Dust mites: The silent troublemakers

For those who are allergic to dust mites, they don't have to see them to know that they are there. Symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy and watery eyes keep us well aware of their presence.

These creatures are very small, ranging from 200 to 300 microns. A micron is .000039 of an inch. It would take a microscope to see them. The allergen, however, is even smaller. Their size ranges between 4 to 20 microns. The smaller the allergen size, the longer it can stay airborne and more chances of us breathing them in. The allergen produced by the dust mites are their droppings, their shed skin and their decaying bodies.

They are such trouble makers for us because they live so close to us. They enjoy the same living conditions as we keep our homes. They love to live in our blankets, towels, curtains, stuff toys, and upholstered furniture. Their most favorite place to live is in our beds.

Dust mites do not drink water. They get their water requirements from the air and absorb it through their skin. Thus, the relative humidity that we keep in our home is an important variable for them. During cold weather, when the air is dry, they get their warmth and water requirements from us by living in our beds.

There are no seasons to the allergy symptoms. These trouble makers can produce symptoms year-round for us and rob of us some quality of life. But there are some things that you can do to fight back. In my experience, using allergy-proof bedding was the most beneficial. Some tips to kill the dust mites are;

dry cleaning

putting articles out in direct sunlight

freezing pillows and stuff toys

dryness: maintaining relative humidity in the home below 45 percent
Although the tips above are effective, they don't always eliminate the allergen that is left behind.

Another useful tip is to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.  A regular vacuum will not hold onto the dust mite allergen that it catches.  It will shoot it back into the air through its exhaust.

When it comes to avoidance, the bedroom is always the first place to start. More dust mites live in your bed than any other place. Your fight against dust mites is very winnable. Practicing the avoidance strategies will bring down the level of allergens and minimizing symptoms so that our quality of life is not robbed.

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About the author

Don Johnson is the publisher and editor of Avoid-Nasal-Allergies.com, the guide to preventing allergic symptoms the natural way without using drugs. Read more about Dust Mites at his site.

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