Dealing with dust allergies
August 16, 2019 4:46 AM Subscribe
Just got diagnosed with dust allergies. Dust allergy veterans, please help me learn what I should be doing/buying/not doing etc to manage them.
There's obviously going to need to be some changes around here, because our living habits were... Not super neat. That said, we are constantly desperately short on time and anything that helps reduce time investment would be wonderful to know about.
I was waking up miserably wheezing every morning and we got cleaning help to thoroughly dust which helped, but after a week symptoms are back and we can't get help every week so we need to learn to start doing this stuff ourself.
Floors: It's all tile floors. I had a carpet but have rolled it up and am getting rid of it. Is sweeping and a weekly mop enough? Is it worth getting a hepa filter roomba? Do I need a vacuum otherwise?
Vacuuming: we do not own a vacuum. Do I need to be vacuuming furniture and beds? What vacuum should I get?
Dusting up high: any tips? I assume I need to get someone else to do this?
Beds, blankets, pillows: I read I was supposed to get covers for them but got very overwhelmed, lots of products with bad amazon reviews etc. I basically just stopped using my blanket because I wasn't clear what I was supposed to do with it (not gonna fly once summer is over). Can. I have specific steps what I'm supposed to be doing and specific product recommendations?
Anything else I should know about or do/not do?
There's obviously going to need to be some changes around here, because our living habits were... Not super neat. That said, we are constantly desperately short on time and anything that helps reduce time investment would be wonderful to know about.
I was waking up miserably wheezing every morning and we got cleaning help to thoroughly dust which helped, but after a week symptoms are back and we can't get help every week so we need to learn to start doing this stuff ourself.
Floors: It's all tile floors. I had a carpet but have rolled it up and am getting rid of it. Is sweeping and a weekly mop enough? Is it worth getting a hepa filter roomba? Do I need a vacuum otherwise?
Vacuuming: we do not own a vacuum. Do I need to be vacuuming furniture and beds? What vacuum should I get?
Dusting up high: any tips? I assume I need to get someone else to do this?
Beds, blankets, pillows: I read I was supposed to get covers for them but got very overwhelmed, lots of products with bad amazon reviews etc. I basically just stopped using my blanket because I wasn't clear what I was supposed to do with it (not gonna fly once summer is over). Can. I have specific steps what I'm supposed to be doing and specific product recommendations?
Anything else I should know about or do/not do?
Best answer: Hello! I have a dust mite allergy, which is basically a dust allergy. I'm going to give you dust mite allergy level advice since that's what I know. I also live with a chronic asthmatic, so we've got a few protocols in place.
Floors: It's all tile floors. I had a carpet but have rolled it up and am getting rid of it. Is sweeping and a weekly mop enough? Is it worth getting a hepa filter roomba? Do I need a vacuum otherwise?
I have timber floors, so we use a cordless standing vac with an allergy filter. I tell you what, you don't know how much of a pain in the backside corded vacuum cleaners are until you get rid of the cord. I vacuum the whole house every other day, takes maybe fifteen minutes tops. Four bedroom place, don't know the footage, but it's a fair bit. Just walk and roll. I empty it into the bin and bang the filter against the fence outside to clear dust, standing upwind. Not too many hassles. I have a messy toddler so I mop twice a week at the moment, but once a week is going to be super easy.
We have a Roomba like thinger but it's confined to the asthmatic's bedroom, because my toddler is afraid of it after trying to ride it and getting her feet tickled. If that's not a problem for you I don't see why not.
Vacuuming: we do not own a vacuum. Do I need to be vacuuming furniture and beds? What vacuum should I get?
When I got my allergy test back I did actually vacuum the bed. Then I ironed the mattress with a steam iron to kill the dust mites and sealed the fucker up in a mattress protector. Just the type that fits on like a fitted sheet. I haven't done it since because the mattress protector just gets washed instead. I've swapped out my fabric desk chair for a PVC leather look number that doesn't really retain dust and my couches have removable, washable covers. Mostly due to the aforementioned messy toddler, but periodical hot water washes are better than vacuuming. If those things aren't feasible I'd say vacuum.
Dusting up high: any tips? I assume I need to get someone else to do this?
