Think the only threat that dust has on your home is its unsightliness? While dust is certainly not pretty to look at, it actually poses a health threat to you and your family because of dust mites. To keep dust mites in check and protect the health of your family, It’s as simple as this one step: Clean up dust in your home.
The problem with dust mites
Dust mites thrive on dust, and human skin cells, which we shed at an astonishing rate every day, contribute to the creation of dust. They also flourish when dust exists in soft, fibrous materials such as bedding and carpeting. But the real problem stems from the droppings of dust mites, which can aggravate allergy and asthma symptoms and impact even healthy individuals. According to experts, the average homeowner’s bed can contain up to a staggering 10 million dust mites. That makes dust mites the single, most important reason for you to clean up dust in your home, and in so doing, improve your indoor air quality.
What you can do
Preventative measures have to extend beyond regular cleaning, though thorough, consistent cleaning practices do help. The following steps will help keep dust mites under control:
- Address dust that attracts dust mites as much as possible. When cleaning, use materials that will trap dust, not just move it around. A damp cloth will work well.
- Avoid sweeping floors, which also just moves dust. Instead, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter, designed to permanently trap dust mites.
- Extend your vacuuming to furniture and curtains on a regular basis.
- Wash bedding, draperies, pillows and so forth regularly in hot water to kill dust mites.
- Purchase coverings for your mattresses, which keep dust mites off.
Think your home could use some dust-mite control? Need to clean up dust in your home? Contact local HVAC experts serving Mid-Ohio since 1965, Joe Behr Plumbing & Heating. We are happy to offer effective indoor air-quality solutions and get your home’s dust under control.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, visit our website.
Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating, Inc. services the Mid-Ohio area.
