Jonathan Hatch
What are dust mites?
(Dermatophagoides farinae), the scientific name for the American house dust mite, is a mite that lives in carpets, bedding, mattresses, stuffed creatures, old clothes and anything that collects dust, really. They feed on the dead skin of humans, animals, and other pests. People who are allergic to dust mites are reacting to the scales they leave behind as well as their feces (aka. poop, dookie, shit, etc). Steps can be taken to reduce the number of dust mites in your home.
How to Get Rid of Dust
Natural & Organic Solutions:
Electrostatic Air filters are good, but can be bad if they don’t operate properly. Electrostatic air filters work by ionizing the air that passes through the filter, collecting dust from the air by creating an electrostatic field, like a comb collects particles after being run through dry hair quickly enough.
Why can electrostatic dust collectors be bad for you? Well, if they don’t operate properly they can produce ozone, which is a respiratory irritant. So make sure you do your research before investing in one of these air filters.
White vinegar is a good substitute for other cleaning supplies, because there are no nasty chemical present in vinegar. Sure, vinegar smells terrible before it evaporates, but it is precisely that bad smell that makes vinegar such a good substitute for commercial products; that smell is the acid present in vinegar, and similar acids (but more dangerous acids) are often used in commercial cleaning products.
Vinegar can be used to clean just about any surface, except upholstery and fabrics—unless you’re using it to get rid of rust stains. A stronger acid content in the vinegar will insure a more effective anti-bacterial solution, and better dust removing properties.
Wondering why you should get rid of dust? Well, there are two reasons: first, some people are allergic to dust mites (house mites) and mites thrive on dust. Second, some people (asthmatics and allergy sufferers) are simply dust sensitive and need to keep their houses free of dust in order to breathe normally. I can identify because I’m dust sensitive myself. In fact, before I did some research on dust collectors, dust removal, and dust control, I used to clean my house with a dust mask on and just pray that I wouldn't get a sinus infection. So for those of you with the same problem, here is what I've done to get rid of dust.
Vacuuming your house with a special filter will get rid of dust. Vacuum regularly those things in your house that are covered with fabric because fabrics tend to collect dust. If you have carpets, keep those vacuumed as often as possible because carpet collects more dust than anything else in your house. Make sure to use a HEPA filter to avoid spreading dust around your home.
Dust Control Products
Often enough it is simply too much work to go around the house once every week with a damp cloth cleaning every surface that might collect dust, which is why companies like Dupont and SC Johnson have created products like Pledge. Pledge, as many people know, has been around for quite some time and has been toted as the #1 solution to a dust control problem. The problem with dust control products like pledge are the chemicals found in them, which can leave behind nasty residues which are potentially harmful to your lungs, your children’s lungs, and your pets.
There are natural dust cleaning and housekeeping products out there, like those found in the natural & organic section of your local grocery store or neighborhood co-op. Examples of such products would be Green Island organic cleaning products, Sun and Earth products, and Citrus Magic cleaning products. Other dust control products can be found online and purchased from online vendors; though we recommend you do a little research before buying anything in mass quantities. There are a number of organic and natural dust removal solutions that are only available online.
