Dealing with dust mites...

Dust mites are microscopic, sightless, eight-legged arthropods found just about anywhere on our planet...even as deep as 15,000 feet under water where no other insect has been found. Dust mites are close relatives of spiders, but they're much smaller than most insects.

Dust mites are an integral part of everyday life, they thrive in:

• Beds
• Clothing
• Carpets
• Pillows

The droppings from these mites are the most common trigger of perennial allergy and asthma symptoms, especially in humid regions where dust mites tend to thrive throughout the home and eat dead skin cells.

Where do you get the greatest exposure to dust mites?

The greatest exposure to dust mites happens in the home. People are exposed to more dust mite allergens while in bed. While lying in bed, the average level of inhaled mite allergen was eight times higher than while driving to work. Since people spend one-third of the day in bed. The following are the major causes of allergens -

• - Pollen
• - Mold
• - Pet Dander
• - Dust Mites

Scientists could only discover about 48,250 different kinds of mites and this is believed to be only 10% of the existing mites... And being as numerous as mentioned, mites can live on just about everything living and nonliving. They live on land, in water and ice, and in desert sands. They can live up to 32 feet down in the soil, in all seasons and at underwater temperatures as hot as 122 degrees F.

How to keep dust mites to a minimum...

...Since they are so numerous, dust mites are impossible to eliminate from the house, but one can minimize their prevalence by keeping the house as clean and dry as possible. To achieve this one will have to:

• Dust furnishings regularly
• Wash clothes in hot water (50 C) for more than 30 minutes
• Wash bedding in hot water (50 C) for more than 30 minutes
• Vacuum carpets twice a week
• Lower the humidity (below 70%)

Keeping dust mites away from food

Mites that are found on food are called stored-product mites. They're often comfortable on dry foods like hay, grain, and products like baking mixes and dry pet food. They like warm temperatures around 80 to 90 degrees F and high humidity. Under these conditions, they can multiply from a couple of mites to several million in just a few days.

To lessen the risk associated with stored products mites one must:

• Rinse fruits before consumption
• Keep food cool and dry
• Vacuum the kitchen and the places where food is stored at least once a week
• Keep kitchen utensils in a clean dry place

How dangerous are mites to my health?

Dust mites and their droppings have been scientifically proven to be allergens that cause allergies in people. They can also cause allergies in pets and other animals, and can spread diseases.

Mites usually feed on dead skin but they can even colonize on plants by feeding on them and giving them diseases.