Dust Allergies

• Dust is the number one cause of year-round allergies-it is present everywhere people live.

We go to dust sooner than we think. Dust mites, tiny tick-like creatures barely visible to the naked eye, feed on particles of dried skin, pet dander, food particles, insect parts, pollen, mold spores and bits of various other substances that surround us. Because dust mites prefer a humid environment, humid houses tend to have more dust allergen present. Most dust allergy sufferers are allergic to the microscopic waste products the mites produce.

Mite Facts

• Often, more dust mites live in the bedroom than any other room in the house. Mites also favor basements and first-floor apartments.
• There are 13 species of mites in household dust. Studies have shown that several species of dust mites can live in the same house. Numbers of mite species vary according to the conditions in each room.
• Dust mites favor shag carpeting because it traps food particles and is difficult to vacuum.
• Summer and fall are the best seasons for dust mites.
• The life span of most dust mites is about one month. One mite can lay up to 100 eggs in that time.

Tips for living with dust allergies