RP217 House Dust Mites

 RP217 House Dust Mites

You may think you live alone, but if you live in a house, chances are you' re living with millions of tiny companions. You' re probably even sharing your bed with them. Before you call the police, calm down. These companions don't mean any harm. They' re called dust mites, and they' re found almost everywhere.

Dust mites are tiny, bluish, rectangular creatures with eight legs. They are part of the class Arachnida, which means they' re related to ticks, spiders, and scorpions.

Are you scared yet? Don't be. Dust mites don't bite or attack humans. Instead, they eat the dead skin cells that we constantly shed. They love to live where we and our pets sleep because microscopic dead skin cells accumulate in our sheets and other areas our skin touches. We never notice them because they are just too small to see.

The only real harm dust mites do is cause allergies. Many people are allergic to them. Large numbers of dust mites can trigger asthma attacks (serious problems with breathing) and other unpleasant allergic reactions. Because of this, some people need to be careful about letting dust mite populations grow.

Simple cleaning methods are usually enough to kill dust mites. Most laundry detergents will kill them, as will high dryer temperatures. Beating a rug shakes the mites out of it. However, people who have serious dust mite allergies are advised to get rid of carpets and even avoid fluffy pets, as they provide food and shelter for dust mites. Lowering the humidity in your house will also help make it more hostile to mites. After all, every living thing needs water.

Dust mites are just one of the many tiny creatures that have evolved to live with humans. If you have allergies, you may want to see if dust mites are the problem and take action to get rid of them. Otherwise, just wash your bedding every week, keep your carpets clean, and marvel at the wonderful world we can't see.