How to get rid of feather mites in pillows, causes and symptoms

A person does not think about being close to microscopic mites until an allergic reaction occurs. These synanthropic organisms have long settled in our homes. Here they found favorable conditions and food in the form of particles of human epidermis. Mites in pillows, blankets, and upholstered furniture are not visible to the naked eye, but for sensitive people their presence results in a bouquet of various diseases from dermatitis to bronchial asthma.

Description of the parasite, causes of appearance

Ticks belong to the family of small arachnids. They are divided into two orders: acariformes and parasitiforms. Acariform mites are closer to phalangeal arachnids, while parasitiform mites belong to the class of harvesters.

The feather mite (photo presented in the article) belongs to the order Acariformes. The parasite is almost impossible to detect; it has a transparent scaly body, and its dimensions do not exceed 0.5 mm in length. Due to the peculiarities of its structure, it cannot bite a person, however, the protein that it secretes in the process of life can cause an acute allergic reaction.

The main reasons for the appearance of the insect are unsanitary conditions and careless attitude towards personal and bedding. Ticks spread very quickly. It is impossible to completely get rid of them, but you can significantly reduce their numbers.

Harm from mites in bedding

Without examining bedding using a microscope, it will not be possible to identify unwanted neighbors - their sizes are so small that they are not visible to the naked eye.

Colonies of microscopic insects, fungi and bacteria inhabit any dusty corners of the apartment, actively growing on bed linen, in the thickness of pillows and mattresses, in the pile of the carpet and soft toys.

It is almost impossible to get rid of them once and for all, but this is not a reason to completely ignore the problem. Acarids cannot cause direct harm to humans, because they do not feed on blood through bites, but on exfoliated skin flakes, particles of sweat, dandruff, and sebum. But their excrement poses a serious threat.

The size of an adult varies from 0.1 to 0.5 mm, and its waste products are even smaller. During the digestion process, ticks have to produce large amounts of enzymes that break down the human epidermis.

Practice shows that people who love space, who toss and turn in their sleep and who have respectable dimensions are satisfied with the size of a single bed.

Almost every car bed model has a trunk box, which is suitable for storing bed linen and pillows. There are voluminous crib bodies that replicate the silhouettes of real cars, with spinning wheels made of soft plastic. Details here.

Fecal pellets left by insects contain these components in high concentrations. They are the main threat to the human body.

Getting on the mucous membranes when breathing, settling on the skin, attacking the eyes and polluting the lungs, the active substances cause serious disturbances in the respiratory system, irritate the skin, and can cause impairment of vision and smell.

The most common diseases and symptoms, the invisible cause of which are mites in pillows:

• allergies accompanied by rhinitis, conjunctivitis and asthma attacks;
• atopic dermatitis;
• swelling of the respiratory tract, trophoneurotic edema or urticaria (Quincke's edema);
• up to 70% of diagnosed cases of bronchial asthma.

With a reduced immune barrier, they can cause skin irritations, acne and deep infections - other mites (for example, demodex) that parasitize directly in the human body can penetrate into microdamages in the skin formed under the action of enzymes.

Habitat

The pests live and breed on birds' feathers, causing them to fall out over time. In residential buildings, feather mites are most often found in pillows (photo below), upholstered furniture, carpeting and places where dust accumulates. However, down and feather pillows are considered the most favorable habitat for the parasite.

Feather base and human sweat combine to create the optimal temperature and humidity necessary for insect reproduction. Most people ventilate the room before going to bed, thereby improving the living conditions of the insect, since fresh air is one of the main components of its life support.

If not properly cared for, any down or feather product will gain weight after a few years due to the accumulation of dust and mites. On average, there are up to 200 individuals for every centimeter of feather pillow. As a rule, parasites get onto human skin from down or feather products, causing clearly noticeable discomfort.

Since it is extremely difficult to completely get rid of feather mites, down and feather filling of bedding is prohibited in most developed countries. This mainly concerns municipal children's institutions, hospitals, sanatoriums, hotels, barracks and student dormitories.

Modern manufacturers give preference to synthetic fillers such as padding polyester and holofiber. It is much easier to care for such products; in addition, the existence of parasites in them is almost impossible. For people who prefer natural materials, bedding with bamboo or coconut fiber, buckwheat, pine needles and even purified meadow hay is recommended. It is advisable to update pillows once a year.

Replacement of down and feather

The times when down pillows were considered the best are in the past. Today there are many fillers in which parasites do not like to settle.

Herbal options include:

• buckwheat husk – elastic, hypoallergenic, with a pleasant aroma;
• bamboo fiber – antibacterial, elastic, breathable;
• latex is elastic, easy to clean, eliminates the appearance of mites and other microorganisms.

Synthetic polyester fillers allow for more frequent hygienic treatment:

• holofiber – non-woven material;
• comfort - elastic polyester balls;
• Sintepon is an inexpensive material, but quickly loses its shape.

When choosing a filler, consider the age and individual needs of the person. For children, it is better to choose natural fibers that do not cause allergies. Ticks that live in pillows do not grow in buckwheat and bamboo.

