Many housewives are interested in the question: where does dust come from? Even the constant presence of cleanliness in the home will not get rid of it.
In any home there are textile items, books and newspapers, and other paper products that can cause dust particles to appear.
And to this add ventilation and air conditioning of the apartment. Residents come and go, bringing with them dust from outside.
This is the result: a thin layer of disorder appears on any surface. But we are interested in dust mites, which can live in the thickness of this very dust.
Dust mites under a microscope
What are they and what harm do they cause to humans, and even more so how to deal with them if parasites suddenly appear.
What kind of insects are these?
The tick itself is safe for humans. It does not bite, does not suck blood, does not spoil food and does not transmit infectious viruses and viruses, unlike rodents and flies, it does not spread parasite eggs. The decay products of their vital activity are not toxic.
Once in the air, these particles do not settle for a long time (due to their light weight), but when breathing they enter the lungs, which poses a danger to those suffering from asthma or allergies. The lifespan of a domestic tick is 4 months. During its lifetime, it produces 250 times more excrement than its own weight.
Preventing dust mites
To keep the hordes of harmful parasites that are poisoning your life under control, the following simple rules will help:
- Regular cleaning using various cleaning solutions and pest control chemicals.
- Optimization of moisture levels in the air and temperature conditions.
- If there is a possibility of a tick appearance, it is important not to litter the space. Wash clothes in hot water in a timely manner, and take large items out into the cold.
- Once every five years, replace old pillows with new ones, and dry-clean mattresses.
When the population has grown and there are signs of deterioration in health, seek medical help and have a doctor prescribe antihistamines to improve your health.
Where do they usually live in an apartment?
The main habitat is the bed. Why is that? Because thanks to the “owners” the most favorable conditions have been created for them there. Dust mites feed on fallen particles of epithelium. A person can lose up to 1 gram of skin per week, which is enough to feed several thousand mites.
In addition, the required temperature and humidity are maintained in the bed. “Climatic conditions” are not the same in different places of the bed. The worst place is the head and neck area. The density of mites is about 1000 per 1 gram of dust. A population of dust mites of more than 100, or 200 individuals per 1 g of dust is a fairly high indicator that poses a danger. More than 500 individuals per 1 gram of dust is a factor that provokes bronchial asthma.
Ideal home environment
Dust mites mainly accumulate in places such as:
- A bag for collecting dust in a vacuum cleaner.
- Bed, namely mattresses, pillows, blankets, bedding.
- Upholstery of sofas, armchairs.
- Carpets, rugs.
- Cloth.
- Stuffed Toys.
- Human hair and skin.
- Pet hair and much more.
Microscopic arthropods feed on the epidermis, namely dead skin particles. Therefore, a person’s home is an ideal habitat, because during the day several tens of millions of skin flakes are exfoliated from each of us.
If you do the math, one person sheds 2 kg of dead cells in a year. Ticks feed on these cells. But it’s not just constant food that ticks need to survive.
In addition, for a prosperous life they need several conditions:
- room temperature 18-25 degrees;
- humidity 70-80%;
- darkness.
This is why insects love to settle in a person’s bed.
70% of the mites in the apartment are collected in the bed, mattress and bedding . And in the absence of any treatment, after three years, a mattress can turn into a den of dust mites and consist of 10% mites and their excrement.
You can learn more about where dust mites come from and how to deal with them here.
Step-by-step instructions on how to fight insects with your own hands
Benzyl benzonate for leather treatment
This method is the cheapest and fastest. You need to treat the body with ointment or cream and leave for 36 hours. There may be a burning sensation in the neck or wrist. This is a normal reaction, don't worry. You can sleep on both clean and dirty linen, because the tick is located directly in the bed and changing the linen will not eliminate the problem.
The ointment has a strong chemical smell, so it is better to carry out the procedure on the weekend. Ticks will be attracted to the warmth and humidity of the human body, they will crawl closer, where the drug will take effect and destroy them. After 36 hours, take a shower and rinse off the product with warm, but not hot, water.
Staloral
Therapy with such drugs is aimed at eliminating the disease itself, and not at relieving symptoms. During treatment with Staloral, the active substance (an allergen extract from house dust mites or birch pollen), administered sublingually (under the tongue) in small doses over a long period, causes a decrease in the sensitivity of the immune system to the allergenic agent. Because of this, hypersensitivity is replaced by a normal immune response.