I get by with a mixture of using the vacuum cleaner to suck up most of the dust and just wearing a dust filtering mask and gloves to deal with the rest. I'm tall and a bit reckless so I climb things or stand on chairs with the hand-vac part of the unit I linked above. Wet dusting - using a wet paper towel then throwing it out. Stops the dust becoming airborne. Sometimes I use a terry cloth rag and wash it in a hot load as soon as I can. I just dust when I can see it. If it's settled it's not doing me any harm, really, so I can be a bit slack about high dust. If you have a kind person who can do it for you, go for it.
Beds, blankets, pillows: I read I was supposed to get covers for them but got very overwhelmed, lots of products with bad amazon reviews etc. I basically just stopped using my blanket because I wasn't clear what I was supposed to do with it (not gonna fly once summer is over). Can. I have specific steps what I'm supposed to be doing and specific product recommendations?
I full on just got two of the cheapest mattress protectors around. Like, $20 from Target level cheap, so I could get two. One to wash and one to have in storage. You honestly don't need to be fancy. I'm in Australia so don't really do Amazon so hopefully someone further down the pike can help with specifics, but just anything with a waterproof backing with help - provided you wash them often enough. Ours get done like every other linen change. We do our linen once a week or so, so the protector gets done twice a month.
As far as your blanket goes, getting it dry cleaned is going to be pretty straight forward, or you can always try washing it yourself if your machine can handle it. Mine can, so we do that a few times through the season. I also use quilt covers - they get washed more often than the blanket, and about as often and the mattress protector. If you can stretch to a second machine washable blanket - again, one to wash, one to use - that's a huge help.
Get covers for your pillows too. Honestly again nothing fancy, just make sure they're the waterproof type. Use them under pillow cases, and the same as the mattress protector. You change it less often than the sheets, but still with some frequency.
The key for me is reducing hard to clean surfaces. Right now my hard work is curtains, because we've just moved and the new place has soft curtains, instead of the hard wooden blinds we had at the last place. You can wipe blinds but curtains are a whole fuckaround to wash.
Feel free to message me if you want any other info. Dust allergies and mite allergies are very overlapping so I don't mind helping where I can.
posted by Jilder at 5:43 AM on August 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
Floors: It's all tile floors. I had a carpet but have rolled it up and am getting rid of it. Is sweeping and a weekly mop enough? Is it worth getting a hepa filter roomba? Do I need a vacuum otherwise?
I have timber floors, so we use a cordless standing vac with an allergy filter. I tell you what, you don't know how much of a pain in the backside corded vacuum cleaners are until you get rid of the cord. I vacuum the whole house every other day, takes maybe fifteen minutes tops. Four bedroom place, don't know the footage, but it's a fair bit. Just walk and roll. I empty it into the bin and bang the filter against the fence outside to clear dust, standing upwind. Not too many hassles. I have a messy toddler so I mop twice a week at the moment, but once a week is going to be super easy.
We have a Roomba like thinger but it's confined to the asthmatic's bedroom, because my toddler is afraid of it after trying to ride it and getting her feet tickled. If that's not a problem for you I don't see why not.
Vacuuming: we do not own a vacuum. Do I need to be vacuuming furniture and beds? What vacuum should I get?
When I got my allergy test back I did actually vacuum the bed. Then I ironed the mattress with a steam iron to kill the dust mites and sealed the fucker up in a mattress protector. Just the type that fits on like a fitted sheet. I haven't done it since because the mattress protector just gets washed instead. I've swapped out my fabric desk chair for a PVC leather look number that doesn't really retain dust and my couches have removable, washable covers. Mostly due to the aforementioned messy toddler, but periodical hot water washes are better than vacuuming. If those things aren't feasible I'd say vacuum.
Dusting up high: any tips? I assume I need to get someone else to do this?
I get by with a mixture of using the vacuum cleaner to suck up most of the dust and just wearing a dust filtering mask and gloves to deal with the rest. I'm tall and a bit reckless so I climb things or stand on chairs with the hand-vac part of the unit I linked above. Wet dusting - using a wet paper towel then throwing it out. Stops the dust becoming airborne. Sometimes I use a terry cloth rag and wash it in a hot load as soon as I can. I just dust when I can see it. If it's settled it's not doing me any harm, really, so I can be a bit slack about high dust. If you have a kind person who can do it for you, go for it.
