Everything you NEVER wanted to know about Dust Mites

The humble dust mite or dermatophagoides pteronyssinus to give it its true name is an incredibly simple creature. It has a life cycle of anything between ten and seventy days depending on type. It cannot see, does not drink, and does not even have its own respiratory system. It is no bigger than half the size of a full stop in this article content and survives by absorbing both oxygen and moisture from the air around it.

Dust mites have survived on our planet for over twenty three million years and are a natural scavenger of organic matter that they use as a food source. This food is normally in the form of dead skin found in dust around our homes and offices. Dust mites produce droppings, which contain partially digested food particles. These droppings are filled with enzymes that break down the contents into a state where the dust mite can digest them later providing a future food source.

Dust mites although harmless to humans themselves (they do not bite) they can be harmful in other ways. The droppings and faeces left by dust mites contain proteases that are known to have allergic properties. It is these properties that cause problems to both humans and animals alike. Allergens produced by dust mites have been shown to trigger asthma in humans and dust mites have also been attributed to itchiness, eczema, sneezing, watery eyes, and a runny nose.

Although dust mites are most commonly found in bedrooms, they can be found anywhere humans reside. Therefore, it is feasible to assume that they could be found in the office environment too. For this reason it is important to ensure that we keep our homes and offices as clean as possible. Although it is impossible to eradicate every dust mite, it is important to implement a rigorous cleaning routine in both our home and workplace.

Our workplaces can however be sometimes neglected in terms of cleaning regimes but when we consider that humans are constantly shedding skin cells (in fact, the average human sheds 1.5 grams of skin daily) that is a lot of dust mite food. There are of course some ways to help combat dust mites. These methods can then be utilised as part of an office cleaning programme.  

In the home, washing materials such as bedclothes and pillows etc at temperatures higher than 60 degrees Celsius or exposing them to temperatures below 20 degrees will help get rid of dust mites. In the office, however it may be more difficult to rid ourselves of the dust mites that reside there. A professional office cleaning company will be able to help ensure that our workplaces are cleaned thoroughly in order to minimise the amount of dust mites.

Professional teams of office cleaners will have the necessary equipment in order to ensure that our offices are cleaned to a standard that is to our expectations. Ensuring that our offices are cleaned thoroughly and expertly means that not only will we be dirt and dust free but also anyone who suffers from asthma or allergies will be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

So why not Contact Us for a FREE quote!