What Thread Counts And Pore Size Block Dust Mites
To block the entrance of house dust mites, doctors and researchers suggest getting a premium fabric with more than 230 thread counts. And the pore size of the fabric should be less than 10 microns. This pore size prevents the entry of house dust mites and the majority of other allergens. Ideally, it is best to find a fabric with a pore size of 6 microns, as too small a pore size may have reduced breathability.
In general, a high-quality mite-preventing fabric must have the following characteristics,
- More than 98% allergen permeability
- Tightly woven with pore size between 2 to 10 microns
- Less than 4% of dust leakage
- Have thread count higher than 230
Whats The Best Dust Allergy Treatment
Theres no specific dust allergy cure as such but you can definitely find treatment to manage the dust allergy symptoms.
Some options for dust allergy treatment or management are:
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Opting for doctor-prescribed antihistamines
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Check with the doctor on how to open up the nasal passages
In-addition to the medications mentioned above there are also few home remedies for dust allergy, they can provide some relief:
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Herbal tea with honey can help in soothing an itchy throat.
Is dust mite allergy prevention possible?
Dust particles and mites can be hard to keep at bay, but you can most definitely minimize their effects by taking proper measures.
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Use airtight covers for pillows, mattresses and cushions to avoid any contact with the allergens
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Every week wash all your bedding and covers in hot water with up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit . High temperature usually kills dust mites
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Make sure your house is clean and dry
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Mop the concrete floors with disinfectant and vacuum your house regularly
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While dusting or vacuuming, wear a mask to avoid inhaling dust particles
Keeping the above points in mind, lets take a look at the most common queries every individual has about dust mite allergy:
Can dust allergy cause sore throat, headache, skin rash?
Eliminate The Source Of Allergens
As the saying goes, prevention is always better than cure. Reducing the quantity of dust mites and their allergens is the first step in limiting and even eliminating clinical allergy symptoms.
ExAller® is a 100%-safe, natural, clinically proven product that eliminates 99% of dust mites from mattresses, furniture and carpets in 3 simple steps.Learn more about our solution.
Dr X. Van der Brempt, allergist
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How Can You Reduce Dust Mites
The allergen is present both in the mites as well as in their droppings and discarded skin cases. So it is important to try to reduce all of these. Unfortunately, it is not possible to completely remove dust mites from the house, and you will need to do more than one thing to reduce their numbers and effect.
The best place to start is in the bedroom:
- Wash sheets and pillowcases every week in water hotter than 60 degrees Celsius . This will kill the dust mites and remove the allergen. If you cannot use hot water, try a commercial washing product containing tea tree or eucalyptus oils, which kills dust mites and can be used in cold water.
- Open the curtains and allow sunshine into your room and, if possible, onto your bed. Dust mites do not like bright light.
- Put dust mite-resistant protective covers on your mattress, doona and pillows. These need to be washed every 8 weeks.
- If you do not have protective covers, wash blankets and doonas every 3 months.
- Remove sheepskin underlays from your bed.
- Remove pillows and soft toys from the bedroom or wash them every week. Soft toys can be put into the freezer to kill the dust mites, but this will not remove the allergen.
For all rooms:
What Else Can Help Manage Dust Mite Allergies
So if the answer to how to get rid of dust mites is that you cant completely. how to we live with them?
Using dust mite minimisation strategies will definitely help keep the allergen levels lower.
Concentrating on beds and bedrooms makes a big difference, as this is where we spend a lot of time.
If you still have allergy symptoms, talk to your doctor about the best way to manage them. This could be by taking antihistamines, using an allergy nasal spray, or both. I currently use both every day Zyrtec and Nasonex . Your doctor or pharmacist will be able to give you advice about which types of medication might be helpful for you.
For severe dust mite allergies that arent managed with medication alone, talk to your allergy specialist about the possibility of doing immunotherapy.
One of our children has already done immunotherapy for house dust mites. This was sublingual immunotherapy , which involved putting drops of dust mite extract under the tongue every day for a few years. My partner and I are both going to be doing traditional immunotherapy this year. I am due to start once the allergy season is over as I am also having shots for various tree and grass pollens. This is going to be a long term commitment over a number of years. You read more about starting immunotherapy injections here Important questions to ask about starting allergy shots .
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Use Dust Mite Proof Casings For Your Mattresses Pillows And Blankets
Dust allergies used to affect me the most when I was in bed. Many a time, I entered the bed breathing just fine, but as the night progressed, I would struggle to breathe and eventually wake up with a bout of sneezes.