Beds, blankets, pillows: I read I was supposed to get covers for them but got very overwhelmed, lots of products with bad amazon reviews etc. I basically just stopped using my blanket because I wasn't clear what I was supposed to do with it (not gonna fly once summer is over). Can. I have specific steps what I'm supposed to be doing and specific product recommendations?
I full on just got two of the cheapest mattress protectors around. Like, $20 from Target level cheap, so I could get two. One to wash and one to have in storage. You honestly don't need to be fancy. I'm in Australia so don't really do Amazon so hopefully someone further down the pike can help with specifics, but just anything with a waterproof backing with help - provided you wash them often enough. Ours get done like every other linen change. We do our linen once a week or so, so the protector gets done twice a month.
As far as your blanket goes, getting it dry cleaned is going to be pretty straight forward, or you can always try washing it yourself if your machine can handle it. Mine can, so we do that a few times through the season. I also use quilt covers - they get washed more often than the blanket, and about as often and the mattress protector. If you can stretch to a second machine washable blanket - again, one to wash, one to use - that's a huge help.
Get covers for your pillows too. Honestly again nothing fancy, just make sure they're the waterproof type. Use them under pillow cases, and the same as the mattress protector. You change it less often than the sheets, but still with some frequency.
The key for me is reducing hard to clean surfaces. Right now my hard work is curtains, because we've just moved and the new place has soft curtains, instead of the hard wooden blinds we had at the last place. You can wipe blinds but curtains are a whole fuckaround to wash.
Feel free to message me if you want any other info. Dust allergies and mite allergies are very overlapping so I don't mind helping where I can.
posted by Jilder at 5:43 AM on August 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: To clarify: by dust allergy I mean "dust mite"
posted by Cozybee at 5:52 AM on August 16, 2019
posted by Cozybee at 5:52 AM on August 16, 2019
Best answer: Dust mites will die if you subject them to enough heat or UV radiation. That's why I ironed my bed, despite it feeling like a kind of bonkers thing to do. Killed the lot of them before I sealed up the bed. I also use a eucalyptus dust mite wash on the blankets at the start of the winter season. If you have space you can put your mattress and pillows outside in the sun and that will help. I'd probably say new pillows, too. Hot water wash on the bed linen every time. Towels, your clothes where possible, the works. If your couches are fabric you can use a hand held steamer on them to kill the fuckers too - pretty much what I was trying to achieve with my steam iron. Nuke em.
posted by Jilder at 6:11 AM on August 16, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Jilder at 6:11 AM on August 16, 2019 [2 favorites]
I don't know that you can get 'rid' of dust mites? Can you? I mean I think they're pretty omnipresent but, again, as someone with a dust allergy/sensitivity/asthma I'd be glad to see studies/facts supporting the same.
Back to the question: pillow cases for sure, if you are stuck in a loop of inactivity on choosing one just say hell with it and buy one because A) they are such a huge help and B) there's no way to know if you will like the 'feel' or 'texture' or crinklyness of the one you buy until you try it, sadly. Take this with you when traveling or, worst case scenario, use a plastic bag covering on pillows in houses/places that you don't feel safe in.
I'd vacuum, even on tiles and such, we have all hardwood and you have to do all you can. Ditto for sofas and any fabrics like curtains. Get a HEPA/nice vacuum, some folks swear by bagged but i'm ok with Dyson types. This may fire up your allergies so consider getting a serious (not just 2 bucks for a 12 pack at Lowes) dust mask with replaceable filters.
Cats are the devil to me, avoid petting animals if that's part of your woes.
Don't put a super restrictive filter on your HVAC, it can damage/make it work harder. Just change the one you have frequently. Consider getting vents inspected/cleaned but this could be woo.
Medications like a simple Abuterol rescue inhaler plus a maintenance inhaler that my pulmonary doc recommended I just use when I start to feel a flare up coming rather than daily has been a huge help for me in heading off attacks that used to make me feel like death for days. Consider asking for these.
