Carpeting and Dust Mites

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Posted in How To Kill Dust MitesTagged

people with allergies really should pull up their carpeting and replace it with tile  or a laminate. We have a friend that pulled it all up and just painted the slab. Looks pretty good.

The problem with carpets and allergies is that carpeting, no matter what kind, holds dirt. In the dirt you will find dust, dirt, pollen, dust mites, pet dander and everything else yo stepped in.

No I know the carpet cleaning company will tell you they can get everything out and make it as good as new. Nice line but not really. It will be just as good as new for about a day or two unless the cleaner has a bad water extraction system and then it will be worse.

If you can’t pull it up you should look at using a product called X-Mite. It’s a powder that you sprinkle on to the carpeting that neutralizes the allergens. Here is an article that does a pretty good job of explaining it.

“X-Mite Powder made by Alkaline Laboratories harnesses the power of the acids in tannins to denature the allergy causing proteins.  Tannic acid is found in woods like oak, mahogany, and redwood.  It is also found in tea.  Alkaline Labs uses a patented process to convert this into a 3% tanacetane formulation which is highly effective in denaturing proteins from animals, molds, pollens and dust mites.  They combine this denaturing agent with a water-based solution of surfactants that also absorbs some soil.

The result with X-Mite powder is that the proteins are denatured and thereby made harmless and some soil is removed making the carpets appear cleaner.” Read complete article

I’m not a fan of carpeting. I have allergies and pets. I know many people will tell me that carpeting is no that bad as long as you vacuum it.I’ll save my comments about that for another post but If you have bad allergies, vacuuming is not one of the best things you can do.

1 in 5 Children High Risk For Asthma

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Posted in Dust Mites and Asthma

In the United States, about 30 million people have asthma. Nearly 9 million of them are children. While this is a high number it’s much worse in other parts of the world.

For children living in Taipei City, Tiawan it is much worse.

“Of the 21,688 seven-year-olds surveyed in the 2010 study, 4,490, or 20.7 percent, were found to be asthma-prone, said an official from the city’s Department of Health.

Blood tests showed that 77.6 percent of the children at high risk for asthma had an allergic constitution, with most of them being sensitive to dust mites and pet dander, said the health official Hsu Fan-yuan.” Complete Article

This does not come as a surprise.  Air pollution is one of the most serious problems in Taiwan, chiefly because of the heavy traffic and high concentration of industrial plants on the island. While strengthened cleanup efforts over the past few years have reduced air pollution, Pollution Standard Index (PSI) readings in Taiwan are still about three times higher than those recorded in the United States and Europe.

Also my guess is the number of children in the US with asthma is probly higher but goes undiagnosed. We have known some children over the years that their parents thought they just had allergies to dust mites or the cat. Only after a trip to the emergency room did they figure out they actually had asthma.

Be glad you live in the US.

Why Dust Mite Covers Are A Good Thing

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Posted in What Are Dust Mites

Many people suffering from dust allergies often do not have a clue how to solve thier problem. They just wake up feeling like they didn’t even get to sleep. These bugging little creatures love to live in pillows, comforters and mattresses. That is why it is crucial to know about and how how to use and know why dust mite covers work.

Probably the most effective tool in solving mite problems, the covers are easy to access and affordable. It is important to know about the damage mites cause, especially to person with the allergies. For example, since they live on mattresses and pillows, they carry out all daily functions of life there. These include breeding, excreting and dying. Think about that. Your bedding can be full of dust mites, dead and alive and their poop. Pretty gross right?

Moving on, the excrements on and in the beddings is the main cause of allergies. Ypur allergies are triggered when the protiens are breathed in. There can be millions of mites in a single mattress, resulting in sever allergic reactions.

Keeping a mattress covered even if one is not suffering from allergies is a healthy preventive measure to avoid future illnesses. Many people develop their allergies over a period of years. Furthermore, the covering can help avoid bad smells from sweat and keeps the mattress or pillow clean.

Many people try using insect sprays on their beds. However, this has its own dangers since the sprays have poisonous chemicals that are breathed in at night. Not a good idea.

When looking for covers, one can utilize a bed sheet which will do the job for a very short period of time, a night or two. However if you want a long term solution, investing in a special dust mite cover is a wise idea. These are available in a variety of materials such as micro-fiber or urethane fabrics. Depending on the fabric the price varies, but is quite affordable especially if you look at the fact youd don’t replace them for years. These covers are easy to use, coming in zip-up forms.

Even most doctors recommend them to people with allergies to dust mites because thier patients have seen much improvement because of them. Many of them see improvements after the first night.

Memory Foam Pillows and Dust Mites

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Posted in What Are Dust MitesTagged

Someone just sent me an article about how memory foam pillows are dust mite and fungi proof. While they have good intentions they don’t have all the facts.

First of all, nothing is truly dust mite proof. Right now as you are reading this post you have dust mites on you. If your sitting on a chair I’m willing to bet a microscopic cloud of allergens flew up into the air when you sat down.

The reason people cover their bedding, including foam pillows, mattresses and toppers, is they are reducing the amount of allergens they are exposed to. A study done several years ago said a mattress will double in weight over a period of 12 years if left unprotected.

The way a memory foam product is manufactured it does not allow for dust mites to burrow into the middle of the item. However they and their allergens can be found on the surface and in the air pockets created when foam is made. Better than a regular pillow but not dust mite free.

As far as fungi proof, I can’t see how that is possible. Fungi will grow on any surface that gets damp in is in the dark. I have a memory foam pillow I sleep on when my neck is bothering me and while it works great it gets warm and my neck sweats. I’ll have to test it.

Don’t Worry About Dust Mites .. Wrong

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Posted in What Are Dust MitesTagged

While scanning articles about dust mites and allergies I ran across this one from the Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Center and feel compelled to point out a few things. Read complete article

In the beginning  it talks about the person going out and buying down pillows. This is one of the worst things an allergy suffer can do. If the dust mites don’t get you the down will. The best thing for allergy suffers to do is sleep with pillows that have a polyester fill.

The article goes on to talk about a study done in 2004  by Dr. Peter Gotzsche. “Dr. Peter Gotzsche, lead author of the study and director of the Nordic Cochrane Center in Copenhagen, said in an e-mail, “The reduction in exposure to mites and mite allergens that can be obtained by encasings, chemicals, vacuum cleaning, etc., is far too small to have any effect.”

It then goes on to say that most allergists and environmental health experts disagree.

I’m with them.

The doctors comment about the reduction is too small does not seem right. Dust mites live in the mattress and pillows. They live there, poop there and then die there. Common sense should tell you that is where the highest concentration of dust mite allergens can be found. Put a cover on the mattress and limit your exposure.

While you can disagree on what dust mite cover is better majority of the people I know will agree they help.

If you think you have allergies to dust mites it makes sense to be tested. It does not make sense to sleep on an unprotected bed.