THE DUST MITE SOLUTION

HOW TO GET RID OF DUST MITES AND RELIEVE YOUR ALLERGIES WITHOUT PESTICIDES OR TOXIC CHEMICALS

STEPHEN TVEDTEN

Copyright © 2013 by Stephen Tvedten

Published by TCK Publishing

Learn more about non—toxic, all natural pest control at:

www.StephenTvedten.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Table of Contents

Why You Should Read This Book

Allergies from Dust Mites

How can You reduce Dust Mite Infestations?

How to control Dust Mite Allergies

About The Author

Other Books By Stephen Tvedten

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK

Dust mites (dead-flesh eaters) are invisible to the naked eye. Even though you can not see them, millions of them may be living in your mattress. bedding, pillows, drapes, toys and carpeting. Your bed probably has millions of these invisible invaders feasting on your dead skin cells and pet dander. Are these tiny invaders really dangerous and are all of the dust mite mattress covers, toxic chemical sprays, and other expensive control measures really necessary?

How dangerous is dust? A recent study conducted by the University of Washington, World Health Organization and Health Effects Institute found that air pollution has resulted in the death of 3.2 million people worldwide in 2010.

It's no secret that allergies and respiratory illnesses are all on the rise. Worldwide pollution, medicines, pesticides, preservatives, GM foods and other contaminates have weakened your immune system so that even everyday dust can exacerbate or trigger allergies and other breathing problems for you and/or your family and pets. Your lungs are constantly exposed to the dangers contained in the dusts (tiny solid particles scattered or suspended in the air) you breathe. Luckily, your lungs have a wonderful function - they have defense mechanisms that protect your lungs by removing dust particles from your respiratory system. When you breathe in, particles suspended in the air first enter your nose, but not all of them enter your lungs. Your nose is an efficient filter. Most large particles are caught and remain trapped in your nose, until they are removed when you blow your nose or sneeze. Some of the smaller particles that succeed in passing through your nose - reach your windpipe and the dividing air tubes that lead to your lungs These tubes are called bronchi and bronchioles. All of these airways are lined by cells. The mucus these cells produce catches most of the remaining airborne dust particles. Tiny hairs called cilia, covering the walls of the air tubes, move the mucus upward and out into the throat, where it is either coughed up and spat out, or swallowed. The air that reaches the tiny air sacs (alveoli) in the inner part of your lungs with any dust particles that managed to avoid the defenses in your nose and mucous airways. The air sacs are very important because through them, your body receives oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. Any dust that reaches these sacs and the lower part of the airways where there are no cilia - is attacked by special cells called macrophages. These are extremely important for the defense of your lungs. They keep your air sacs clean. Macrophages virtually swallow any remaining dust particles. Then the macrophages, in a way which is not well understood, reach the part of the airways that is covered by cilia. The wavelike motions of the cilia move the macrophages which contain dust to your throat, where they are either spat out or swallowed. Besides macrophages, your lungs have another system for the removal of dust. Your lungs can react to the presence of germ-bearing particles by producing certain proteins. These proteins attach to particles to neutralize them. If you're concerned about dust inhalation, use every precaution available to protect your family's lungs - so you can always breathe easily and effortlessly.

WHAT IS GRAY DUST?

Basically the main components of gray dust consist of dead skin cells and the dried feces and desiccated corpses of dust mites. Household dust also may have air "freshener residue", rodent hair, cob webs, pet dander, fur, pollen, feathers, cloth and fabric fibers, makeup, smoke, tobacco ash, cold and flu germs/viruses, rodent, animal and insect excreta, general industrial pollution, pesticide POISONS, paint, plaster, concrete, soil, sawdust, spit, decomposing plants and/or insects and/or any other nasty and/or putrid thing that might be blown in whenever you open your doors or windows.. As you create any air movement inside your home - all of these various nauseating components are constantly being mixed in your ambient air and/or deposited on the surfaces of your home.. You then breathe in these very obnoxious and dangerous contaminates and/or absorb them through your skin.