Finally, if you are sure it's not outdoor allergies (ragweed, etc) then spend more time outside, it's a cheap trick but a good one.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:25 AM on August 16, 2019
Back to the question: pillow cases for sure, if you are stuck in a loop of inactivity on choosing one just say hell with it and buy one because A) they are such a huge help and B) there's no way to know if you will like the 'feel' or 'texture' or crinklyness of the one you buy until you try it, sadly. Take this with you when traveling or, worst case scenario, use a plastic bag covering on pillows in houses/places that you don't feel safe in.
I'd vacuum, even on tiles and such, we have all hardwood and you have to do all you can. Ditto for sofas and any fabrics like curtains. Get a HEPA/nice vacuum, some folks swear by bagged but i'm ok with Dyson types. This may fire up your allergies so consider getting a serious (not just 2 bucks for a 12 pack at Lowes) dust mask with replaceable filters.
Cats are the devil to me, avoid petting animals if that's part of your woes.
Don't put a super restrictive filter on your HVAC, it can damage/make it work harder. Just change the one you have frequently. Consider getting vents inspected/cleaned but this could be woo.
Medications like a simple Abuterol rescue inhaler plus a maintenance inhaler that my pulmonary doc recommended I just use when I start to feel a flare up coming rather than daily has been a huge help for me in heading off attacks that used to make me feel like death for days. Consider asking for these.
Finally, if you are sure it's not outdoor allergies (ragweed, etc) then spend more time outside, it's a cheap trick but a good one.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:25 AM on August 16, 2019
Best answer: I am allergic to approximately all the things (per allergy testing), but dust mites are one of my worst ones. You can't totally get rid of them, but you can do a lot to moderate them and their allergy effects.
0) Get a HEPA air filter, for your bedroom and ideally any other room you spend a ton of time in. It will help a lot.
Climate wise, dust mites don't like dry air (so keeping your humidity down can help when you can), or sunlight (so airing out your bedding in the sun or letting light in) can help.
1) Tile floors are a great start. I have a robot vacuum (an Eufy barebones model) and I either sweep or run that every couple of days minimum. You may find you need to be out of the house or in a different room you haven't cleaned for a bit after you clean to give the air filter time to run and get stuff out of the air.
I mop periodically, mostly because I find mopping an especially annoying task, but this is something where a Swiffer or functional equivalent can do a lot pretty quickly to trap allergens, too.
2) For bedding, I actually went for well-encased wool (mattress pad and comforter) and buckwheat pillow, all of which deter dust mites in various ways. Not the cheapest solution, but it's been a really good investment, and helpful for some other health issues. I have a mattress protector on the mattress that is also dust mite resistant.
3) Mites dislike heat, so washing everything you can (especially bedding) in hot water and drying it on high heat can help a lot.
4) Reduce the places dust mites can collect or circulate near you - put clothes in closets, close closet doors, don't have lots of ambient fabric in piles but put it in containers, etc.
Wash your curtains periodically, and make sure ones near your bed are less likely to be dust mite friendly (again, this is mostly a material question) or are easy to remove and wash regularly. Keep large stacks of dust-collecting items out of your bedroom if you can (i.e put bookshelves or other shelves other places, or move to more closed off containers.)
5) A lot of this stuff is figuring out a) what helps you, in specific, most, and b) how much of a priority you want to give to that . Some allergists and doctors are very hard core about all the things you must do: these are not realistic for many people for all sorts of reasons.
I have to haul all my stuff to a laundromat, so I am basically never going to wash a lot of things as often as I might if I had a laundry room of my own. Instead, I prioritise material choices, the air filters (I have one in the bedroom and one in the living room), keeping the humidity down, and making sure clothes don't pile up. But as you try stuff, see how you feel, if you notice a big benefit after you wash the curtains or bedding or whatever, and then do that more often if it makes a bigger difference.
I also started allergy shots about 15 months ago, and they have been a huge benefit. They are expensive in the start up phase, and time consuming (especially in the start-up phase, but maintenance means a visit to the allergist every 3-4 weeks for years) but I had a lot of allergies.
posted by jenettsilver at 7:21 AM on August 16, 2019
0) Get a HEPA air filter, for your bedroom and ideally any other room you spend a ton of time in. It will help a lot.