Danger to humans

If treatment is not started in time, feather mites can cause acute allergic reactions or aggravate existing diseases:

• Asthma. The patient experiences attacks of the disease more often.
• Allergies are possible with a severe cough, watery eyes and runny nose. If you eliminate the allergen, you feel better and the symptoms disappear.
• Hives are accompanied by itching, and characteristic pink spots appear on the body.
• Atopic dermatitis - manifested by redness and peeling of some areas of the skin, severe itching is possible. The disease requires long-term treatment.
• Swelling of the airways is the most dangerous possible reaction, as it can be fatal.

Symptoms

Feather mites found in the human body cause a rash and redness of the skin. In most cases, this is acne or small ulcers on the forehead and nasolabial triangle. The affected areas peel, there is a feeling of tight and dry skin, perhaps a slight tingling sensation, and an oily sheen.

Allergy sufferers suffer the most from the pest. The most severe allergic reactions include:

• redness and rash, in some cases throughout the body;
• scratching in places of unbearable itching;
• lacrimation, conjunctivitis.

Other symptoms of demodicosis:

• rash, purulent inflammation, acne;
• sallow complexion;
• enlarged pores;
• itching in the ear area;
• increased hair loss;
• weakened immune system;
• increased work of the sebaceous glands;
• attacks of itching at night.

Most often, ticks can be found on the wings of the nose, around the eyes, on the eyebrows and eyelashes. In the latter case, the eyelashes become thin and fall out. Parasites are extremely rare on the body. To prevent complications of the disease, it is important to consult a specialist in time and undergo a course of treatment.

What should not be done if an infection is detected?

A person who has discovered a feather mite infestation should absolutely not:

• squeeze pimples with your own hands, this way you can introduce infection into the deep layers of the skin and blood;
• use decorative cosmetics - mite larvae may remain on it, which in the future will lead to re-infection;
• use creams, since the parasite’s habitat improves and the infection spreads throughout the face;
• carry out cosmetic procedures such as scrub, massage, cleansing and masks;
• visit the swimming pool, sauna, solarium;
• wash with hot water.

In addition, it is highly recommended to review your daily diet. Avoid processed foods, canned, smoked, spicy and fried foods. Add less salt and spices to food. Avoid alcohol during treatment. You can eat chocolate and drink coffee in reasonable quantities.

Treatment

Feather mites cause harm to the entire body; in order to be completely cured, a set of actions is required. These include the fight against the number and reproduction of individuals, as well as drug treatment of skin diseases.

First of all, you need to contact a specialist to establish a diagnosis and take tests; only in this case can the doctor prescribe individually suitable therapy.

Typically this is:

• course intake of vitamins and minerals;
• anti-inflammatory ointments;
• soap that gets rid of ticks on the skin;
• in rare cases, the doctor may prescribe antibiotic treatment.

On average, it takes from 1.5 to 2 weeks to eliminate external manifestations of a tick infestation.

ethnoscience

Many people prefer to turn to alternative medicine methods to treat feather mite bites.

• One of the most effective recipes for parasitic effects is calendula infusion. The product is applied to a cotton pad and treated for skin inflammation.
• You can use aloe juice as a compress: apply to a bandage and apply to the skin.
• In case of severe damage to the skin, mix castor oil with trichopolum and apply a bandage for 8-10 hours daily.

How to get rid of it?

When a parasite is discovered, people ask how to get rid of feather mites.

In specialized stores you can purchase a solution against parasites and treat carpets and furniture with it. Chemical insect repellents must be diluted with water in strict accordance with the instructions; if possible, it is better to entrust sanitary treatment to professionals.

The most effective means include:

• “Tsifoks” is a powder that has proven itself in the fight against ticks. The drug is diluted with water according to the instructions and the room is treated. After a month, the procedure should be repeated.
• “Sipaz” is an emulsion intended for disinfecting residential premises and is absolutely safe for humans. The disinfectant effect lasts up to 1.5 months.
• Bedding is sprayed with herbal sprays; after 3-4 hours, adult ticks die.
• Easy air is a parasite repellent made from herbal ingredients.
• Allergoff is an anti-parasitic spray intended for treating mattresses, carpets and upholstered furniture.

After sanitization, it is advisable to leave the premises for a day. Then carry out a thorough cleaning using chlorinated products. Wash and steam bedding.

What are feather mites?

Feather mites can feel comfortable not only in blankets and pillows, but also in other products consisting of down or feathers. The tick lives for about 80 days, and leaves behind a clutch of eggs, the number of which reaches 60-70 pieces. They live in entire colonies. One gram of dust can contain from 10 to 10,000 individuals. The norm is the presence of up to 100 parasites in 1 g of dust, since this concentration of insects is quite safe for humans.

Dust (feather) mites are synanthropic organisms. They always live next to a person. Ideal conditions have been created here: fairly warm, moderate humidity, plenty of food. Mites often feed on woolen lint in bedding. However, the main source of food is dead human skin cells, of which there are about one and a half grams daily.

What to do with the pillow?