Removing Dust, Allergens, Odors and Dander - You can install expensive HEPA filters or you can get an inexpensive 20-inch box fan. The older models are better than newer models because the older models are quieter and move less air. Then you need to purchase the Allergen Filtrete 1000 furnace filter by 3M in the red and white wrapper. Use masking tape and tape the filter making sure that you seal the filter's edges completely to the back of the fan, so all of your ambient air is pulled thru the filter - when you turn on the fan. If you attach the filter to the front of the fan very little air will pass through, and it also can put a bad load on the fan's motor. Do not even think about putting one of these filters on both the front and back of the fan. Run the fan on low 24 /7. Only the Filtrete 1000 works to visibly remove smoke odors. If you have cigarette smoke the 1000 filter rapidly turns grey, then coal black. Other Filtrete filters including the 700 model, or the 1200 ultra model stay white no matter how long you run the fan. The filter fan works better than putting the Filtrete furnace filter on your forced air furnace, because the window fan can be continuously run 24 hours, and moved from room to room. A box fan runs cheaper than a furnace fan too. When you see how black the filter gets, it will make you sick to your stomach to see what could have been breathed into your lungs!.

The Author has a dear friend in Hell's Kitchen in New York City who smokes and lives in a four room, cat filled apartment who has installed this filter/fan and now has no dust, no dander, no odors, no allergies and can now breathe easier! He does vacuum the filter every other week to prolong it's life.

Why is there so much clutter for dust to rest on today? We have become a nation of "collectors". We now accumulate so much clutter we have television shows that are specifically dedicated to showcase extreme collectors of clutter (hoarders) who can not get rid of anything. We not only fill our homes and garages and storage sheds with "our stuff" we even pay to store it off premises! Modern self storage facilities only began to appear in the USA in the 1960s. Lauderdale Storage in Fort Lauderdale, FL was founded in 1958 by the Collum family, making it one of the first ever self-storage facilities in the United States. Modern self storage facilities grew slowly through the 1990s, at which time demand outpaced supply and caused a rush of new self storage developments. From 2000 to 2005, over 3,000 new facilities were built every year. At year-end 2009, a total of some 58,000 self storage facilities, owned by 30,235 companies, have been developed in the United States. Currently, there is more than 2.35 billion square feet of self storage in the U.S., or a land area equivalent to three times Manhattan Island under roof. That is a whole lot of dust covered clutter/stuff!

Every home and bed has millions and millions of invisible dust mites feeding on your dead skin cells!

The term “house dust mites” has been applied to a large number of sightless, eight-legged, microscopic (some are 1/1000 the size of the head of a pin) arachnids called mites (smaller than a speck of salt) found in dwellings associated with dust. About 80% of dust in a building is made up of us; each one of us sheds several million cells daily or about the weight of a paper clip. A family of four people could fill a quart container in a month! Dust mites breathe through their skin and have a hypopial stage that makes them virtually immune to synthetic insecticide POISONS and fumigants during this deep dormancy stage of their lives. Dust mites prefer temperatures in the 68o - 84o F.range, humid settings and feed on skin scales and dander shed by humans and animals. Household dust is a microscopic blend of sloughed skin cells, sneezed viruses, soil, furniture and clothing fibers, pet dander, carpeting pieces, soil, mold, bacteria, insect fragments, etc. The average U. S. home collects 40 pounds of dust per year, which is home to at least 15 species of mites that live about 45 days and one ounce of dust can contain over 42,000 individual dust mites. Their feces and dead bodies are all allergens. It is estimated that humans shed about 400,000 particles of skin a minute or 10 million scales of dead skin every day!

Dust mites live with mammals, particularly man in our homes, and in bird nests and occasionally in bee hives. This sightless, microscopic creature lives in your carpeting, drapes, bedding, upholstered furniture and stuffed toys. Both male and female adult house dust mites are globular in shape, creamy white and have a striated cuticle. The female measures approximately 420 microns in length and 320 microns in width. The male is approximately 420 microns long and 245 microns wide. (About the size of a sharp pencil dot. They look like miniature hairy dinosaurs, complete with armor plates and pincers.) A pair of suckers on the ventral posterior idiosoma of the male is used to grasp the female during copulation. Males are more sclerotized with enlarged legs I and III. The male aedeagus is located between the apodemes of leg IV. The female has a well defined genital opening anterior to the bursa copulatrix located near the anus (Suggers, 1987) Most adults are about 1/100” to 1/64” long with soft, oval, somewhat flattened bodies. They are very dependent on proper temperature, moisture and an adequate food supply or they all die.

