How to Create a Dust-Free Bedroom, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID
Article title: How to Create a Dust-Free Bedroom, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID
Conditions: Dust Allergy, Asthma, Allergies
Source: NIAID
October 2001
How to Create a Dust-Free Bedroom
If you are
dust-sensitive, especially if you have allergies and/or asthma, you
can reduce some of your misery by creating a "dust-free" bedroom.
Dust may contain molds, fibers, and dander from dogs, cats, and
other animals, as well as tiny dust mites. These mites, which live
in bedding, upholstered furniture, and carpets, thrive in the summer
and die in the winter. They will, however, continue to thrive in the
winter if the house is warm and humid. The particles seen floating
in a shaft of sunlight include dead mites and their waste products,
The waste products actually provoke the allergic
reaction.
The routine cleaning necessary to maintain a
dust-free bedroom also can help reduce exposure to cockroaches,
another important cause of asthma in some allergic
people.
You probably cannot control dust conditions under
which you work or spend your daylight hours. To a large extent,
however, you can eliminate dust from your bedroom. To create a
dust-free bedroom, you must reduce the number of surfaces on which
dust can collect.
In addition to getting medical care for
your dust allergy and/or asthma, the National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases suggests the following guidelines.
Preparation
- Completely empty the room, just as if you were moving.
- Empty and clean all closets and, if possible, store contents
elsewhere and seal closets.
- If this is not possible, keep clothing in zippered plastic
bags and shoes in boxes off the floor.
- Remove carpeting, if possible.
- Clean and scrub the woodwork and floors thoroughly to remove
all traces of dust.
- Wipe wood, tile, or linoleum floors with water, wax, or oil.
- If you use linoleum, cement it to the floor.
- Close the doors and windows until the dust-sensitive person is
ready to occupy the room.
Maintenance
- Wear a filter mask when cleaning.
- Clean the room thoroughly and completely once a week.
- Clean floors, furniture, tops of doors, window frames and
sills, etc., with a damp cloth or oil mop.
- Carefully vacuum carpet and upholstery regularly.
- Use a special filter in the vacuum.
- Wash curtains often at 130 degrees Farenheit.
- Air the room thoroughly.
Carpeting and Flooring
Carpeting makes dust control
impossible. Although shag carpets are the worst type for the
dust-sensitive person, all carpets trap dust. Therefore, health care
experts recommend hardwood, tile, or linoleum floors. Treating
carpets with tannic acid eliminates some dust mite allergen. Tannic
acid, however, is
- Not as effective as removing the carpet
- Is irritating to some people
- Must be applied repeatedly
Beds and Bedding
Keep only one bed in the bedroom. Most
importanly, encase box springs and mattress in a zippered dust-proof
or allergen-proof cover. Scrub bed springs outside the room. If a
second bed must be in the room, prepare it in the same
manner.
Use only washable materials on the bed. Sheets,
blankets, and other bedclothes should be washed frequently in water
that is at least 130 degrees Farenheit.
- Lower temperatures will not kill dust mites.
- If you set your hot water temperature lower (commonly done to
prevent children from scalding themselves), wash items at a
laundromat which uses high wash temperatures.
Use a
synthetic, such as dacron, mattress pad and pillow. Avoid fuzzy wool
blankets or feather- or wool-stuffed comforters and mattress pads.
Furniture and Furnishings
Keep furniture and furnishings to
a minimum.
- Avoid upholstered furniture and blinds.
- Use only a wooden or metal chair that can be scrubbed.
- Use only plain, lightweight curtains on the windows.
Air Control
Air filters-either added to a furnace or a room
unit-can reduce the levels of allergens. Electrostatic and
high-efficiency particulate absorption (HEPA) filters can
effectively remove many allergens from the air. If functioning
improperly, however, electrostatic filters may emit ozone, which can
be harmful to your lungs if you have asthma.
A dehumidifier
may help because house mites need high humidity to live and grow.
You should take special care to clean the unit frequently with a
weak bleach solution (1 cup bleach in 1 gallon water) or a
commercial product to prevent mold growth. Although low humidity may
reduce dust mite levels, it might irritate your nose and lungs.
Children
In addition to the above guidelines, if you are
caring for a child who is dust-sensitive
- Keep toys that will accumulate dust out of the child's
bedroom.
- Avoid stuffed toys.
- Use only washable toys of wood, rubber, metal, or plastic.
- Store toys in a closed toy box or chest.
Pets
Keep all animals with fur or feathers out of the
bedroom. People allergic to dust mites often are allergic to cats,
dogs, or other animals.
Although these steps may seem
difficult at first, experience plus habit will make them easier. The
results-better breathing, fewer medicines, and greater freedom from
allergy and asthma attacks-will be well worth the effort.
For More Information
Allergy and Asthma Network
Mothers of Asthmatics2751 Prosperity Avenue, Suite
150
Fairfax, VA 22031
1-800-878-4403 or 703-641-9595
http://www.aanma.org/American
Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology611 E. Wells
Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
1-800-822-2762
http://www.aaaai.org/public/default.stmAsthma
and Allergy Foundation of America1233 20th Street, NW,
Suite 402
Washington, DC 20036
1-800-7-ASTHMA (1-800-727-8462)
http://aafa.org/
NIAID, a component of the National Institutes of Health,
supports research on AIDS, tuberculosis and other infectious
diseases as well as allergies and immunology.
Press
releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are
available on the NIAID Web site at http://www.niaid.nih.gov/.
Prepared
by:
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institutes
of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892
U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services
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