Dust and dust mites. Video
House dust covering hard surfaces looks untidy and just. Other dust, invisible to the eye, accumulating in upholstered furniture is more dangerous. It is she who becomes a breeding ground for dust mites, whose waste products can cause severe allergies in households.
dust mites are so microscopic that it is impossible to see them with the naked eye. Studies have shown that one gram of house dust contains up to 1500 mites. Therefore, the more dust surrounds us, the higher the likelihood of developing allergies, fraught with serious consequences. The mere realization that the allergen is nothing more than the excrement of these microscopic creatures should lead to minimizing the number of dust mites in an apartment or house.
Unfortunately, it will not be possible to completely get rid of the dust. Sometimes it seems that it appears literally out of nowhere. Sometimes, after returning home after a long absence, people wonder how the floor and furniture are covered with a thick layer of dust. After all, there was no one to litter. And the windows remained closed, that is, it could not be applied from the street. The answer to the riddle is simple: the dust did not materialize out of oblivion. She was already in the air and just eventually settled on horizontal surfaces. The composition of house dust differs from one household to another. But in general, it can consist of:
– dead skin particles of people and animals; – hair; – fabric and carpet fibers; – soot particles; – street dirt; – plant pollen; – and many other microscopic particles formed as a result of the use of various objects.
Fighting house dust can be compared to Sisyphean labor. No matter how much you remove it, it will still reappear. But this does not mean that you should give up, first of all you need to remember the golden rule, which says that it is better to prevent any problem than to clean up its consequences, that is, in this case, dust blockages. First of all, you need to get rid of dust collectors, or at least minimize their number. These include: – plush toys; – massive curtains; – soft fleecy furniture; – carpets; – fur; – open bookshelves; – pillows; – etc.
This will not be able to reduce the amount of dust in the air, it will settle down sooner or later, but at the same time it will lie on flat surfaces from which it will be easy to remove it.
If you dry your clothes in a tumble dryer, you will notice how much dust from already clean items settles on the machine filter. Allergy sufferers should think about purchasing this useful unit.
The best way to remove dust is with a vacuum cleaner and a rag. Moreover, wiping the surfaces should be done before turning on the vacuum cleaner. This sequence is easily explained by the fact that even the most advertised rags do not collect all the dust, some of it again soars into the air and settles on the floor. Therefore, it is better to wipe the cabinets and shelves first and only then start vacuuming. By the way, not every vacuum cleaner is suitable for successfully combating dust. Old models with rag bags collect only visible debris, while microscopic dust particles are picked up by a jet of sucked air, pass through the bag with accumulated dirt and are forcefully pushed back into the air. The effect of such cleaning is not only zero, but even negative. During the idle time of the vacuum cleaner from the moment of its last use, millions of mites have managed to multiply in it, which, after being turned on with a stream of air, rush to freedom, occupying the apartment. Therefore, you should not save on health, you should buy a good vacuum cleaner with a so-called HEPA filter, which dust particles will hardly have a chance to slip through. Even more effective in this regard are water vacuum cleaners, in which the air is washed in the literal sense of the word.
To reduce the amount of dust in the apartment, you can use special air sinks. Dust will settle on the filter of the appliance and not on the furniture.
However, the most successful way to deal with house dust was and remains wet cleaning. The dirt collected on a wet rag will remain on it. Everyone has probably noticed more than once that after wiping all surfaces and washing the floor, the air in the apartment seems much cleaner, it becomes easier to breathe.
Small tricks against dust
Dust mites thrive best in humid, warm environments and should be removed from comfort. Namely, regularly change bedding, after sleep, do not cover the bed with a blanket, but also with a synthetic blanket on top, but ventilate the sleeping place, let it dry. Open windows daily to let in fresh air. In this case, do not rely on a slightly open window. A much greater effect can be achieved by opening the window wide open for 5-10 minutes. Brushing and changing is best in an area where dust can be removed by wiping, such as a bathroom. These little tricks will not only help keep your home looking neat, but will also prevent one of the most common conditions of modernity – house dust allergies.