Clothing has been shown to be a significant factor in the dispersal of American dust mites. American house dust mites,

Dermatophagoides farinae (Hughes), were marked by adding a 4% solution of Sudan Red 7B, a microbiological stain, to mite rearing media. Marked mites were then placed on a downstairs couch in a two-story residence. Two children sat on the couch for about 3 hours after which their clothes were examined for stained dust mites. Various parts of the house and family vehicle were vacuum sampled, and dust samples examined for presence of marked dust mites. The results of 2 trials showed the presence of stained mites on children’s clothes, upstairs in the residence, as well as in the family vehicle. Even if concentrated in a small area (one couch) dust mites were able to disperse throughout the entire home, and into a family vehicle, within a matter of weeks. Mollet, J. A. and W. H. Robinson. 1996.

Over 35 million people in the U. S. suffer from dust mite allergy symptoms. In England, 1/3 of all cereal foods inspected had dust mite contaminations. Because of the medical implications, house dust and the fauna of dust mites associated with house dust have been tested for the source of the house dust allergen. The highest house dust allergen activity was found in dust samples stored at a relative humidity of 85%! Dust mite allergens are mainly present in feces of house dust mites and may become airborne and inhaled by patients giving rise to asthma, rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis. Dust mite cultures contain so much allergen that a millionth of one per cent is still reactive to allergic people per Judith A. Mollet of Virginia Tech. This is suburbia’s most common allergen. The second most common allergen is the pet cat whose dander, hair and saliva are all allergens. In the Northeast the cockroach is the most important allergen. Even the most spotless buildings contain millions of dust mites.

ALLERGIES FROM DUST MITES

Sneezing and wheezing? High concentrations of dust mite allergens are a significant risk factor for the development of allergies and related diseases such as asthma and rhinitis (hay fever). Eighty percent of children and young adults with asthma are sensitive to dust mites. Studies at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) suggest that more than 45 percent of U.S. homes have bedding with dust mite concentrations that exceed a level equated with allergic sensitization.

This is horrific! What can you do to stop this? Dust mites can not survive in your home if you know what you're doing and are willing to take offensive/preventative action. Beds, carpeting and upholstery are ground zero battlefields for dust mites - so start there!

Dust mites (sometimes called bed mites) are extremely common in North America. Dust mites, their fecal pellets and their digestive process, which generates enzyme-infested dust particles, are all triggers/catalysts for allergic reactions in you and yours. Common symptoms of allergic reactions to dust mites include symptoms similar to persistent common colds and hay fever e.g., watery eyes, stuffy noses, nasal blockage and respiratory problems as well as chronic ear infections, eczema, asthma, itchy patches of skin on the face and elbows and much more. Dust mite feces contain at least 15 proteins that also act as allergens. These mites and/or their droppings may cause allergic reactions to 500 million people worldwide and be responsible for triggering reactions in 50% to 80% of asthmatics! The dust mite can reingest their dung as many as three times. Wrapped in a special film, the droppings incorporate enzymes that continue to digest the dung even after it has been excreted. The University of Virginia estimates hospital emergency rooms see over 200,000 asthmatics a year with allergic reactions to dust mites. Female house dust mites can deposit 50 eggs in her 36 day (average) life span. Each dust mite can deposit 20 fecal pellets a day. Dust mites can totally overwhelm your area very quickly with allergens that are normally “recycled” every time you vacuum or dust.

There are many dust mite species worldwide including the House Dust Mite, Euroglyphus maynei, the American House Dust Mite, Dermatophagoides farinae (Hughes) and the European House Dust Mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart). The term "House dust mites" is sometimes abbreviated by allergists to HDM. Dust mites truly are our uninvited and unwelcome "guests" as they literally survive and flourish in the controlled environments we provide them inside our homes. In nature they are normally killed by predators and by direct exposure to sun rays. Dust mites are considered to be the most common cause of asthma and allergic symptoms worldwide. The enzymes they produce can be smelled most strongly rotting inside your vacuum.

