Dust mites refer to tiny bugs that live on your carpet, sofa, beddings, beds, pillows, and other surfaces. They feed on the hair and dead skin of the occupants in the house, including pets. The ancestors of these primitive bugs can be traced from 48 to 60 million years ago. But they still have not developed any eyesight and a respiratory system. You can’t see one with your naked eye, which makes it difficult to get rid of them.
According to estimates, about 20 million Americans are allergic to these pests, and seem to need an air purifier for dust in their homes. However, not all homes are equipped with these devices.
What Are the Conditions Necessary for the Dust Mites to Thrive?
If your house is quite humid and dry, you can expect it to be teeming with dust mites. These bugs love temperatures that are from 68°F up to 77°F, with a humidity of about 70%. There are 13 known species of dust mites, and they have all evolved through millennia to thrive in most houses. They can’t survive with humidity levels below 50%.
Your bed, for instance, would have from 100,000 dust mites to as many as 10 million of these bugs. Each bug produces 20 droppings each day.
Why You Should Be Worried About Dust Mites
While dust is present in all houses, the mixture would be very different since every house has a different characteristic. For examples, if you own pets, dog or cat hair would be mixed with other fibers from various furniture, plants, food particles, spores, and fungi around the house. Most of these microscopic particles can be eradicated using the air purifier for dust.
It should be noted, still, that it is not the dust mites themselves that will trigger your allergens but rather their waste. It is because their waste contains the protein that is considered an allergen. Before it finally dies, the bug would have shed about 200 times its body weight in waste.
Among the symptoms of dust mites are:
- Sneezing
- Runny nose
- Nasal congestion
- Difficulty breathing
- Watery eyes
- Incessant coughing
- Hay fever
- Asthma
- Skin problems
Small children with asthma are at risk of dust mites allergy. They will have difficulty breathing and can even be fatal in some cases. Although the predisposition to dust mite allergy has something to do with your genes, it can also be developed if the environmental conditions are ideal.
But I Always Vacuum the House
Even if you regularly vacuum your house, 95% of the dust mites will still remain because they are embedded inside the crevices, holes, fissures, and each nook and cranny of your house, furniture, carpet, and stuffed toys.
There are also other ways to protect your family. For instance, put your beddings, blankets, and pillowcases in the washer using warm water at 130° F. You can also purchase dust-proof covers for your pillows. However, the easier alternative is to purchase an air purifier that is designed to clean your house of dust and dust mites
About Author:
Erica Jones is a freelance writer and a GOT fan. Apart from writing Technologies, she likes to read & write fiction. More than anything, she loves to spend her time with her family, explaining technologies to the elders.
