HOUSE DUST MITES ALLERGY: BASIC AVOIDANCE MEASURES
Damp Dust and Damp Mop
Normal methods of dusting and sweeping simply disperse dust (and allergens) around the room. You can usually see it settling again on surfaces a short time after cleaning. To make dusting and sweeping possible, and to remove dust from the place, ‘damp dust’ and ‘damp mop’.
To damp dust, take a duster or cloth, dip it in water, and wring it out so that it is only just damp. Then dust as usual, removing the dust as you go, and rinsing and wringing the cloth as often as you need. If you keep the cloth as dry as possible, it does not leave smears of dirt on surfaces.
To damp mop instead of sweeping, dampen a mop and wring out hard, as with the duster, above. Then mop the floor gently, rinsing and wringing frequently.
These measures, combined with vacuum filters, significantly reduce the level of airborne allergens.
Keep the Place Dry
The final basic avoidance measure that is really useful is to keep your home as dry as you are able. Use heating to keep the place as warm and dry as you can afford – particularly avoiding damp in the bedroom, but remember to ventilate well, do not overinsulate to conserve energy, open windows or doors at least once a day and keep air circulating through the home.
Fix obvious damp spots or rising damp. Avoid using gas fires or paraffin stoves if you can; these generate water on burning and create damp in the environment. (Gas central heating creates no such problems with damp.) Dry laundry outside the home if possible, do not use humidifiers, and generally keep damp to a minimum.
If you want to take more thorough measures to create a dry environment, including using dehumidifiers, there is a full discussion on damp control in the section on controlling moulds.
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