The dust mite survives inside in all climates, except at high altitudes and/or in direct sunlight. A necessary condition for dust mite survival (digestion and reproduction) is shade and sufficient humidity. When humidity is less than optimal, dust mites function more slowly, and eventually become dormant. Dust mites thrive in our warm, moist beds, kitchens and homes - wherever the sun's rays can not reach them to kill them. Even in dry climates, dust mites survive and reproduce easily in our bedding (especially in our pillows) because of the humidity we generate during the third of our lives laying there breathing and perspiring and dripping saliva. Male dust mites clump together into large groups, and this action keeps the group's precious moisture from evaporating during extended dry spells - but dust mites cannot survive without food/dust in any climate. Dust mites hate sunlight!

Dust mites consume minute particles of organic matter. Some species of dust mites prefer to eat dead skin cells - others prefer flour dust. Dust mites have a rudimentary alimentary system (no stomach) and require most digestion to occur before it enters their body. For this reason they secrete enzymes and deposit the fungus Aspergillus repens on dust particles, to enable the fungus to pre-digest the organic matter with its enzymes. Dust mites often "eat" the same particle of feces over and over, only partially digesting it each time. Between feedings dust mites leave their crap to decompose further. Ultimately a fully digested organic particle, which a dust mite will no longer eat, is deemed by scientists to finally be considered to be dust mite fecal matter. The house dust mite's partially digested food, and fecal matter, is one of the most significant sources of allergens, implicated in allergic asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis and dermatitis. One of the more important proteins responsible for the allergic reaction is Der p1, a protease digestive enzyme found in mite feces. Dust mites bodies, made of chitin, are also allergens. Immunotherapy or "allergy shots" have been helpful for sufferers of hay fever and asthma. Steam cleaners may be effective at reducing enzyme allergens since the heat of the steam breaks down (decomposes) the compounds. Safe Solutions Tweetmint enzyme cleaners also break down and remove all of the allergy causing dust mites, their fecal material and fungus. www.safesolutionsinc.com/Enzyme_Cleaner_Pest_Control.htm

Der p1 is considered a major allergen because of the large number of people sensitive to it, or ‘specifically’ allergic to its harmful content. Der p1 is an active digestive enzyme that can cause cell death in the lungs by ‘melting’ the glue like substance that binds cells together. The cell’s death in turn gives Der p1 access to the body and blood stream. This invasion is how traces of the mite’s major allergen have been found in the amniotic fluid surrounding unborn children.

Aspergillus is one of the most common fungi and, unlike many fungi, can be found throughout the world in outdoor and indoor environments. Microbiologists have identified over 200 species of aspergillus, a number of which can affect human health in a very serious way. Aspergillus is known to cause a variety of invasive lung diseases, lesions of the lung, sinuses and ear and corneal disease in healthy persons and can lead to liver failure in diabetics. Aspergillus is unique among fungi as many aspergillus species can grow at body temperature; for this reason, ‘fungal balls’ can form in the lungs, organs and intestines of humans. Some species of aspergillus produce potent toxins that can withstand environmental elements that can destroy most other toxins, therefore, aspergillus has been researched by the United Nations special commission overseeing the elimination of weapons of mass destruction.

Due to the large number of patients treated in the U.S. for diseases caused by aspergillus, medical professionals regard it as being more influential on human health than stachybotyrs, the fungi commonly known as ‘black mold’. Controlling both the fungus and the mites is the best strategy for improving levels of health in your home.

Note: Safe Solutions Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with peppermint will control many dust health problems on contact.

Over one million new cases of aspergillosis are diagnosed in the United States each year. Bronchiopulonary aspergillosis (APBA) is an incurable lung disease that can affect healthy individuals, but is more common in people with asthma or cystic fibrosis.

Invasive aspergillosis usually affects people with immune system issues and can cause tissue damage to their lungs and other organs, leading to death of the patient. (Sources: Center for Disease Control (CDC) Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases and www.mold-help.org/content/view/408)

Bleach and strong soaps do not kill dust mites - but, simple washing with plain water will remove most of them. Temperatures of over 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) for a period of one hour are usually fatal to dust mites; freezing may also be used to kill dust mites. Dust mites reproduce quickly in our mattresses and pillows, as well as in our couches and in other well-worn upholstery. Dust mites, unlike bed bugs, don’t feed directly on us. They aren’t parasitic and don’t get under our skin, as do scabies. Dust mites and their debris can contribute to household dust, which is a common trigger for people with allergies and asthma. Though their debris is not the only allergen in dust—things like pollen, animal dander, cigarette ash, cockroach droppings, fungus and mold also contribute—they are a major constituent, and their effect on human health can be significant.

