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Managing allergy > Allergen avoidance
How can you reduce exposure to house dust mites?


As with the other airborne allergens, it is practically impossible to avoid house dust mites completely. Although it is difficult to reduce house dust mite exposure, there are steps that you can take that can help you in this task.
Tip: Do you know what house dust mites hate most? Heat and particularly dry heat, such as sunshine on a dry summer day! Why not leave your bedclothes outside on these days?




The bed is the most important reservoir of house dust mite allergens in the home and we spend more time in our bedroom than in any other room of the house. 

Therefore, efforts to reduce house dust mite allergens must be centred on the bedroom - but the rest of the house should not be forgotten.







DO…
  • Use plastic or mite resistant covers for your bedding and the mattress
  • If you don’t have mite resistant mattress covers, vacuum the mattress thoroughly every week
  • Use blankets, duvets and pillows made of synthetic fabrics (not feathers) that can be washed in hot water (>60°C)
  • Change bed linen at least once per week
  • Wash bed linen at high temperatures (>60° C)
  • Air your bedclothes daily or at least 2-3 times/week (during the summer days leave them in the sunshine for a few hours)
  • Remove carpets (especially wall-to-wall carpets), curtains, and up-holstered furniture from your bedroom
  • The best solution is to leave your floor uncovered. Hard, uncovered floors (wooden, linoleum or ceramic tiles) can be more easily cleaned
  • Ventilate your home adequately to reduce dampness
  • If possible, keep air humidity levels below 50% (if possible use a dehumidifier )
  • Vacuum the whole house thoroughly and frequently preferably using a vacuum cleaner fitted with a high-efficiency particulate filter (HEPA)
  • Cuddly soft toys are mite collectors. Regularly place them in the deep freezer over night or wash them at high temperatures             
DON'T… 
  • make your bed as soon as you get up (let the bedclothes dry and cool off after the night’s sleep)
  • heat your sleeping area (certainly not above 21-22°C)
  • humidify the air in the house and particularly not in your bedroom
  • sleep with cuddly toys made of soft fabrics
  • clean the house yourself; if possible try to avoid being in the house when the cleaning is done