Much Ado About Dust Mites Before you wage war on dust mites by buying new pillows, mattresses and protective covers, read the latest Patient Money column. As Lesley Alderman reports, dust mites may seem disgusting, but unless you’re allergic, you don’t need to worry about them. Dust mites are microscopic creatures, about 0.4 millimeters in length, that feast on flakes of human skin. Their feces contains a substance called DerP1, a very potent allergen. People who are allergic to dust mites may have asthma-like symptoms, eczema or chronic sinus problems. Many of us believe that bed linens, pillows and mattresses must be replaced regularly in order to prevent them from becoming home to vast colonies of these nasty critters, lest their feces spread and cause allergic reactions in family members. According to most experts, the truth is a bit more prosaic. People who have allergies to dust mites should indeed take measures to protect themselves. But everyone else can skip the expensive trips to Linens “R” Us.
To learn more, including how to be tested and what measures will help combat the allergen, read the full column, “Who Should Worry About Dust Mites (and Who Shouldn’t),” and then please join the discussion below.Better Sleep & Allergy Relief: How To Banish Dust Mites from Your Bed (Image credit: Alexis Buryk) Do you hate waking up with a stuffy nose and watery eyes? Environmental control of allergens can help — and it’s not as hard as it sounds. Your bed is heaven for dust mites, who thrive in warm, humid environments with a steady supply of shed skin cells. Sound like where you sleep? To get rid of dust mites, and therefore allergens, in your bed, follow our handy guide: Sanitize and Cover Your Pillows. Toss your pillows in a dryer for 15 minutes, making sure the dryer reaches 130 degrees F (most dryers do). Cover the pillows with allergy relief bedding, special covers that will keep dust mites from getting back into the pillow again. Vacuum, Cover, and/or Replace Your Mattress.
Vacuuming your mattress can remove a significant amount of dust mite allergens. Use small, slow strokes, and preferably a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Encase your mattress in an allergy proof cover that will keep any remaining dust mite allergens from reaching your breathing zone. The mattress cover will also keep food (your shed skin) from getting to the dust mites, so any remaining critters will starve (take that you yucky little sneeze-makers). If you’re in the market for a new mattress, or if you’re really serious about reducing allergens in the bedroom, get a latex or foam mattress — dust mites cannot live in either material. Wash all your bedding it hot water once a week to kill dust mites that may still make their home among your sheets and blankets. Taking these simple steps will not only give you a fresher, cleaner bed, but will give you restful, allergy-free nights and mornings where you wake up refreshed, the golden sunshine seeping through your window as you stretch your arms while birds chirp at just the right decibel and the warm aroma of percolating coffee... well, let’s not get carried away, but at least you won’t be blowing your nose!
Q.- How often should a mattress be cleaned? A.- Dust mites thrive on the skin flakes we shed every night. The recommended service interval is once every six months. Q.- Why can't I just vacuum my own mattress? A.- Traditional household or commercial vacuums do not have the power to remove the highly resilient dust mites and other harmful debris that are deeply embedded in the mattress. And, they do not utilize the all important germ killing UV-C light*, the key to effective disinfection. Q.- How long does the cleaning process take? A.- It depends on the size of mattress, but between 15-20 minutes for a twin mattress and about 30 minutes for a king mattress. Q.- Can mattress cleaning cure my allergy? A.- No, it doesn’t offer any cure, but it will help to reduce the severity and frequency of allergies. Many of our customers have found that their particular allergy disappears altogether and in the case of asthmatics, about 85% of sufferers are allergic to House Dust Mite droppings, so the chances of us helping an asthma sufferer is very high.
Q.- Can an old mattress be cleaned effectively? A.- Yes, most definitely. Mattresses that are old will have much higher levels of dust mites and droppings, dead skin, fungal spores, bacteria and germs. This will also apply to hand me down ones as well. Our process is extremely effective and will make them clean and fresh again. Q.-Do protective mattress covers work? A.-There have been studies that show them not to work effectively. Also, from our experience, whenever we have tested a mattress with a cover, the mattress has always tested positive for contamination. Q.- Is there a dust mite season, as with pollen or molds? Are the summer months tougher on people with dust mite allergies because of the higher humidity? A.- It may be higher in the summer in many climates because of the warmth and higher humidity. But people who are sensitive to dust mites often will have symptoms all year-round. And in the winter time, when people spend more time indoors and keep windows and doors closed, dust mite particles are often still in the house, and they still can be a problem.
Do I need a seperate cover for the box springs, or is it included?by It looks like you are not signed in. To proceed you will need to either sign in or create a new accountSign InDo I need a seperate cover for the box springs, or is it included?by It looks like you are not signed in. To proceed you will need to either sign in or create a new accountSign Inwill the bed bug blocker help if you already have them but cant afford a new bed just got the bed 4 months agoby It looks like you are not signed in. To proceed you will need to either sign in or create a new accountSign InIs this cover also waterproof?by It looks like you are not signed in. To proceed you will need to either sign in or create a new accountSign InThe IP address used for your Internet connection is part of a subnet that has been blocked from access to PubMed Central. Addresses across the entire subnet were used to download content in bulk, in violation of the terms of the PMC Copyright Notice. Use of PMC is free, but must comply with the terms of the Copyright Notice on the PMC site.