HOW CAN YOU REDUCE DUST MITE INFESTATIONS?

Although we may not be able to totally get rid of every single dust mite, we can and should try to routinely reduce their population significantly. One of the best ways to do this is by simply lowering the humidity and (or raising) the temperature. Few dust mite eggs hatch at temperatures below 60o F. or above 95o F. According to an article by the University of Nebraska Extension Center, dust mites need warm (not too hot - nor too cold) temperatures—around 75 to 80° F—and high humidity to live. Some research has shown that when humidity is below 50 to 60 percent, the mite population will cease to reproduce and can die out. This can be a challenge in some places, especially during the summer months, but air conditioning can help. Since dust mites also feed on animal dander, pets should have a separate sleeping area that can be easily cleaned. Similarly, wall to wall carpeting is a safe-haven for dust mites and dust particles, so tile, vinyl and/or hardwood floors and easily cleaned area rugs are a better choice when it comes to reducing dust and dust mites. If you absolutely need wall-to-wall carpeting - at least get it steam cleaned at least once a year. Routinely cleaning all of your bedding is also a must-do to reduce dust mite populations. Warm water (around eighty degrees) and detergent (and Tweetmint enzyme cleaners) can help remove dander, dust mites and their debris; cleaning once a week is ideal. Dry clean blankets and other non-washable items at least once a year or simply air them out in the sunlight!. Anything that will collect dust, will also collect dust mites. Those with allergies and asthma should keep clutter, carpeting, drapes, stuffed animals, throw pillows, and cloth wall hangings to a minimum. Vacuum and clean at least weekly! The best cleaner in the Author's opinion is Safe Solutions Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with peppermint. (www.theidealpestide.com) Hang everything you suspect is infested with dust mites outside in the sun! Clean your air with filters!

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO MINIMIZE DUST MITES

Keeping your bedroom dust free is the most important thing that you can do for dust mite control. Use a HEPA vacuum in the room, and run a HEPA air filter or box window fan with the proper 3M furnace filter near the bed when the room isn't occupied. Make sure the bedroom curtains and/or window coverings are washable. Horizontal venetian blinds can be wiped clean with a damp cloth (but they do collect a lot of dust), and if you have shades that can't easily be washed, they should be of a type that's easily vacuumed. Be sure to avoid fuzzy fabrics and bed linens and fluffy pillows; they'll attract and capture dust. Remove all of the clutter. It is virtually impossible to dust well when all of the surfaces are covered with dust-collecting objects. Rough surfaces, cork, unpainted wood and fabrics are also hard to keep free from dust. If you can't bear to get rid of certain "treasures", use covered storage containers for papers, magazines, and other "collectables" to reduce dust-catching surfaces. Polyester bedding is also a well-known haven for dust mites because it traps moisture from perspiration.

Living with allergies is a nightmare for many people, and dust mites are one of the most common causes of allergic symptoms. But how do you get rid of something that lives all around us? Experts agree that when it comes to allergies the best thing to do is avoid your allergen – the thing that causes your allergic reaction. Dust mite allergens are proteins contained in mites' feces, secretions and body parts. If you don't want to cough, sneeze or wheeze then you need to get rid of dust mites and what they leave behind. But that's hard when millions of dust mites live and poop in your mattresses, pillows, bedding, furniture and clothes. Some people swear sunlight will rid your clothes, carpets and bedding of dust mites. But Dr. Euan Tovey, an allergy researcher from Sydney University, says it's not a straight forward solution. Tovey says leaving your rugs or carpets in the sun to 'bake' for three hours will kill all the dust mites, but it won't get rid of all the allergens. "Killing the mites alone doesn't stop any of the exposure to allergens – all it does is kill the mites, which will over a period of time just re-establish themselves anyway. So you do need to get rid of the allergen," he says. "What I do is wash my Persian carpets once or twice a year – I hose them down, scrub them with soap and water, put them on the trampoline and leave them in the sun for a day." The best thing for bedding and clothes is regular washing in the machine. Tovey says dust mite allergen is highly soluble, and washing in warm water with normal laundry detergent removes close to 97 per cent of the allergens. "Most websites advocate hot washing bedding at 73 degrees – that's very hot water. Most systems don't have water that hot and I don't think it's worth the trouble – you're better to wash it more frequently," he said. As for mattresses, Tovey says it's best to use a washable mattress protector and wash it regularly with all your other bedding. So in short, sunlight can kill dust mites but it won't get rid of the allergens. You need to wash and/or vacuum them all up before or after the sunlight exposure - before you'll stop coughing, sneezing and wheezing.

