Could There Be Dust Mites Hiding In Your Home?

You probably think you are well acquainted with everyone you live with – family, friends, housemates, perhaps a pet. But most UK homes have unseen unwelcome house guests. They are mean and ugly, they look like bizarre alien creatures from a science fiction film, oh and they could well be living in your bed. I’m talking of course about dust mites, the secret invaders in the home, which can’t be seen by the naked eye but manage to cause trouble wherever they go.

Aside from the slightly disturbing knowledge that they could be living in your carpets and bedding, dust mites are also one of the most common causes of asthma, eczema and an endless list of other inconvenient allergies. Technically it’s dust mites’ droppings rather than the actual mites that cause problems, as they are coated in an enzyme that is highly allergenic to over 20% of the population. They feast on the 50 million dead skin cells every human sheds each day, and it can be very tough to get rid of them completely. It’s tough, but far from impossible. If you think there might be dust mites in your home, there are three important things to remember:

Keep it Clean – If you want to get rid of dust mites, the most obvious solution is to remove the dust. They nest in ‘dust bunnies’ and in the carpet so regular hoovering, every day if necessary, will help to restrict their food supply and suck them out of the carpet too. Keep windows open where possible as they don’t like sunlight, not to mention a healthy breeze will literally blow them away as they are so small!

Keep it Fresh –You might not think air quality would have much effect on dust mites considering they live in the carpet and furnishings, but in fact the right air conditioner could make all the difference. Even if you hoover every day there is still time for skin cells and dust particles to settle and for the mites to make new homes. Installing an air purifier with a HEPA filter literally removes all particles larger than 0.0003mm from the air before they get the chance to settle, meaning less food for mites.

Keep it Dry – Dust mites thrive in conditions where the air is moist with a relative humidity (RH) of above 50%. Different people have different ideas of the recommended RH in a home and it varies depending on where you live, but it is usually around 45%. If humidity levels in your home are above 50% trying to reduce it is a good idea as not only will this kill dust mites but can also improve the general health of the occupants. Basic things like keeping windows open when cooking or showering can make a difference but if the problem persists then using a dehumidifier is a quick and easy way to remove moisture from the air, maintaining the optimum RH and killing dust mites dead!