To get rid of mites in feather pillows, it is recommended to clean your sleeping accessories once a year. In a specialized salon, it is important to clarify the cleaning method: mechanical, chemical or water. The quality of washing directly affects the number of harmful individuals.

If you can’t go to a dry cleaner, you can treat the pillows yourself. To do this you will need:

1. Pull out the contents of the pillow and transfer it to a fabric bag, do not press. Tie the bag and place it in soapy water made from laundry soap.
2. Leave for 4 hours, shaking the water every 30 minutes and kneading the feathers or fluff.
3. Rinse under running water.
4. Hang in the sun, preferably outside, until completely dry. During drying, knead the contents every hour so that all the filler dries out.

Conclusion

A feather pillow is an environmentally friendly product, so to speak. It has a number of worthy qualities, thanks to which the product served our ancestors for many years. Now scientists are attributing more and more shortcomings to it, proposing to replace natural feathers with a synthetic analogue. However, the point is omitted that synthetic fillers also have a number of positive and negative characteristics.

By choosing a high-quality feather pillow, the buyer receives a natural product that, with proper care, will last a long time.

Sources

• https://FB.ru/article/411724/perevoy-klesch-lechenie-i-simptomyi-u-cheloveka
• https://StopKlopam.com/kleshhi-v-podushkah/
• https://misterklop.ru/klesshi/kleshhi-v-podushkah-perevye-kleshhi-prichina-bessonnitsy-kto-takie-otkuda-berutsya-opasny-li-dlya-cheloveka-i-kak-ot-nih-izbavitsya- foto-pod-mikroskopom
• https://like2sleep.com/postelnye-prinadlezhnosti/podushki/kleshhi-v-podushkakh-kak-izbavitsya-ot-nep.html
• https://dezvredexpert.com/kleshhi/vidy-kleshhej/kleshhi-v-podushkax/
• https://sichovka.ru/parazity/kleshchi-v-podushkah.html
• https://DobryjSon.ru/spalnoe-mesto/uhod/kleshhi-v-podushkax.html
• https://beetlestop.ru/kleshi-v-podushkah/
• https://polzaivredno.ru/perevye-podushki-chem-vredny-i-chem-polezny/

[collapse]

Preventive measures

With the help of prevention, you can prevent an increase in the number of feather mites:

1. First of all, it is necessary to regularly carry out wet cleaning of the home, wash and iron textiles more often. When washing and cleaning, it is advisable to use products designed to combat insects.
2. Replacing feather pillows with hypoallergenic synthetic or natural fillers greatly reduces the number of mites. In addition, artificial filler can be washed, unlike feather and down filler, which must be changed annually.
3. You can prevent the parasite from getting on your skin by using additional mattress covers and bed sheets. Blankets and pillows need to be beaten regularly, dried in the sun or taken out into the cold.
4. If there are pets in the house, they must be provided with a separate sleeping place. Bathe and comb your pet more often, as dirt and dead skin particles feed the parasite. In addition, animal hair left on furniture is a favorable breeding ground for ticks.

The main rule to remember: the less dust and dirt there is in the house, the less likely it is for harmful parasites to appear and multiply.

Chemical method

Traditional methods are effective only if a small number of insects live in the home. To destroy large quantities of them, it is necessary to use insecticidal agents, the composition of which includes toxic substances.

During the treatment, people and pets are advised to leave the premises. After disinsection treatment, you need to ventilate the apartment and do wet cleaning. It is advisable to repeat the procedure after two weeks; this measure will help prevent the reappearance of bloodsuckers inside the home.

Delta zone

Delta zone is a highly effective insecticidal preparation, presented in the form of microcapsules. The product has a detrimental effect on synanthropic parasites.

The drug is a highly concentrated solution that must first be diluted with water for pest control treatment.

When preparing the solution, it is important to follow the recommendations specified in the instructions. Deviation from these rules may lead to a lack of positive results.

Get total

Get Total insecticide is a highly effective new generation drug. A distinctive feature of the product is the absence of negative effects of toxic substances on people and pets.

You can use Get to treat an apartment without temporarily evicting household members. To carry out the procedure, the concentrate must first be diluted with water. When applied to exposed surfaces, Get retains its insecticidal properties for several weeks, eliminating the need for re-treatment.

Xulate micro

Xulat micro is an effective insecticidal preparation intended for the destruction of synanthropic insects in residential premises. The composition of the drug includes three main active components, which eliminates the development of addiction in parasites.

Cucaracha

Cucaracha is an insecticide developed to combat bedbugs and other types of synanthropic insects. It has a high level of toxicity and is intended for treatment of residential premises.

Due to the presence of a strong unpleasant odor in the product, residents should leave the apartment during the procedure until the toxic substance has completely evaporated.

Cifox

Despite the high level of effectiveness, the drug Tsifoks is extremely rarely used to treat residential premises infested with insects. This is due to the high level of toxicity.

To remove blood-sucking insects, you need to prepare an aqueous solution of an insecticidal agent, and then treat all surfaces with it. After completing the procedure, you need to wait some time, then thoroughly ventilate the room and carry out wet cleaning.