You can vacuum and steam clean your entire home, top to bottom, each day and you certainly will reduce the number of dust mites, for sure – but there would still be enough dust mites and/or allergens still left to spark an allergic reaction. It takes just 10 micrograms of dust mites per gram of dust to kick off allergy symptoms, and there is no cleaning system in the world that can get dust mite concentrations in a typical home below that threshold. Prof. Van Bever advises his patients to buy an inexpensive, thin mattress that costs less than $100 for their child, and replace it once a year. In the meantime, sun the mattress regularly – the sun will drive dust mites out if the mattress is thin enough, Prof. Van Bever says. (If the mattress it thick, the dust mites will simply burrow deeper. ) He also recommends parents buy their child a pillow that costs less than $10, and replace that every few months. "You have to try to keep your exposure low, but don’t spend money on stuff that has never been proven to work,” he says.

Dr. Goh agrees. A two-year study of over 900 children with asthma induced by dust mite allergies (which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine) showed that children who’s parents did all the extra stuff – bought allergen-impermeable covers, a HEPA vacuum cleaner and a HEPA air purifier – were only able to reduce the number of days their child was sick in every two-week period by just one more than the control group. So all that expense bought just one more asthma-free day every two weeks over the people who did nothing. “If you spend a lot and combine these interventions, you may get slightly better outcomes – but not dramatically better,” says Dr. Goh.

HOW TO CONTROL DUST MITE ALLERGIES

It's the feces and body parts from the dust mites that are the real allergens, so simply killing the dust mites won't remove all of the allergens, although reducing populations is always a considerable help. To minimize mite populations, you need to make changes in your daily living and cleaning routines. While you may not be able to do all of these things, just implementing a few of these alternative techniques will reduce the number of dust mites.

Direct sunlight kills dust mites. Make use of this powerful, free killer and hang your washed bedding, clothing, rugs, blankets, bedding, stuffed animals, curtains and drapes outside in the sun as often as possible.

Nano-UV™ Disinfection Scanner -This compact and lightweight disinfection device uses ultra-violet light to safely kill dust mites, surface germs of infectious diseases and the eggs of lice, fleas, dust mites. Surfaces become 99.99% germ and virus free after just a quick 10 second sweep! Kills epidemic bacteria such as E-Coli, SARS, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella and Avian Bird Flu. www.safesolutionsinc.com/UV_Disinfection_Light.htm Use this if you will not use free sunlight.

Safe Solutions Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint kills dust mites and removes dust and many allergens. Routinely wash, mop and clean using Safe Solutions, Inc. Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with peppermint.

Vapor steam-cleaning (using a small machine that heats surfaces with dry steam) kills fungus, dust mites, bacteria, and other undesirables. This is a good way to clean bedding that you can't launder, such as mattresses. Vapor contains only 5 to 6 percent water and yet the vapor steam deeply penetrates whatever it is cleaning, and it is great for upholstery, couches, carpets, and mattresses.

Change your bedding regularly. Most dead skin build-up occurs in and around your bed. Remove the sheets and blankets from the bed. Take off your mattress and vacuum both sides of it. Clean both sides with a damp cloth.

