What are dust mites?
Dustmites are tiny microscopic mites that live in vast quantities in closeproximity to humans; in beds, upholstered furniture, carpets and soft furnishings. They multiply very rapidly and it is believed that within 4-6 months a new mattress will be colonised. Dust mites do not bite and it is not the mite itself that causes problems but their faecal pellets, which contain an allergen known as DerP1. "The droppings are 4-20 microns in size, but they can crumble into fragments of 1-3 microns, and the tiniest bits are only 0.5 microns across. "During their three month life span each dustmite lays 20-40 eggs and produces up to 2000 droppings. This causes the concentration of dust mite allergen to increase very rapidly. "… Up to1,000 individual mites can be counted in just one gram of dust... This means that the average bed contains more than 10,000 dust mites and perhaps in excess of two million faecal pellets."

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Where do dust mites live?
Dust mites love warm, humid conditions found in modern houses. They live in mattresses, bedding and carpets and any nice warm, dark, damp place where food is plentiful. They live on shed skin scales from humans and animals (the scales must have been broken down by mould first which is why humidity and mould control are so important). Dust mites also need moist air because they do not drink but absorb water from the air. Dust mites are not more common in dirty houses and a relatively dusty house may be completely free of dust mites if the atmosphere is not conducive to their habitation: if it is not warm enough or moist enough for them to live. Dust mites are also destroyed by heat and sunlight so a well ventilated bed under a bright window may have low dust mite levels.

Symptoms of dust mite allergy
Dust mite allergy can develop at any age. Symptoms include:

nasal symptoms - sneezing, runny nose, rhinitis, sinusitis, with related headaches and ear blockages
breathing symptoms - wheezing, dry persistent cough, tightness of breath and asthma
eczema and dermatitis
joint pain, swelling of tissues, and muscle aches

References: The Allergy Bible, Linda Gamlin; Allergy-Free Living,

Dr Peter Howarth and Anita Reid; Asthma, the complete guide, Professor Jonathan Brostoff and Linda Gamlin; The Allergy Survival Guide, Jane Houlton. Recommendations on products are from The Healthy House.

Allison’s Story

Allison came to work for The Healthy House a couple of years ago and through what she has learned about allergies she has quite transformed her son's condition.

John had pneumonia at age 5, followed by bronchitis when he was 7. It was after this that he started to become wheezy and she took him to the doctor who prescribed an inhaler. He also suggested steroid tablets, which Allison decided against using.
From this time on John used to sniff and snort in the mornings waking everyone up and sometimes he would wake in the night coughing. When he was still at primary school he used to compete in cross country running and Allison would always be at the side of the field cheering him on, inhaler in her hand for him to use immediately after the race.

After working with us for a period of time she decided to try a dust mite proof case on John’s mattress, and some dust mite proof pillows and a dust mite proof duvet. She was amazed at the almost instant transformation. No more sniffing and snorting. He now wakes up with a clear head and feeling rested. Not only that, he now no longer needs to use his inhaler on a daily basis.

The important message is that Allison had no idea that dust mites were a problem or even that they had dust mites in their house. She had just got used to the fact that her child was stuffed up each morning. She also said that it would not have occurred to her to investigate why her son woke up sneezing. Now that she is aware of the dust mite problem she has made the use of HomeCleanse and AirCleanse (now the nillergen range) a routine in her cleaning, realising that the elimination of dust mites in the furniture and furnishings and clearing of dust mite allergen in the air are also important.

What to do if you have dust mite allergy
Dust mite allergy can affect people in different ways and to different degrees. The symptoms are almost always related to the respiratory system and usually manifest themselves as sneezing, running nose, sinusitis, congestion, wheezing and coughing. However mild or severe your symptoms, you can do a great deal to alleviate them.

For mild dust mite allergy
Though there is a list of actions to take if you suffer from dust mite allergy, you may find that a few simple steps are sufficient to make a significant difference. Remember that your bed is the most important place to start and that usually just covering the pillows with dust mite proof cases or using a dust mite proof pillow will not be enough to make very much difference as the dust mites will also have colonised your mattress and duvet and the carpeting in your bedroom. We suggest that you:

Encase your mattress, pillows and duvet in dust mite proof cases. Or, use a case on your mattress and change your pillows and duvet for dust mite proof ones. The advantage of this is that you will then not need the extra cases. (An additional case on your existing duvet will add up to 1700g for a king size duvet.)
Always wash your bedding at 60C (or use nillergen laundryTM). This will kill any dust mites that are on the surface and dissolve the faecal pellets that contain the allergen.
Wash your dust mite proof cases and dust mite proof pillows and duvet 2 to 3 times a year.
Always air your bed out in the morning, fluff up the pillows and fold back the duvet. Open the window to bring fresh air in.
Use the nillergen range (p20) in the bedroom and living room, on soft furnishings and in the laundry. This will denature the dust mite allergen.
If you use an electric blanket, it will need to remain on top of the encased mattress. Since it will also harbour dust mites you will need to spray it once a month (on both sides) with nillergen sofa and bedTM. Always unplug the electric blanket before using the spray.
Control the humidity. If much over 50% use a dehumidifier.
A RayCop can be used to kill the dust mites in a used mattress and on carpets and bedding prior to encasing the bedding. The RayCop uses UV light to kill dust mites and bacteria and vacuums up the debris.
Use a good vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter and regularly vacuum the house.

For more severe dust mite allergy
You may find that you need to take more actions than those already listed. Further suggestions are below.

Wash your dust mite proof bedding 3 to 4 times per year.
Make sure your clothes are put away at night as these can harbour dust mites.
Use an Airfree Air Steriliser to eliminate mould and dust mites in the bedroom.
Use nillergen Air in other living areas.
Use nillergen Sofa and Bed on soft furnishings and furniture in the living room.
Use nillergen Carpet on the carpets.
Use nillergen Laundry to wash cushion covers.
Keep humidity between 40 and 50%.
Never allow pets in your bedroom as they can transport dust mites.

Disclaimer: Information included on this page is intended for information purposes only and is not to be used as a substitute for consultation with a medical practitioner.

To find out more about dust mite allergy please read our information on Dust Mite Allergy.

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Dust Mite Proof Bedding	Other useful products	Dust Mite Proof Sets

The Healthy House 100% Cotton Dust Mite Proof Barrier Cases

Sleep peacefully without the allergic symptoms caused by dust mite allergy
Ideal if you are chemically sensitive or prefer natural bedding
Protect you from dust mites by completely encasing the mattress, duvet and pillow
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