Dust mites are found in almost every room in the house; but one room which is a ‘dust-mite haven’ is the bedroom. Your mattresses, pillows, bed sheets, bedcovers, bedroom carpet and bathroom doormat offer an ideal breeding ground for dust-mites and are infested with millions of these microscopic creatures. When one thinks of these invisible creepy crawlies, the first thought that invariably comes to mind is ‘ how do I allergy proof the bedroom?’ .
For people vulnerable to dust-mite allergies, a dust mite infested bedroom can become a major allergy trigger. Asthma episodes, hay fever, sneezing, runny nose, headaches, sinusitis, ear blockage, eczema, wheezing, joint and muscle pain, are some of the symptoms of a dust-mite allergy. (Of course, you need to contact a specialist to diagnose the exact cause of your allergies.)
If you or someone in your family is prone to dust-mite allergies , you can take several steps to allergy proof the bedroom.
1. Dust-mite proof your bed: Encase your mattress, pillow, doona, blankets with dust mite resistant covers. A dust-mite cover creates a barrier between you and the dust mite allergens by enclosing the entire mattress, the entire pillow and the entire doona. In fact you can order these products right here on Mitey Fresh. Choose from a range of affordable dust mite bed covers, pillow and mattress protectors
PRODUCT:
Allerprotect Dust Mite Bed Set
Create a barrier between you and the dust mite allergens by enclosing the entire mattress, the entire pillow and the entire doona. Provides asthma and allergy relief by stopping the continual night time exposure to dust mite allergens while you sleep.
2. Ensure adequate ventilation: Prevent the air in your bedroom from becoming stale and humid (ideal breeding conditions for dust-mites). Open windows daily to allow fresh air into the room. Use an air purifier to keep the air in your room healthy. During the rainy season, use a dehumidifier to keep the humidity at 50 percent.
3. Dust your bedroom using a microfiber cloth: These environment friendly cleaning cloths prevent the dust and other allergens present in your bedroom from becoming airborne every time you clean
PRODUCT:
Microfibre Cloth
Probably the one item you will use most of all, a microfiber cloth will let you easily remove dust, dirt and even sponge up water in a flash. After all, no one wants to breathe in air that is filled with floating dust particles or potential mould. So pick up a microfiber cloth and start removing those contaminants as you work to keep your indoor air clean once the cleaning week hits.
4. Keep pets out: This is one is a no brainer. Pets bring with them additional amounts of dust into your room. No matter how much you adore your pet, if you are allergic to dust mites, keep pets out of the bedroom.
5. Remove carpets from the bedroom: It is a good idea to do away with rugs and wall to wall carpeting in the bedroom. Replace the carpet with a hard surface flooring.
6. Wash the bedding regularly: Change your bed covers, sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers on a weekly basis. Wash them in hot water and put them to dry in the sun.
7. Keep the room clean: Keep the bedroom clutter free to prevent accumulation of dust and dust-mites.
So there you have it, 7 easy ways of reclaiming your bedroom from the dust-mites. While you cannot eliminate dust-mites altogether, you can certainly reduce their presence in your bedroom.
In fact, your house is home to several types of allergens. Here is a useful infographic from AllergyBeGone.com on combating common household allergens.
The conclusion remains that effective allergen avoidance requires a comprehensive approach, and that individual steps alone are generally ineffective (Platts-Mills et al. 2000).
Towards healthier living, Carol Parr ♥
As Building Biologists, we have acquired knowledge of adverse health effects and recommend effective strategies to reduce occupants’ exposure by eliminating and controlling as many sources of pollutants in order to create healthy indoor living environments that are as exposure-free and natural as practically possible.
References
National Asthma Education and Prevention Program, Third Expert Panel on the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma.
Bethesda (MD): National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (US); 2007 Aug. (Online). Available: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/guidelines/asthgdln.pdf [May 1, 2015]
Platts-Mills TA, Vaughan JW, Carter MC, Woodfolk JA. The role of intervention in established allergy: avoidance of indoor allergens in the treatment of chronic allergic disease. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;106(5):787–804. (Online). Available: http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(00)39663-4/fulltext [July 17, 2015]
Author
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We’re glad you’re here. We’re Carol and Tony, founders of one of the longest running Healthy Home Blogs in the world, Mitey Fresh Australia. We’ve been on this journey for the last 25 years and are passionate about helping families sift through health hazards and triggers like allergens, mould, water damage, chemicals and EMFs, to get clarity about what’s toxic and what’s not so they can create a healthy and happy home for their family they love. Each month, people visit this blog seeking focus on the health and wellbeing of their loved ones, sustainable and effective practice tips and guides, to help create and manage healthier indoor spaces, improve the built environment that is pleasing to the senses and support healthy living and nature, every day. Starting this blog was to help change people’s lives, one family at a time, and we can’t wait to share how its allowed us to stand next to you and show you how interpreting these synergies between buildings and the environment they are built in will impact upon the health and well-being of those who occupy them. Find out more about Healthy Homes and what this blog can do for you!
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