However, it all changed when I started encasing my mattress, pillows, and comforter in an allergy-proof microfiber case.
The microfiber allows air to flow through the fabric, but the tight weaving acts as a barrier that prevents allergens from getting across. Furthermore, the encasings are also tightly zipped around the mattress, pillows, quilts, and duvets to prevent the escape of allergens.
The result of allergy proofing my bed has been remarkable. I now breathe well all night and wake up feeling refreshed.
For comparisons of allergy-proof casings with regular pillow covers, see the picture gallery below.
The tight weaving and zippers of the allergy-proof casings put a barrier between you and the allergens.
Remember, for best results, the allergy-proof casing should be put on as soon as a new mattress, pillow, or comforter is bought.
But, allergy proofing is useful even for an old set that most likely already has an established colony of mites. For best results, though, launder or vacuum the old bedding to remove as much dust and allergens as you possibly can.
Allergy To Dust Mites
Dust mites are tiny insects that live indoors. They thrive in pillows, mattresses, box springs, blankets, rugs and carpets, “stuffed animals” and upholstered furniture such as couches. They also live in dusty areas like furnace ducts. They are so tiny that they are hard to see without a microscope.
Dust mites feed on organic matter such as flakes of skin. They love padded material and prefer humid conditions. Both the enzymes in their feces and their hard shells can cause allergy and asthma symptoms. When a person who is sensitive to the dust mite breathes in these particles, they can cause allergy symptoms, including sneezing, coughing, runny nose, congestion and itchy, watery eyes. Dust mites can also cause asthma symptoms, such as coughing or wheezing.
The best way to reduce allergy symptoms due to dust mites is to cover the bedding with special dust mite covers and remove as much dust as possible. Pay special attention to your child’s bedroom.
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What Is Dust Allergy
Often alternatively known as Dust Mite Allergy, it is a form of air borne energy caused because of the infestation of the dust mites. These are tiny bugs which do belong to the spider family.
They are predominantly found around in the house dust and actively feed on the dead skin cells that people shed off on a daily basis. The main reason why this form of allergy is so common is because of the fact that they can withstand and live in extreme weather conditions too.
When we accidentally end up inhaling through the dust around in the house, chances are that these mites enter into our body. In order to recuperate the associated problems, the immune system of the body goes into a full overdrive to fight off the antigens.
These reactions are what we experience around as the symptoms for dust allergy.
How Does A Dust Mite Allergy Affect My Body
If you have a dust mite allergy, the first time you encounter dust mite proteins, your body responds by creating immunoglobulin E . IgE is antibodies that your immune system makes to attack allergens, even though these allergens might not be harmful. Once you encounter dust mite proteins again, your immune system has a greater response. This response causes allergy symptoms.
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Top 10 Things To Do If You Suffer From A Dust Allergy
The main cause of dust allergies in most households is dust mites. These microscopic insects can cause a lot of discomfort to those who are prone to allergies, but they are not the only trigger to allergies. There are multiple allergens like spores, pet dander, dead skin, mould particles, cockroach wastes and other debris in a single speck of dust. These too can cause various allergic reactions. The symptoms can range from runny nose and sneezing to more serious complications like wheezing and breathlessness.
The following are the top ten things to do if you suffer from a dust allergy:
Causes Of Dust Mite Allergies
An allergy is the immune systems response to an unknown substance thats not usually harmful to your body. These substances are called allergens. They may include certain foods, pollens, and dust mites. People who are allergic to dust mites have bad reactions to the remnants of the bugs. These remnants include tiny mounds of feces and decaying bodies.
You might have a relatively clean household, but it doesnt take much to create an environment fit for dust mites. In fact, the average bedroom is often the ideal place for them. Bedding, carpeting, and furniture cushions all trap and hold moisture, allowing these tiny bugs to flourish. You could experience increased allergy symptoms over time as you continue to breathe in the dust mites waste particles.
Its important to note that dust can be a sneeze-inducing annoyance for anyone, but only certain people have the immune responses that actually constitute a dust mite allergy.
Dust mite allergy symptoms can range from mild to severe. They may include the following:
- runny or itchy nose
- itchy, watery, or red eyes
- scratchy throat
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What Are The Causes Of Dust Allergy
When it comes to discussing the causes behind this condition, the possibilities are predominantly because of the allergens that our body is exposed to.
Any form of allergy that we fight along is mainly because of the exposure of the allergens into the immune system. In order to fight them off, our immune system releases chemicals and boosts reactions which end up being showcased in the form of the symptoms that we experience for our allergies.
