Dust Mites
Where are dust mite found?
Dust Mites are microscopic organisms that hide:
- Under our
beds
- Inside and on
sofas
- Inside and on
carpets
- Inside and on
stuffed toys
- Inside and on our
mattresses, boxsprings and pillows
Most Common in Humid Climates
Dust mites are most common in humid climates and they do not survive when the humidity is below 50%. Unlike pollen, dust mites are present all year round causing constant allergy symptoms.
Prefer Dark, Warm and Humid Places Like Bedrooms
Dust mites prefer to be in
dark, warm and humid places with plenty of available food. The bedroom naturally becomes their favorite place, and since the average person spends one-third of their day in the bedroom, we inhale large quantities of dust mites.
What do dust mites eat?
Dust Mites are creatures that spend their lives eating, reproducing and eliminating waste products. They feed on the tiny flakes of human skin that shed from our bodies each day.
Each mite produces about 20 waste particles each day and more than 100,000 of them may be present in a single gram of dust. The particles seen floating in a shaft of sunlight include dead dust mites and their waste products.
What is an allergic reaction to dust mites?
A mattress may contain over a million dust mites. It is a protein in the waste products from the dust mite that make us wheeze and itch. Lie on a rug where they live and you may get an irritating rash. Breathe them in and you may experience nasal congestion or difficulty breathing.