Climate wise, dust mites don't like dry air (so keeping your humidity down can help when you can), or sunlight (so airing out your bedding in the sun or letting light in) can help.
1) Tile floors are a great start. I have a robot vacuum (an Eufy barebones model) and I either sweep or run that every couple of days minimum. You may find you need to be out of the house or in a different room you haven't cleaned for a bit after you clean to give the air filter time to run and get stuff out of the air.
I mop periodically, mostly because I find mopping an especially annoying task, but this is something where a Swiffer or functional equivalent can do a lot pretty quickly to trap allergens, too.
2) For bedding, I actually went for well-encased wool (mattress pad and comforter) and buckwheat pillow, all of which deter dust mites in various ways. Not the cheapest solution, but it's been a really good investment, and helpful for some other health issues. I have a mattress protector on the mattress that is also dust mite resistant.
3) Mites dislike heat, so washing everything you can (especially bedding) in hot water and drying it on high heat can help a lot.
4) Reduce the places dust mites can collect or circulate near you - put clothes in closets, close closet doors, don't have lots of ambient fabric in piles but put it in containers, etc.
Wash your curtains periodically, and make sure ones near your bed are less likely to be dust mite friendly (again, this is mostly a material question) or are easy to remove and wash regularly. Keep large stacks of dust-collecting items out of your bedroom if you can (i.e put bookshelves or other shelves other places, or move to more closed off containers.)
5) A lot of this stuff is figuring out a) what helps you, in specific, most, and b) how much of a priority you want to give to that . Some allergists and doctors are very hard core about all the things you must do: these are not realistic for many people for all sorts of reasons.
I have to haul all my stuff to a laundromat, so I am basically never going to wash a lot of things as often as I might if I had a laundry room of my own. Instead, I prioritise material choices, the air filters (I have one in the bedroom and one in the living room), keeping the humidity down, and making sure clothes don't pile up. But as you try stuff, see how you feel, if you notice a big benefit after you wash the curtains or bedding or whatever, and then do that more often if it makes a bigger difference.
I also started allergy shots about 15 months ago, and they have been a huge benefit. They are expensive in the start up phase, and time consuming (especially in the start-up phase, but maintenance means a visit to the allergist every 3-4 weeks for years) but I had a lot of allergies.
posted by jenettsilver at 7:21 AM on August 16, 2019
Best answer: Get your bedroom as dust-free as possible. This means a HEPA filter running as much as possible (I can't stand the noise, so I turn it on when I get up in the morning and turn it off when I go to bed). Yes to dustmite covers on your pillow and mattress. Get blankets that you can throw in the washing machine every week, like these vellux blankets (they are what hotels use because they don't pill in the washing machine). If you need a comforter, get a duvet cover that you can remove and wash regularly. If your bedroom is tile, you don't need a vacuum, but sweep and mop regularly, and dust your furniture regularly. Finally, keep the door closed to keep dust (and pets if you have them) from coming into your bedroom.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 7:35 AM on August 16, 2019
posted by rabbitrabbit at 7:35 AM on August 16, 2019
Best answer: Best things I've done:
-pillow and mattress cover - just bought what was at Target
-vacuuming every single week with a HEPA filter vacuum - sorry but this is key - I really really notice when we skip a week. Buy the best vacuum you can afford. We have a Miele that I like a lot.
-changing sheets weekly and washing/drying them on hot
-washing blankets every month or so
-vacuuming the couch and soft chairs every few weeks
-dusting every month or so (or better yet, having my spouse do it so it doesn't trigger my allergies)
posted by john_snow at 8:13 AM on August 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
-pillow and mattress cover - just bought what was at Target
-vacuuming every single week with a HEPA filter vacuum - sorry but this is key - I really really notice when we skip a week. Buy the best vacuum you can afford. We have a Miele that I like a lot.
