The House Dust Mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) is microscopic (up to 0.3 mm) arthropod creatures, related to ticks and spiders. Too small to be seen with the naked eye the mites are turtle shaped creatures with eight legs. They live on the decaying dead skin flakes in house dust – skin that we shed every day. There is hardly a house in the UK without them, although the number can vary between houses containing huge numbers, and others almost none.
The Mites survival does not only depend on the amount of dust, but very much on the amount of humidity in the house. Without continuous high humidity (50+rh) their skin will cause them to rapidly dehydrate. In these perfect conditions Dust Mites live for 3-4 months with females laying 25 to 50 eggs, with a new generation produced every three weeks!
It is not the Mite that we become allergic to, but ironically it’s the waste product from our skin that they digest. In fact it is the powerful protein enzymes the mites digest our skin with.
Each mite will produce around 20 droppings per day everywhere they go. Each of these droppings holds around 10-12 sub pellets that are about 2-10 micron in size and contain their leftover enzymes.
The Solution
Prevention is better than cure. Cleaning of your carpets and upholstery by a fully trained and certificated professional using a deep cleaning method, on a regular scheduled basis, will significantly reduce the risks that your family are subjected to. Use of the correct product in this process will protect against the effects of mites and it also gives protection against most household soils and spills by creating a barrier and not allowing them to get a hold on your valuable carpets and furnishings.
The House Dust Mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) is microscopic (up to 0.3 mm) arthropod creatures, related to ticks and spiders. Too small to be seen with the naked eye the mites are turtle shaped creatures with eight legs. They live on the decaying dead skin flakes in house dust – skin that we shed every day. There is hardly a house in the UK without them, although the number can vary between houses containing huge numbers, and others almost none.