(This is the continuation of our response to the problem of Joanne, the itch on her issues with the itchiness she felt every time she hits her bed.)
Dear Joanne, the itch,
Now, moving on and getting head to head with your mite problem. Remember that it’s the feces and the body parts of the dust mites are the ones that gave you the allergies. That’s why you itch a lot. The problem is, if you simply kill them, this won’t remove the allergens.
What you need to do is reduce their number. That will be a great help for you. And in order for you to reduce them, you have to make changes in your daily life and cleaning routines. I understand that you cannot do all of the things I’ll be listing here – but, even if you just apply a few of the techniques, that will help a lot in shrinking their number in your bedroom and your ‘mity’ problem.
1. Direct sunlight kills dust mites.
Since your room permits no sunlight, hang your beddings instead where direct sunlight is possible. If only you can hang your bedroom where the sun passes through, that would be an excellent move….hehe… However, you should also remember that allergens from the outdoors can also collect on your beddings. So, don’t forget to dust them off when you get them back.
2. Dust mites die when the humidity falls.
Yes, when the humidity falls below 40 to 50 percent. So,use a dehumidifier if you can, when the weather is humid.
3. Wash bed linens once a week in hot water.
Make it sure that the water temperature is 130°F or higher— if you want to kill mites. You can also use chlorine after every use.
Whoo…we run out of space again and as there are still a lot of things to talk about
your issue, then, let me handle this again in my next column. Until then!
- Dr. Fritz
(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.”. For your questions, you may send them to Dear Dr. Fritz, c/o Sunstar-Davao Publishing Inc., Door 11, Ebro-Pelayo Building 1, Juan Luna St., Barangay 29-C, Davao City, or you e-mail them to [email protected]. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)