Dealing with Dust Mites

There is a good chance that you have already heard of dust mites, the microscopic creatures found living and breeding in every home, and the importance of thorough carpet cleaning to rid your environment of these tiny creatures. But how seriously should you take these warnings? Is the health threat real or just a scare tactic used by carpet cleaning companies to convince you to use their services?

How to Get Rid of Dust Mites

There are some steps you can take to first remove dust mites from you environment and then limit their reappearance and growth.

Professional carpet cleaning using an environment friendly (green) method such as extraction, or steam cleaning, is a step in the right direction. Done right by a well-trained carpet cleaning crew like Carpet Cleaning Las Vegas team, steam cleaning will clean and disinfect practically any household surface in no time and with no residual toxic aftermath. Steer clear of carpet cleaning methods requiring the application of chemicals or detergents which could cause even more severe allergic reactions.

Cleaning only the carpets, however, is not enough. Dust mites seek dark, dusty environments and your home is full of them. Take advantage of comprehensive cleaning services offered by most carpet cleaning companies such as mattress cleaning, window treatments, upholstery cleaning and air purifier installation.

Dealing with Dust Mites and Allergy

The simple truth, which has been proven in a number of scientific studies, is that these minute, wingless, six legged creatures are almost as dangerous an irritant as pollen. They live, reproduce, and defecate (as many as thirty droppings a day!) in our homes and their byproducts float in the air that we breathe. Though it will not bite or sting you, proteins found in the body excretions and feces of this almost invisible organism have been fingered as common triggers for severe allergy and asthma attacks.

Mite colonies found in mattresses are typically very large and have been indicated in allergy-related complications such as sleep deprivation (caused by breathing difficulties throughout the night). There are some studies that conclude that loss of sleep due to allergic reactions can also affect daytime performances at school and work.

Getting to Know the Dust Mite

Attracted to human and pet dander (dead skin cells shed at a rate of 1/3 to 1/5 of a gram a week) found in common house dust; dust mites are with us even if we can't see them. Dusting, vacuuming, sweeping and carpet cleaning regularly can help control dust mites, but the unpleasant fact is that 'mite free' is a fleeting term. As long as skin cells slough, mites will continue to multiply. Dust mites will be transported to your homes from outside sources, hitching a tramp on fabric, hair, fur, feathers and practically any material you can think of.

Preventing the Return of Dust Mites

Once your residence has had a thorough cleaning, there are precautions you can take to limit dust mite infestation. Allergy specialists often recommend the use of mattress covers, micro-porous pillow covers which must be laundered at least once every two months. They also recommend limiting the use of carpets, or at least pile depth. In addition, frequent vacuuming (at least ten strokes on each strip of carpet) will go a long way in limiting the frequency of dust mite related allergy attacks.