10 tips against house dust allergy
Who wakes up with swollen, itchy eyes, the world with a sneeze? Good morning? says, is greeted by a stuffy nose or equal to the handkerchiefs, may suffer from a house dust allergy.
The allergic reaction, which also causes asthma attacks, is triggered by the excretions of the house dust mite. Her droppings mix with house dust and are inhaled. I have put together 10 tips for relieving the complaints.
1. Bedding for allergy sufferers
Dust mites feel comfortable in bed. There they are nourished pretty well by falling dander. There are fine-mesh protective covers that prevent a) dandruff from getting down into the mattress and b) the mite droppings do not whirl upwards. These hypoallergenic and breathable coatings are called encasings. They are also available for duvets and pillows. If the house dust allergy is certified by the doctor or if there is a medical prescription, the health insurance will pay part of the costs.
2. Change the mattress every eight years
Although encasings are an important support in the fight against house dust mite, they can not prevent the animals from staying in the mattress and accumulating feces contaminated with allergens. TÜV Rheinland advises to change a mattress for hygienic reasons every eight years.
3. Regular ventilation
Mites like it warm and humid. Ideal for her, that man loses up to 1.5 liters of sweat during the night. In the morning, the bedroom window for 5 to 10 minutes wide open and also during the day several times airing, also in the other rooms, recommended.
4. Do not remove clothes in front of the bed
The Stiftung Warentest advises not to take off next to the bed. As they undress, flakes of skin are whirled through the air, which then land on the bed and feed the mites. Every day, humans lose about 1 - 2 grams of dander. Enough food to feed 1.5 million house dust mites.
5. Carpets hold the dust
The discussion about the right flooring for house dust allergy is controversial. Some people remove all carpets and hope to get rid of the mite droppings. A study by the German Allergy and Asthma Association and the Society for Environment and Interior Analysis concludes that particulate matter in the air is lower in rooms with carpet than in rooms with parquet or laminate, as less dust is whirled up. A short-pile, synthetic carpet holds the dust best.
6. Smooth damp floors and surfaces regularly
Cleaning and raising dust is the last thing that dust-allergic people need. And yet, smooth floors should be wiped wet several times a week to keep the dust concentration low. For storage surfaces are anti-dust cloths.
7. Put cuddly toys on ice and wash at 60 degrees
As with the fight against fleas, the freezer is also suitable for mites. However, it is not enough to put the cuddly playmates of your children on ice for 24 hours, even if it mitigates the mites. The mite droppings remain behind. Here you have to rework with a 60 degree wash.
8. Use high emission class vacuum cleaners
When vacuuming, a part of the sucked dust passes through the exhaust air back into the room. For allergy sufferers it is important that the dust retention capacity is as high as possible. To judge that are vacuum cleaners with Dust emission classes fitted. Classes A to G are currently available. Class A includes vacuum cleaners that return less than 0.02 percent of the dust sucked in, and Class G, which will no longer be available for sale from September 2017, the figure is over one percent. Allergy sufferers should suck with class A. The dust emission class can be found on the EU energy label.
9. The filter is important when sucking
Even if there is little dust coming back through the exhaust air, there is still the question of the size of the dust particles. For house dust allergy sufferers, the released particles should be as low as possible. This task is done by the built-in filter, Here is some caution, as some manufacturers advertise with fanciful name. Effective filters for allergy sufferers are the so-called HEPA filters (High Efficiency Particulate Air). Also, water filters have been proven, here the sucked air is passed into a water bath and there is no bag to change later, which also stirs up dust again.
10. Travel without the dust mite
Staying in strange beds can be quite exhausting for house dust allergy sufferers. With relatives and acquaintances it makes sense to bring your own bedding. As the guest room is prepared in advance and everything was nicely cleaned, while a lot of mite faeces whirled up and the nocturnal cough attack is inevitable. Hotels and apartments are increasingly equipped with allergy-free bed linen. If you want to travel in a relaxed atmosphere, you are looking for a destination over 1,400 meters above sea level. There are no house dust mites here.
Editor's tip:
Allergy-friendly duvet covers (encasings) are available on Amazon.
