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Dust Mites

For some, dusting is an obsession. 'I've just got to give the place a once over because we're expecting visitors', your mother would say. But she's fighting a losing battle, because it's impossible to keep your home completely clear of dust. It comes from the millions of dead skin cells that we shed every day. In addition, the tiny arachnid that is a permanent resident in every home, the house dust mite, feeds on these dead skin cells and forms part of the dust we see around the house.

If you can't rid the family home of this unwelcome occupant, and you're not keen to give yourself a Hannibal Lector-style skin peel to cut off its food supply, is there any hope? Yes, so don't dispair. You may not be able to eradicate it completely, but you can reduce its numbers - and in war, which is what it may feel like, this can make all the difference. If you can reduce the concentration of mites and their dung, and make the environment less homely for them to reinvade, half the battle is won.

The excretion from the mites dries out and can be launched into the air whenever anyone walks over a rug, sits down on a chair or shakes the bedclothes. For those allergic to it, this triggers symptoms that may include a runny nose, itching, sneezing, watering eyes, difficulty in breathing or eczema. Even for those who don't suffer from allergies, entering a dusty room, say the attic, and opening a bag or box that last saw the light of day when telephones were made of Bakelite is enough to send you into paroxysms of coughing and spluttering as the dust hits you. So it is when the irritating house dust mite dung gets into the eyes, nose and mouth of someone who is allergic to it.

The irony is that if we left the dust alone, then yes, it would pile up, but the house dust mite and its dung would probably do us less harm. You see, it's too heavy to float in the air without any help. So when we dust, fluff up pillows and cushions, settle down on the sofa or roll over in bed, we send it flying. OK, we can't get rid of them completely, so how can we keep down the numbers? House dust mites prefer a humid environment, so having some windows open will reduce their numbers through ventilation and by keeping the air dry. Dehumidifiers can help here too. Mites like soft furnishings, so choosing wood, vinyl or leather-covered furniture where possible means there are fewer places for the mites to live. Keeping dust traps like teddy bears, cushions, dried flowers, bric-a-brac and toys to a minimum helps. If you just can't be without these things, then try and keep them in one room only, a room you don't often use.

Wash and vacuum curtains regularly, and think about using lightweight materials for curtains as these tend to collect less dust. When you dust, a damp duster is much more effective than a dry one. Be tidy and always put all clothes away in wardrobes. Where possible, keep your hands off dusty objects. And grandma was right, hanging bedding out to dry outside is a good idea, since sunlight destroys the house dust mite and thoroughly dries bedding, which is essential if mites are not to flourish.

Of course, the perfect solution is to let someone else do the cleaning and housework. This isn't just a good excuse not to do any housework; if you're allergic this means you'll be out of the line of fire when the vacuum cleaner's fan hits the s**t.


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