Ready to clean house in more profound ways?
Need a bigger, bolder, more wellness-infused reason to get excited to dust, vacuum and scrub?
While I’m a fan of being motivated by less icky things, dust mites are real, they spread quickly, and they’re no joke!
They’re a huge reason allergies proliferate. They’re the cause of skin diseases. They can trigger asthma and a constant feeling of illness. They’re extremely common. And you can be rid of them… right away!!!
Embrace that housecleaning, and watch your life soar in huge ways!!!
Yikes, right?!
Until I learned that a pillow can be made up of nearly half… bugs (!!!)… I was never that motivated to hot water wash my bedding and clean like crazy. Oh wow, is it important!!!
Accordng to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, “About 20 million Americans (alone!) have dust mite allergy.”
What is a dust mite?
A dust mite is a microscopic creature that has neither eyes nor a respiratory system. This organism lives in the dust in your home and thrives in humidity and temperatures above 70 degrees. They feed off of the dead skin cells of humans and pets, and their droppings and castings contain allergens.
Mites are most active and breed successfully at a temperature of 72 F or 20 C.
According to Environment, Health and Safety Online, a statistic that will stun you : “Beds are a prime habitat (where 1/3 of life occurs). A typical used mattress may have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites inside. (Ten percent of the weight of a two year old pillow can be composed of dead mites and their droppings.) “
An article entitled, The Hidden Health Dangers of Dust Mites published in Allergy & Air explains that, “The waste produced by mites contains a variety of allergens that can trigger sneezing, wheezing, inflamed skin, runny nose, red eyes, and itchiness. If your immune system is sensitive to these allergens, it “misreads” them as disease-causing germs and starts producing antibodies to fight them off.”
The resulting chemical reaction causes the various sorts of discomfort associated with dust mite allergies. For people who already suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems, the health risks can be considerably worse.”
House dust mites can create: Asthma, Eczema & Chronic rhinitis.
Nothing you want.
Michael F. Potter, Extension Entomologist University of Kentucky College of Agriculture explains to Entomology that, “Diagnostic tests and clinical studies by allergists have shown house dust mite to be the most common allergy in asthmatics, and an important “root cause” for the development of asthma in young children. Recent studies suggest that at least 45 percent of young people with asthma are allergic to house dust mites. Unlike “seasonal” allergies caused by molds and pollen, people who are allergic to dust mites often will have symptoms year round.”
Do you have dust mites? Chances are. no matter what, you’ll have some… and you can order the Acarex Dust Mite Detection Kit HERE.
To prevent dust mite proliferation:
Keep humidity low:
Experts on dust mites reveal to Dust Mite that, “a breeding mite must maintain its water weight at 75% in order to function. By reducing the moisture in the indoor air, the active mite will not be able to sustain this weight. Consequently, it will not be able to breed or thrive and the mite colony becomes threatened with extinction.
Clean the air.
You can purchase an all in one HEPA air purifier and dehumidifier that has excellent reviews. I’m in a desert so I haven’t tried a dehumidifier yet, but I’d love it for those of you who have to weigh in on your favorites!
Dust with a damp rag.
Dust and the mites that live in the dust can easily scatter when you dust with a dry cloth. When you use a damp rag, the mites will stick to it, and you are more likely to get rid of the dust mites and not spread them around.
Get rid of carpeting.
Dead skin cells and pet dander collect and settle in your carpet, providing a perfect breeding ground for dust mites. If you wish to keep your carpet, you should vacuum often and consider purchasing a vacuum with a high-efficiency filter. I am personally in love with my Dyson Animal Vacuum.
Frequently wash your bedding.
Not only should you frequently wash your bedding, but the water temperature should be extremely hot, as in 130 degrees. If you are unable to do this, putting your sheets through a really hot spin cycle in the dryer should do the trick, but make sure the sheets are bone dry before returning them to your bed.
Purchase an anti-allergy mattress and cover.
You can find well-reviewed mattress covers and pillow case covers HERE.
Clean clean clean!!!
Don’t let the dust accumulate. Deep clean your home at least once a week. Dust mites love fabric, so regularly wash your curtains and fabric couches with a steam cleaner.
If that sounds overwhelming… do it gradually. But do it! You don’t want to share your bed with 100,000 mites, nor do you want to share your home with them! This is space making in a profound way, and it can actually change the way you feel about cleaning… completely. It’s deep and profound on so many levels to clean your home in big ways!
xoxo Dana
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Welcome to Creating Genius!
I spent the last year creating this e-guide to balancing and unblocking life by pulling together the best of a decade of space-changing and life-shifting feng shui! It’s 50 days and 50 ways to use feng shui to shift your space and your routines to move from “stuck” to creatively inspired and alive.
Start Creating Genius right HERE!
Gather up your magic & make gorgeous dreams come true!
xoxo Dana
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