All about Dust and How to Manage Dust Allergy

Be it our homes, workplaces, or any other enclosed environment, the presence of dust is inevitable. Getting rid of dust is not only impossible but also next to a herculean task. If you manage to clean up your house thoroughly and wish to maintain it for at least a day, unfortunately, it wouldn’t even last for more than a couple of hours that way. That’s because dust takes over in no time. Besides, dust also causes various indoor allergy symptoms like runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, etc. On a macro level, dust can also cause several breathing-related problems like asthma and bronchitis. As dust is the epicentre of various allergies, it’s good to learn about dust and dust allergy in more detail.

What are the causes of dust allergy?

The dust present indoors is more than just dirt particles. It is a combination of various elements such as fabric fibers, dead human skin, food particles, bacteria, animal dander, mold spores, and other debris. These elements and their quantity may differ from home to home, type of furniture, moisture, quality of building materials used, presence of pets, and so on.

Out of the above mentioned contents of dust, dust mites are the most common causes of indoor allergies like dust allergy. When they inhale in such a surrounding, an individual can become allergic to dust triggered by dust mites. Subsequently, dust mites become the root cause of various indoor allergies including dust and indoor mold allergy.

What are dust mites?

Dust mites are nothing but tiny microscopic creatures that add up to the most part of the house dust and lead to several allergic reactions. Dust mites belong to the family of eight-legged creatures called arachnids. Spiders, chiggers, and ticks also belong to this family.

Hard creatures, dust mites survive very well and easily grow in warm, moist, and humid places. They require temperatures of at least 70°F with a 75% to 80% relative humidity. They cease to live and die when the humidity goes below 40% to 50%. They cannot survive in dry areas and hence dust mites are not found in dry regions.

How to manage dust allergy?

If you are looking to know how to manage dust allergy easily, you may make the following changes in your home and workplace along with your daily routine to be safe from dust mites.

• Regularly clean your upholstery including wall-to-wall carpets, drapes, curtains, etc.? Go for mite-proof furniture and upholstery? Wash your bed linens, pillow cases, etc. in hot water? As much as possible, keep your pets away from your house? Maintain room temperature and humidity? Wear a protective mask while cleaning your home

If you feel you may have an allergy to dust or any of its components, it is advisable to see your doctor or a leading allergist at the earliest. They would be able to assist your indoor allergy symptoms better by diagnosing it and pinpointing the exact cause of the reactions.

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