Where can I find dust mites?
All houses, even the cleanest, are home to dust mites. They are found in bedding, curtains, stuffed animals, sofas, carpets, carpets. Storage mites, located in barns, granary stables and warehouses, unlike house dust mites, feed mainly on flour, grains or cereal flakes. Acarus Siro is found in the rind of some cheeses. These mites cause the same types of symptoms as house dust mites.
Figures on dust mites
Symptoms: pimples, itchy eyes, fatigue, cough…
Dust mites are responsible for half of all allergic reactions. It is actually the debris of dead dust mites and their droppings that cause allergies. In a room with 85% humidity, dust mites consume 5 times more food and produce 5 times more allergenic excreta.
Their inhalation is responsible for respiratory manifestations such as
rhinitis, conjunctivitis or asthma and its equivalents (dry cough,
repeated bronchitis…).
Their contact with the skin causes eczema pimples (also called atopic dermatitis).
Symptoms caused by dust mites are more intense in the fall and extend into the winter when apartments are less ventilated and more heated.
Allergy to dust mites: what to do? What treatment?
Use acaricides (anti-mite)
Acaricides are chemicals that can destroy mite eggs and larvae and sometimes even moulds, which are an important food source for mites. They are available in the form of an aerosol, powder, foam or liquid to be put in a suitable sprayer, sold in pharmacies or directly by laboratories dealing with anti-allergic products.
Its application should not be made by the allergic or asthmatic person, as the product can cause a seizure because of its irritating properties. Some acaricide bombs are equipped with valves that automatically release the product into the room. It is recommended to treat all the mites’ preferred areas, in particular the mattress (on both sides) and the fabric seats, then let the product work for 2 to 4 hours, depending on the brand, before airing the room for several hours.
Be careful, however, with some products sold outside the medical circuit that may have an acaricidal action, but without killing eggs and larvae. Nor is it recommended to use an acaricide sold in a horticultural store that is used only to treat plants. Do not hesitate to ask your pharmacist for advice. AFPRAL, the French Association for the Prevention of Allergies, recommends the anti-Acariens Sanytol “tissus d’Idéal”, which eliminates 100% of dust mites.
Cleaning the house
To prevent dust mites from proliferating, dust should be removed once or twice a week with a damp cloth. It is recommended to vacuum carpeted surfaces once or twice a week, especially under the bed. The carpets must be brushed and shaken outside the room. Bomb dust suppressants and detergents that may aggravate allergic reactions are not recommended.
Tiles, parquet and furniture are preferably cleaned with a damp cloth or mop, avoiding the use of a feather duster, as dust mites spread throughout the room. Finally, the room must be ventilated daily, in winter and summer about 30 to 60 minutes each day.
Vacuum regularly
The vacuum cleaner should be vacuumed two to three times a week. It must be equipped with a HEPA filter, which is highly effective for allergenic particles and allows fewer mites to be released into the room. A good suction should last 30 to 40 minutes to eliminate 20% of dust mite allergens.
The temperature of the room should be 18 or 19 degrees maximum with a humidity of 50 to 60% avoiding electric fan radiators (as in the whole house). Bunk beds should be avoided because the child sleeping in the bottom bed inhales more dust mites from the top bed. A slatted bed base is preferable in the allergic person’s room.
