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House dust mites are a major allergen associated with Asthma in Australia. They are microscopic creatures that feed off human skin scales. The greatest exposure to house dust mites occurs in domestic homes, predominantly in the bedroom from beds and bedding. House dust mites thrive in temperate and humid climates such as coastal Australia. House dust mites are not usually in the air and only become airborne during and after dust-raising activities such as vacuuming and dusting.
The greatest exposure to house dust mites is from your bedding. A combination of the following measures has been shown to benefit asthma control.
- Cover mattress, pillow and quilt with dust mite resistant covers. The covers must be washed every 2 months.
- Wash sheets and pillow cases weekly in water hotter than 55°C. This will kill mites and wash away the allergen they produce. If you cannot wash in hot water, use a commercial product containing essential oils such as tea tree or eucalyptus oils, formulated to kill dust mites in cold water. If washing normally, hot tumble drying of washed items for 10 minutes after they are dry will kill mites. Dry cleaning is not as effective as it will kill house dust mites but won't remove the allergen they produce.
- Remove sheepskin or woollen underlays.
- Remove all soft toys from the bed and bedroom. Replace them with wooden or plastic toys which can be washed. If a soft toy is allowed it should be washed weekly using the method described for sheets. It should be noted that freezing soft toys overnight kills mites but doesn't remove allergen.
Other measures include using a damp duster or electrostatic cloths; reducing humidity; and vacuuming carpets weekly. Because many houses have a large floor area you might also consider replacing carpets with hard floors.