Instructions for use:
- Make sure that the expiration date has not expired, the packaging is intact, and the concentration corresponds to the instructions.
- Remove the plastic cap from the bottle, remove the metal cap, and pull out the stopper.
- Attach and put it on top, snap it onto the bottle.
- Remove the orange dispenser ring, which must be pressed 5 times to fill with solution.
- When using, place the tip of the dispenser under your tongue and press several times according to the instructions.
- Keep the drug under your tongue for several minutes.
- Wipe the dispenser and put the protective ring on it.
Easy Air Spray
Easy Air acaricidal spray is an effective bacteriological agent against ticks, developed only from natural ingredients. Thanks to this, the spray not only fights mites in house dust, but also has a minimal chance of allergic manifestations. The components of the spray have a short half-life, so their particles do not remain in the air after the end of action.
The product also eliminates:
- headaches and migraines;
- sneezing;
- runny nose;
- scabies and itching;
- burning;
- swelling and swelling;
- asthma.
How to get rid of dust mites using Easy Air spray? The preparation can be used to treat all types of surfaces (except polished and painted), as well as to treat laundry when washing. In addition to mite allergens, acaricidal elements also destroy other factors that can cause an allergic reaction: dander, fur and saliva of pets.
Allergoff
Allergoff spray (Allergoff) is an innovative acaricidal drug in aerosol form designed to combat house dust mites and remove their allergens - the direct cause of symptoms of allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis of various forms, atopic dermatitis (eczema) and atopic bronchial asthma. Biologically active substances are enclosed in nanocapsules, which allows them to bypass the aggressive environment and arrive exactly at their destination.
Action:
- Quickly destroys ticks at any stage of development.
- Provides long lasting effect.
- Does not harm humans or pets.
- Eliminates allergens (mite excrement).
- Does not leave marks or stains on clothes and linens.
- Has a light neutral aroma.
FOR REFERENCE! One can is enough to treat about 45 sq.m.
Active components:
- hypromellose;
- poly (vinyl alcohol);
- lemon acid;
- myristic acid isopropyl ester;
- benzyl benzoate;
- colloidal silicon dioxide.
Effect of using the drug:
- High acute acaricidal effect on D.pteronyssinus and D.farinae, which leads to 100% defeat of these ticks 5 minutes after invasion and guaranteed death of parasites after 2 hours.
- Prevents the chance of reappearance.
Tea tree oil
This is a proven folk remedy against ticks. The recipe for protection against insects is as follows:
- Mix 10 drops of tea tree ether with 50 ml of water.
- Warm to body temperature.
- Add a couple of drops of Eleutherococcus tincture.
- Rub your body, neck, face (avoid the skin around the eyes).
- You can also use a spray bottle.
The oil is a powerful antiseptic, and when a tick enters the body, it disrupts all metabolic processes. It also increases the level of humidity in the bed, and mites don’t like that. In addition to all these effects, it increases immunity and improves skin condition.
Vacuum cleaner
This method requires powerful vacuum cleaners, like Kirby, Eureka. It is these companies that have technology developed jointly with NASA, which allows them to absorb even the smallest particles, and thanks to a replaceable filter, completely recycle waste and eradicate the source of parasites. The cost of such devices is extremely high, but nothing prevents you from using the services of a cleaning company.
Steam generator
Another effective method, which, unlike the previous one, does not require such large-scale material investments.
Steam generators are sold in household appliance departments. They are very easy to use - you just need to fill with water and turn on the desired mode, then steam the surface of the bed or linen for 2-4 minutes.
Carry out this procedure twice a day and the ticks will disappear for a long time.
Ozone generator
A product that has not proven effective, because mites are immune to changes in ozone levels in the air, since it is not vital for their existence. Whether ozone kills these insects is a controversial issue. But it can harm a person, as it disrupts the usual metabolism, and the constant electric field that is created by the switched on device disrupts circadian circadian rhythms and disrupts sleep.
How to get rid of dust mites at home
If such parasites and serious consequences are identified, then, of course, methods have been developed to combat them, which we will now describe.
Cleaning
Regular cleaning is the key to cleanliness.
Cleaners
In addition, the key to defeating the enemy is finding the optimal humidity and temperature.
- In order to regulate humidity, you can use a dehumidifier. Dry air blocks the parasite from multiplying.
- Regular ventilation also helps reduce condensation in the room. To this condition it is necessary to add the best temperature for a person. It can range from 16 to 22 degrees.
