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 Fahrenheit.
- 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 importantly, 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 Fahrenheit.
- 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.
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