Dust mites are home parasites belonging to the arthropod family. Their habitat is dust, and the source of food is dead cells of human skin. Dust mites are unpretentious and can survive in almost any conditions. The most favorable environment for their living is warm and humid, the temperature – about 21 degrees of heat, that is the one that is installed in residential premises, an abundance of food (epithelium). This explains their wide distribution.
These bugs can cause allergies, and their prolonged exposure to humans can lead to the development of sinusitis, asthma, and other health problems. Besides, they provoke a disease such as scabies, that occurs during regular contact with the products of their vital activity.
That is why it is important to know:
- if you have dust mites
- what do dust mites look like
- can you see dust mites with your own eyes
- and how to get rid of them.
You can not feel dust mites, and they do not bite. But they are dangerous because their feces negatively impact the condition of humans and domestic animals.
What Do Dust Mites Look Like – Picture Under a Microscope
Dust mites are invisible to the naked human eye because their length reaches only 0.5 mm. Studying the details of the structure of their body is possible only with a microscope.
One gram of house dust can contain hundreds to thousands of parasites. This type of bug, as well as all spiders, has a flattened body shape, consisting of interconnected individual segments. It moves with eight legs. There are suckers on each limb, thanks to which the harmful microorganism is firmly attached to the surfaces. With the help of two pairs of jaws, the parasite captures and grinds food, and also pierces the skin of the host, as some mistakenly believe.
The body of dust mites covered a kind of water-repellent layer. If we look at the parasite under the microscope, we notice that it looks like an ordinary small spider. There are about 150 species of mites that live in house dust.
Related article: Why Is My Room So Dusty?
Where Do Dust Mites Live?
Most often, dust mites are concentrated in a dusty environment of difficult-to-access places, as well as in bedding. They can be found:
- In a pillow filled with natural bird feathers;
- In the mattress, especially if it is old and has not been cleaned for a long time;
- In bed linen;
- In furniture;
- In the curtains and curtains;
- On bookshelves that rarely wipe dust;
- In soft toys from natural materials;
- In stale old clothes;
- In woolen plaids.
According to statistics, in bed is the largest number of parasites: here you can find up to 2 million individuals.
Allergic Reaction to Dust Mites
Dust mites – the source of the strongest allergic reactions. They affect the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and cause:
- Allergic rhinitis;
- Respiratory allergies;
- Atopic dermatitis;
- Rhinoconjunctivitis;
- Angioedema;
- Bronchial asthma.
The occurrence of allergies provoked by mites indicates such symptoms as frequent sneezing, itchy eyes, the appearance of wheezing in the chest, and a choking cough.
This disease is diagnosed based on data collection, blood tests, and microbiological tests.
Treat dust mite allergies by limiting patient contact with allergens, the use of medications, and desensitization. These are measures aimed at reducing the body’s perception of allergens. For these purposes, an allergen extract is administered to the person, gradually increasing the dosage and concentration. With the help of desensitization, the body does not react so strongly to the source of irritation.
How to Get Rid of Dust Mites
The destruction of bed mites is a radical measure. In order not to resort to it, you can make an effort and regularly produce some activities. They will help prevent the likelihood of their uncontrolled reproduction.
- It is necessary to remove all the carpets with natural pile and replace the pillows and blankets filled with feathers with synthetic ones. Woolen blankets are also better to remove;
- You also need to get rid of all the soft toys or clean them regularly with a vacuum cleaner;
- Bed linen should be changed as often as possible, ideally once a week. After washing all bedding must be thoroughly dried in fresh air;
- Upholstered furniture with fabric covering should be cleaned or washed regularly;
- The floor, furniture surfaces, and baseboards should be regularly treated with saline;
- Shelves and books standing on them should be wiped with a damp cloth every few days;
- You can try to maintain a dry microclimate in the room, as dust mites feel comfortable only in conditions of high humidity. For this purpose use air dryers;
- Pay attention to the temperature in the rooms: it is desirable that it was not too high and does not exceed 22 degrees.
However, not always to get rid of allergens, you need to make sacrifices in the form of getting rid of half of the furniture, curtains, and carpets, it is not always necessary to buy a lot of expensive and space-consuming technology. Simply purchase the best air purifier for dust mites removal that will cope with cleaning surfaces and air almost 100%.