Dust your bed. Your beds are a prime habitat for dust mites. A typical used mattress may have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites inside. (Ten percent of the weight of a two year old pillow can be composed of dead mites and their droppings.) Mites prefer warm, moist surroundings such as the inside of your favorite mattress. A favorite food is dander (both human and animal skin flakes). Humans shed about 1/5 ounce of dander (dead skin) each week. About 80 percent of the material seen floating in a sunbeam is actually skin flakes. Also, bedroom carpeting and household upholstery support high mite populations. If you have a cover for your mattress this is the perfect time to put it on. Put the mattress back on the bed and remake your bed with clean sheets and blankets.

Replace your pillows every 6 months.

Reduce all excess items in the bedroom (e.g., books, clothing baskets, toys, piles of clothing, etc.) Anything that makes it hard to clean or difficult to dust provides a home for dust mites.

Reduce your child's stuffed toy collection to one or two favorites. Place those that you do keep in the freezer (in a tightly sealed plastic bag) every couple of weeks to kill living dust mites. Or wash them.

The natural lanolin in wool repels dust mites—so buy wool bedding.

Consider changing your flooring. Carpet creates a perfect haven for dust mite populations. If your family is suffering from dust mite allergies or asthma, removing wall-to-wall carpeting (especially over concrete floors because concrete generates moisture/humidity).should be a number one priority, especially in the bedroom zone. Replace your carpets with: linoleum, tile or terrazzo or wood flooring. Small rugs and throws, if they are laundered often in borax - are all right. Low pile carpet usually is not as troublesome to an allergy sufferer as high shag.

Ventilate. Open windows to let in fresh air and reduce humidity. Do this as often as you can.

Wash bedding at a minimum of 55 degrees Celsius (131 degrees Fahrenheit). High water temperature and borax are capable of killing dust mites; it is not possible to rely on detergent alone. If you prefer cold washes, dry in direct sunlight.

Vacuum regularly. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to clean floors and mattresses. Micro-filters are important because they help to ensure that dust is not simply recirculated into the air.

Vacuum couches, mattresses, armchairs and other places where people tend to sit frequently. Clean them regularly. Try not to sleep on your couch; it increases the problem.

Damp dust. Feather dusters and dry rags simply will not help solve your dust mite problem. Just take your damp cloth with diluted Safe Solutions, Inc. Enzyme Cleaner or diluted alcohol and dust every day. Damp dust all dusty surfaces thoroughly. As you move any items, clean those items as well. Follow up your dusting by vacuuming or mopping the floors.

Steam clean regularly. Dust mites cannot survive a steam cleaning. Steam-clean your carpets at least once a year. A study in Glasgow, Scotland, found an 87 percent drop in the concentration of dust mites per gram of dust after carpets were steam-cleaned. But, moisture accumulated in carpet padding can provide an ideal environment for subsequent dust mites to thrive, so consider dry cleaning methods.

Use tannic acid. Tannic acid is a natural way to neutralize the allergens from dust mites. In manufacturing, tannic acid is used in ointments and suppositories for the treatment of hemorrhoids; for tanning hides and manufacturing ink; and to kill dust mites on furniture.

Keep the home pest free. Dead pests are a food source for dust mites.

Keep the home pet free. Avoid sleeping with or keeping pets - especially cats and dogs or wash them often with Safe Solutions Pet Wash. It is best to keep your pets outside; if you can not, HEPA vacuum carpets, rugs, floors, mattresses, pillows, drapes, etc. daily and wash your hands after petting your pet. Dander stays around long after the pet has gone. Clean your air ducts especially when moving into a new house. Clean and disinfect with ultraviolet light. Cover the mattress properly.

Keep food products in glass containers and control all insect and rodent pests.

Reduce the relative humidity: Dust mites die when the humidity falls below 40 to 50 percent; so properly install a dehumidifier, fans and an air conditioner to help reduce moisture and temperatures. A hygrometer (available at hardware stores) can measure humidity levels.

Repair all plumbing/moisture problems.

Install a proper air filtration system.

Hot air vents should be covered with HEPA or charcoal filters.

Temperatures of over 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) for a period of one hour are usually fatal to dust mites; freezing may also be fatal.

Studies at NIEHS found significant reduction of dust mites when allergen-proof covers were combined with properly laundered bedding, dry steam-cleaning, and vacuuming. Vacuuming alone didn't work as well as the combination of vacuuming with dry steam-cleaning of carpets and upholstery. You can NOT depend only on expensive controls e.g., allergen-impermeable covers, a HEPA vacuum cleaner and a HEPA air purifier to kill all your dust mites - especially if you do not properly clean!