There could very well be a number of reasons behind the condition that we actively are not even aware of. These mites can be anywhere around, from your bedroom to the living room that you just cleaned.
Majority of the times, it has been found that some of the furniture around in the house like the bedding, and even the cushions around have the capability of keeping the moisture trapped, thus providing with an amazing infestation site for the allergens.
Reduce Humidity To Reduce Dust Mites In Your Home
Dust mites rely on the moisture in the air to maintain water balance in their bodies. They generally prosper in relative humidity of 75%. Any fall of humidity from that level starts to affect the health and size of the mite population. But, it is the RH of less than 50% that really starts to dehydrate them critically .
Dust mites are hardies though and they have mechanisms to cope with many hours of dehydration. They could survive in conditions where the RH of the home remains below 50% for most of the day but spikes up once in a while. Even though they can survive in such conditions, they certainly do not thrive. Their ability to reproduce and multiply is severely impacted if the humidity remains below 50% for most of the day.
So, any efforts to dehumidify your home will overall suppress dust mites population. The mites will either die of dehydration or if they manage to survive, they will multiply at a hampered rate.
The method one chooses to dehumidify will entirely depend on the climate in which one lives. For example, if live in a desert like Las Vegas, where RH is below 15% on most days, you really dont need to do much.
On the other hand, if you live in Miami, dehumidification will cost a pretty penny in the form of air conditioning and indoor dehumidifiers.
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Where Does It Come From
The short answer is that dust comes from both inside and outside your house.³ Pollen and other airborne particles enter the house when you do. They can also get in when you open a window. Particles get on your clothes and shoes, which bring these unwelcome visitors inside.
Things get a little bit more complicated when you take a closer look at indoor dust. Carpeting, upholstered furniture, pillows, and bedding are all made up of fibers. When these fibers start to decay, particles enter the air and contribute to the dust in our homes.³
Now comes the part no one really wants to talk about. Specifically, the “other stuff” that makes up the household dust. Pet dander, skin flakes and a lovely mixture of other insects or bugs often contribute to what we call dust.³
Dust Mite Allergy Mattress Covers
If you are managing a dust mite allergy, your bedroom needs attention. Your bed is a perfect dust mite habitat, providing warmth, humidity and food. Start with these steps:
- Cover your mattress, box spring, and pillows with zippered dust mite allergy covers. These are tightly woven cloth covers that trap existing mites inside and prevent new ones from getting in. They ensure allergens are not able to enter your airways and are readily available from allergy supply companies.
- Wash all bed linens, including sheets, pillowcases, blankets, and bed covers, in hot water weekly. Cold washing will not kill dust mites. Dry on high heat or in sunlight in warm weather.
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Vacuum Carpets Rugs Upholstery And Wipe Clean Hard Surfaces
Vacuum and wipe clean your home regularly to accomplish these three important goals:
One, it removes human skin scales from your home, which is the primary food source of mites.
Two, it removes some of the mite eggs and larvae scattered around your house. That said, cleaning may not remove most of the adult mites because they burrow deeper into the fabrics.
And three, it removes the actual allergen, the dust mite feces, from the household. While this is good in general for an allergy sufferer, the act of cleaning itself can trigger allergies. When disturbed, the mite feces can easily become airborne.
So, if you could help it, you should find someone else to do the cleaning for you. If that is not possible, wear a mask and safety goggles while cleaning to protect yourself from airborne allergens.
Any high-efficiency vacuum cleaner would do the job for carpets, rugs, and upholstery. I primarily use an upright vacuum like Dyson for cleaning the upholstery and rugs.
However, I also use a Roomba for hard-to-reach areas like under the bed or couches. If we do not get into these hard-to-reach areas, a permanent colony of dust mites will continue to thrive there. And if left to their own device, they will migrate and repopulate the rest of the clean house very quickly.
Even though hard surfaces like tabletops, countertops, or, hardwood floors do not harbor dust mites, cleaning them is an important step in reducing the overall food supply for dust mites.
Does Silk Repeal Dust Mites
Yes, silk is an excellent hypoallergenic fabric. Silk fibers have a natural tendency of keeping the worm protected from the harsh outside environment and predators like dust mites. These silkworms spun the silk fibers around them in the form of the cocoon as shelter.
Silk fibers contain 20 to 30% sericin protein which keeps the fibers attached and also protects the cocoon from allergens including dust mites. Therefore, silk fabric repels dust mites and also help in reducing allergic reaction.
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