| Wonder how I was led to look for redeeming | | | | So, unfortunately, the answer to the question is |
| qualities of the dust mite? It was quite by accident! | | | | No--the dust mite does not have any redeeming |
| My daughter was watching Charlotte's Web when | | | | qualities! Here's how to deal with it. |
| Charlotte, the spider, announced how much better | | | | If you are diagnosed with a dust mite allergy, the |
| off the world is because of all the insects spiders eat. | | | | only solution is to minimize the number of mites |
| Otherwise, said Charlotte, the world would be | | | | making themselves comfortable in your home. Since |
| overtaken by insects. Even though spiders are not | | | | dust mites can easily become airborne from normal |
| my favorite insect, it was reassuring to know that | | | | activities in your home, one sensible approach is using |
| these little creatures - regardless of how irritating, | | | | a hepa air purifier to control dust mites. |
| and yes, sometimes frightening they are - help with | | | | While a hepa air purifier may not be able to kill the |
| the "big picture" by doing something good for the | | | | mites or rid your house of them entirely--and nothing |
| world. This started me wondering if the dust mite | | | | can--an air purifier significantly reduces the amount of |
| was really getting a bum rap, and does, in fact, also | | | | food available to the mites, decreasing their numbers |
| do some good in the greater scheme of things! | | | | in your home. How? |
| Here's the scoop. | | | | A HEPA air purifier works by taking the room air in |
| The household dust mite, nicknamed by allergists as | | | | and passing it through a series of filters, trapping not |
| HDH, is able to be seen only with magnification, and is | | | | only the pesky dust mite, but dust particles, pet |
| considered to be one of the most common allergy | | | | dander, and other allergens that would trigger your |
| and asthma triggers know to the world. The mite | | | | allergy and/or asthma and that also serve as potential |
| flourishes indoors in places like your bedroom, | | | | food for the mites. |
| bathroom or under the kitchen sink, and are killed | | | | Yes there are powders, and sprays that can be used |
| when exposed to direct sunlight, temperatures over | | | | to get rid of dust mites, but they are messy to use, |
| 140 degrees or below 32 degrees. The male lives | | | | require repeated applications, and of course require |
| anywhere from 20-30 days, while a pregnant female | | | | your time and energy to apply them (not to mention |
| can live up to 10 weeks, and produce as many as 60 | | | | remembering to use them). Using these chemical |
| to 100 eggs. They are so prolific that they can cause | | | | alternatives may risk exposing you, your family, and |
| a significant health threat. | | | | your pets to ingredients that are less than desirable |
| And if this isn't discouraging enough, having a clean | | | | for your home. |
| house will not eliminate the problem. Bleach and even | | | | So by far, using an air purifier is the least invasive, |
| industrial-strength soaps have little effect, and they | | | | most environmentally friendly way to dispose of the |
| take up residence in mattresses, carpet, and pillows | | | | dust mite, and the purifier would run 24 hours |
| where they climb down low enough to avoid sunlight, | | | | working non-stop to rid your home of the mites. And |
| or the vacuum, but climb up again to feed off dead | | | | here's the best part--these purifiers plug in and go to |
| skin cells, dander, or dust. | | | | work with no assembly required (smile). |