Gesundheit! If you suffer from dust mite allergies, then you’re no stranger to sniffles and sneezes and blessings from passing strangers. Or runny noses and itchy, watery eyes, for that matter. While investing in Puffs facial tissues may still be in order, there are a number of strategies and treatments to help make your existence less about the mites and more about enjoying life.
Dust mites are the most common cause of indoor allergies. It’s disconcerting, to say the least, but these microscopic creatures (they’re close relatives of spiders and ticks, actually) live off the flakes of skin shed by humans and animals, they multiply among us, and they excrete allergen-rich droppings.
Read on to discover some great tips and treatment options to defend yourself against dust mites.
Dust Mites: The Perfect Excuse for Home Renovations
If your home features wall-to-wall carpeting, you may want to consider investing in some nice hardwood floors. Especially if your bedroom is carpeted! Since these tiny critters thrive in warm, humid, dark environments, the bedroom is a particularly welcoming environment for dust mites. By upgrading to hardwood, you’ll not only improve the value of your home, but you’ll effectively remove the mites’ all-you-can-eat buffet.
Get Rid of Dust Mites by Making Your Home Sparkle
It stands to reason that if dust mites thrive on dust, minimizing dust is the best path to an allergy-free lifestyle. Unfortunately, in many parts of the world, it’s impossible to completely eliminate dust mites and those who suffer from dust allergies know that cleaning stirs up all sorts of trouble. Still, a dust-free zone is ideal.
If you suffer from severe allergies, be sure to wear a dust mask while vacuuming and dusting. Because emptying a bagless vacuum can be a dusty mess, we recommend investing in a vacuum designed with allergies in mind! In other words: a vacuum with a bag and HEPA filter. When dusting hard surfaces, ditch the feather duster and use a damp mop or cloth to avoid redistributing the dust from your mantle or desk into the air.
Breathe Clean Air
Vacuuming and dusting are great place to start your dust-free quest, it’s typically not enough to eliminate dust mites. Invest in a well-tested and well-reviewed HEPA-equipped air purifier to suck the dust right out of the air. Don’t forget to change the filter regularly!
Make Your Bedding and Furniture Mite-y Resistant
Since dust mites, also known as bed mites, love to live deep inside your furniture, mattresses, curtains, and carpeting, you’ll want to cover your mattresses, furniture, and pillows with zippered, dust-proof covers. Be sure to wash your bedding weekly in hot water and dry everything on high to kill any lingering bugs. If your little ones have stuffed loveys hanging out on the bed, you’ll want to toss these little animals into the wash as well. We’d advise doing the deed while junior’s having a playdate.
Climate Control is Your Friend
If you live in a climate with high levels of humidity, like, say, Nashville, then a dehumidifier just might be your best friend. If you keep the humidity in your home below 50%, you make your house significantly less appealing to dust mites. Install fans in your bathrooms to draw moist air out and be sure to keep all appliances in good working order to avoid leaks.
Keep Pets Out of the Bedroom
Dust mites love to snack on pet dander, so keep your pets out of your bed! Allergic Living reported that “An average mattress contains between 100,000 and 10 million bugs. A study in 2000 found that more than 45% of American homes had detectable dust mite levels associated with the development of allergies, and 23% had bedding with concentrations of allergen high enough to trigger asthma attacks.”
Go Ahead, Run Your Furnace
Who knows, you may even find that you can reduce your air conditioning costs by running the fan on your furnace 24/7. Simply install a high-efficiency filter with a MERV rating of at least 10 and it’ll act as a whole house air purifier. However, be sure to check your filter on a monthly basis and plan on replacing it at least every three months.
Call Allergy Specialist
If you’re still suffering and you’ve done everything in your power to make your home an inhospitable environment, then it’s time to call in the reinforcements. Find an allergist or allergy clinic that can help you tackle the worst of your allergies. Treatment options may include nasal irrigation, immunotherapy, over-the-counter antihistamines, prescription antihistamine nasal sprays, corticosteroids, decongestants, or sinus surgery.
Tired of seasonal sneezing?
Our free Seasonal Allergy Handbook gives you the tips you need to stop the sneeze.