The good news is that for most people dust mites are not dangerous. Even though a main part of the dust mite's diet consists of them eating your dead skin cells, you don’t need to worry that they’ll eat you alive while you’re sleeping. Dust mites prefer dead skin cells and do not cause sores by gnawing on your flesh. They do not bite. They do not sting. Dust (any particulate matter) is a different matter - you should never breathe any particulate matter - it is bad for your health - so filter your air!

Routinely do your laundry, dusting, cleaning, moping, and/or spraying with diluted Safe Solutions, Inc. Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint and/or borax. Contact Safe Solutions, Inc on their website at www.safesolutionsinc.com to get more information on their Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint and UV lights. Safe Solutions, Inc. has other environmentally friendly products for nontoxic pest control, sustainable organic gardening, natural detoxification, and holistic health care. They are located at 2530 Hayes Street, Marne, MI 49435 - 1-616-677-2850.

You Need Good Cleaning Practices If You Want To Destroy Dust and Dust Mites!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

STEPHEN L. TVEDTEN was President of Stroz Services, Inc. (an alternative pest control company) for 25 years and is currently President of Get Set, Inc., an integrated pest management company and is also currently President of PEST (Prevent Environmental Suicide Today) an environmental group, and Steve is the founder of the Institute of Pest Management, Inc., Prescriptive Nutrients, Inc. and TIPM and the Natural Pest Control Association.

Steve is the consultant and advisor for Safe Solutions, Inc. Steve is Head of the Advisory Board for the Natural Pest Control Council of America. Steve was licensed as a Michigan Residential Builder and Maintenance Alteration Contractor and holds or has held Michigan pest control certifications in the following categories: Forest Pest Management, Wood Preservation, Turf, Ornamentals, Seed Treatment, Aquatic, Swimming Pools, Cooling Towers, Right—of—way, Structural Pest Management, Wood Destroying Organisms, Vertebrate, Interiorscape, Mosquito and Public Health. Steve also holds or has held Texas pest control certifications in General, Pest Control and Termite control, New York certifications in termite, structural, pest and rodent control. Ohio pest control certification in the following categories: seed treatment, general aquatic, swimming pool, general forest pest, timber stand improvement, wood preservation, industrial vegetation control, ornamental plant and shade tree, interior plantscape, vertebrate animal control, turf pest control, domestic, institutional, structural and health related pest control, general pest, termite, mosquito, house fly and vector control and Wisconsin certifications in forest, ornamental and turf, seed treatment, aquatic, right—of—way, general industrial, institutional, structural and health related, termite and wood preservation; State of Illinois certifications in seed treatment, right—of—way, ornamental and turf, forest, aquatic and mosquito pest control; State of Indiana certifications for seed treatment, wood preservative non—pressured, forest, ornamental, aquatic, right—of—way, residential, institutional and non—food industry pest control.

Learn more at www.stephentvedten.com

OTHER BOOKS BY STEPHEN TVEDTEN

Natural Roach Pest Control: How To Get Rid Of Roaches Without Toxic Chemicals or Insecticides

How To Get Rid Of Lice and Nits Without Combing or Toxic Chemicals

Natural Bed Bug Treatment: How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs Without Toxic Chemicals or Insecticides

Organic Spider Killer: How To Get Rid of Spiders Fast Without Any Pesticides, Chemicals or Toxic Poisons

Organic Ant Killer: How To Get Rid of Ants Without Pesticides, Toxic Chemicals or Insecticides

Natural Mosquito Control: How To Get Rid Of Mosquitos Fast Without Toxic Chemicals or Insecticides

ONE LAST THING.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this book or found it useful I’d be very grateful if you’d post a short review on Amazon. Your support really does make a difference and I read all the reviews personally so I can get your feedback and make this book even better.

If you’d like to leave a review then all you need to do is click the review link on this book’s page on Amazon here:

Thanks again for your support!

Table of Contents

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Table of Contents

Why You Should Read This Book

Allergies from Dust Mites

How can You reduce Dust Mite Infestations?

How to control Dust Mite Allergies

About The Author

Other Books By Stephen Tvedten