- The best way to deal with dust is wet cleaning twice a week. The absence of dust in the house will help eliminate the mite faster.
For cleaning, take a large soft cloth that absorbs moisture well. Every time after wiping contaminated surfaces, rinse it in hot water. In addition, the large size of the fabric will not allow dust to rise into the air, but will settle on it. Every time, after each cleaning, the rag must be thrown away.
Many housewives advise preparing a special solution that can be used to treat any surface, carpets, walls, upholstered furniture.
Cleaning soft surfaces with a vacuum cleaner
To prepare it, you need to take a couple of glasses of water and stir about 10 (2 tsp) tea tree oil into them. Pour this solution into a bottle and spray with a spray bottle.
Important! Before each treatment, the bottle must be shaken to mix the oil inside the vessel. Allergy symptoms will subside within a couple of weeks.
As an alternative to such a solution, you can buy any anti-dust mite product on the industrial market.
Clean out your closet with old things. Throw away the unnecessary ones, wash the rest in a hot wash, especially for bed linen, since parasites live in mattresses and pillows.
Reduce the number of decorative pillows or buy special tick covers from the store. Take silk items and soft toys out into the cold to kill the enemy.
Keep an eye on your indoor plants, as they are also a source of dust. Spray them, wash each leaf, monitor the humidity in the flower pot.
They should not be too dry, but also too waterlogged. If possible, reduce them to a minimum.
If there are pets in the house, make sure that there is no hair or fluff left behind. This is an excellent food for dust dwellers. Clean carpets using a vacuum cleaner with various attachments.
Cleaning up pet hair
Today you can even buy a special mitten that can easily get rid of shed hair.
Cleaning does not mean walking with a damp cloth. The main thing is to look into every corner and restore order there.
Get rid of unnecessary newspapers, things, broken appliances, which are additional dust collectors in your apartment.
Chemicals
If it is not possible to restore order, it may be bad weather (winter, rainy autumn), then seek help from specialized chemical preparations against dust mites.
- Allergoff - sold in the form of a spray that destroys all individuals, as well as their excrement and waste products.
- All-Rug is a soap product for washing various surfaces and cleaning carpets.
- X-MITE is a substance presented in the form of a powder for dry cleaning of carpets, upholstery and mattresses.
- Acaryl is a liquid substance that works well against ticks even when added to the washing machine.
Your health depends on which product you choose, expensive or not. Before choosing, consult the seller and read the instructions.
Traditional methods
Harmful inhabitants of dust have appeared and have existed for a long time, but no special instructions have been identified among folk sorcerers and witches for eradicating dust mites.
Still, there is a special recipe that still works today.
Important! In 1 liter of ordinary water, 1 glass of salt is thoroughly dissolved. This solution is used for general cleaning of the living area.
It’s not complicated, and nowadays you can figure it out, but for some reason it’s considered ancient. Dissolved salt can destroy all pathogenic bacteria and viruses, especially allergens.
Why are ticks dangerous?
Allergic reactions
Dust mites, or rather their feces and the shells of dead insects, contain digestive enzymes (harmful proteins) that destroy human skin cells and cause severe allergies in some people. The antigens of these arachnid representatives can cause the development of atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthma, conjunctivitis and allergic rhinitis.
People with low immunity, city residents, and children are most prone to allergic reactions. Symptoms most often appear at night or during cleaning, as well as upon contact with old cotton items.
Dust mite allergy symptoms:
- Persistent or recurrent runny nose;
- Constant or periodic suffocating cough;
- Rapid breathing;
- Redness and itching of the skin;
- Tearfulness and redness of the cornea.
Important! At the first sign of an allergy, you should contact your family doctor. Self-treatment can only temporarily relieve symptoms or aggravate the allergy sufferer’s condition.
At what temperature do they die and under what circumstances will they be unable to live?
Regular wet cleaning of premises, washing carpets and blankets, changing bedding and other methods of cleaning the home from organic compounds will deprive ticks of food, which means they will die.
At what temperature do ticks die? Reducing the temperature to 10 degrees or lower and lowering the air humidity to 40% will significantly reduce the activity of parasites. If these conditions persist for two weeks, the dust mites will die. They also die at temperatures above 60 degrees.
Dust mites cannot tolerate washing and ironing , so to get rid of them you need to wash your clothes and linen on time.