-changing sheets weekly and washing/drying them on hot
-washing blankets every month or so
-vacuuming the couch and soft chairs every few weeks
-dusting every month or so (or better yet, having my spouse do it so it doesn't trigger my allergies)
posted by john_snow at 8:13 AM on August 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
When purchasing air purifiers and the like, check with your electricity provider as they may offer rebates or discounts on some models. We were able to get approximately a 50% rebate on the air purifier we purchased.
posted by DrGail at 8:45 AM on August 16, 2019
posted by DrGail at 8:45 AM on August 16, 2019
For me, one of the most effective changes was to buy a cheap blanket and wash it in hot water weekly with the sheets. It'll degrade over time, but that's why you didn't spend a lot of money on a down comforter.
posted by chrisamiller at 10:05 AM on August 16, 2019
posted by chrisamiller at 10:05 AM on August 16, 2019
The biggest things that help me are
posted by bilabial at 10:58 AM on August 16, 2019
- Pillowcases changed frequently - every other day seems ideal for level of work involved and benefit
- Sheets washed twice a week, though because of cost I only do it weekly, with towels it makes a full load
- Blanket washed weekly - again budget makes this hard to do because laundry machine and also time doesn't grow on trees either
- Mattress cover washed monthly
- Air filter running as much as you can
- Sweep, damp mop, vacuum as much as possible - Roomba daily will help, no need to go all out for HEPA robot
- Towels used not more than three times, and always let them dry fully between uses
- Damp cloths for dusting regularly, before anything looks dusty
- No knicknacks, because they collect dust
- Few books because they also collect dust, and mites LOVE them. I can borrow books from the library. I flip through the pages to hopefully dispel any dust while still in the library.
posted by bilabial at 10:58 AM on August 16, 2019
Given severity of your symptoms you may also want to consider allergy immunotherapy shots. My husband had severe allergies as a kid and did allergy shots, as an adult he tested negative to just about everything.
You want cleaning techniques that trap dust and don’t kick it around. For example washable microfiber clothes, wet dusting, hepa filters. People above have good responses.
posted by Crystalinne at 2:20 PM on August 16, 2019
You want cleaning techniques that trap dust and don’t kick it around. For example washable microfiber clothes, wet dusting, hepa filters. People above have good responses.
posted by Crystalinne at 2:20 PM on August 16, 2019
I recommend these pillow covers that I've been using for a year. They are very good when brand new and even better after washing: smooth, soft, and noise free. The zippers are very good quality considering the price of $14 for two. I wash them once a month. Despite what some reviews say, I received 2 covers in each package.
posted by wryly at 6:57 PM on August 16, 2019
posted by wryly at 6:57 PM on August 16, 2019
I don't know that you can get 'rid' of dust mites? Can you? I mean I think they're pretty omnipresent but, again, as someone with a dust allergy/sensitivity/asthma I'd be glad to see studies/facts supporting the same.
You can't totally get rid of dust mites. But you can keep their numbers right the fuck down. They're tiny animals, you can make their environment as hostile as possible and you'll have fewer of them, and a weaker response. The love damp, dark environments, so having a dry, airy enviroment as going to help, as is physically killing them off in things like bedlinen and soft furnishings. I mean that's what all the advice you get re. minimising allergens is about. House dust is mostly human skin cells, and barring rare unfortunate cases people generally aren't allergic to their own skin. It's the dust mite shit that causes a response, so kill of the mites and you get less response.
If you want studies, this doesn't seem like a bad place to start. Check the reference list too, it's chock full of supporting evidence.
posted by Jilder at 9:16 PM on August 16, 2019
You can't totally get rid of dust mites. But you can keep their numbers right the fuck down. They're tiny animals, you can make their environment as hostile as possible and you'll have fewer of them, and a weaker response. The love damp, dark environments, so having a dry, airy enviroment as going to help, as is physically killing them off in things like bedlinen and soft furnishings. I mean that's what all the advice you get re. minimising allergens is about. House dust is mostly human skin cells, and barring rare unfortunate cases people generally aren't allergic to their own skin. It's the dust mite shit that causes a response, so kill of the mites and you get less response.
If you want studies, this doesn't seem like a bad place to start. Check the reference list too, it's chock full of supporting evidence.
posted by Jilder at 9:16 PM on August 16, 2019
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Also get a good HEPA air filter.
posted by pyro979 at 5:31 AM on August 16, 2019 [1 favorite]