned daily, or as often as possible.
- Vacuum all floors
But don’t just vacuum all floors on a regular basis, make sure you’re getting right into all of the corners where dust, debris and pet dander might be lurking (even if you can’t see it, you can bet your bottom dollar it will be there). If you have a vacuum cleaner with HEPA filtration technology, so much the better.
- Deep clean carpets and rugs
In the average home, carpets and rugs typically attract the most dust, and hence should not just be vacuumed regularly, but deep cleaned periodically.
Dust mites can wreak havoc on a home and its inhabitants, but with preventative and ongoing measures to tackle the dust that attracts them, you can minimize their numbers and prevent them from triggering allergy symptoms. Hiring a cleaning company is perhaps one of the best ways of reducing dust in your home, and therefore, reducing dust mites.
