The house dust allergy is one of the most common allergies, and it is almost impossible to escape it. It has a deceptive nature, because many sufferers are unaware that they have a dust allergy. The symptoms hardly differ from those of a normal cold and are often mistaken for a common cold in autumn and winter.
In spring and summer, a house dust allergy is often mistaken for hay fever. Mild to moderate cases therefore often go undetected for years and cause seemingly chronic symptoms. A house dust allergy only becomes dangerous when it develops into allergic asthma.
The "dust allergy" is not actually caused by dust, but by the excrement of microscopic house dust mites found in dust and dirt at home. It is sometimes also referred to as a "house dust mite allergy".
A house dust allergy can be medically diagnosed and successfully treated. This blog post discusses the allergy and its symptoms, as well as possible treatments and measures you can take yourself. Simply click on a section in the table of contents to jump to it.
What exactly is household dust?
Household dust consists of tiny particles and fibers that settle on all surfaces as a fine, grayish layer. When dust particles clump together in sufficient numbers, so-called dust bunnies form, which are driven through the home by every draft as frayed, fluffy formations.
The exact composition of household dust depends on your living situation and the conditions at the location. Below you will find a list of typical particles that settle as household dust in all rooms where people live or work.
The daily use of furniture and upholstery, as well as wearing clothes, causes minimal abrasion of textile fibers and lint. These spread throughout the surroundings as microscopic particles.
Human and animal skin is constantly renewed - dead skin falls off in the form of tiny skin flakes , dries out and breaks down into tiny particles. Various creatures such as silverfish and mites feed on these skin flakes and/or shed hair.
Hair also contributes to dust formation, as people and pets such as dogs and cats shed numerous hairs every day. Longer hairs often clump together and act as real “dust catchers,” to which additional dust particles adhere. Hair decomposes only very slowly. Bird feathers also slowly break down into dust.
House dust mites and their feces are typical components of house dust. Dead, decomposing mites and the excrement of living mites are the actual triggers of a house dust mite allergy.
Discarded leaves, seeds and pollen from houseplants gradually break down into plant fibers and particles that mix with the rest of the dust.
Dirt particles adhere to shoes and clothing and are carried in from outside into the home. This is how particles of soil, leaves, construction debris and other road abrasion also end up in house dust.
Exhaust fumes and pollutants contain particles such as soot or fine dust, which enter the home through open windows and settle as dust.
Dust is unavoidable in everyday life. Industrial facilities that need to be protected from dust because of its electrostatic properties must be sealed off with extremely elaborate protective measures. For most people, however, house dust is initially above all an aesthetic problem.
It looks ugly and untidy when floors and furniture are covered with a layer of dust. Normal everyday hygiene reliably removes visible dust. However, to trigger a house dust allergy, even small amounts of dust containing dust mite feces are enough.
Whether you develop a dust allergy has nothing to do with poor hygiene - as with any allergy, everything depends on how your immune system reacts to a particular allergen.
Symptoms of a house dust allergy
The symptoms of a house dust allergy resemble those of an everyday illness. Typical symptoms include swollen mucous membranes, a blocked or runny nose , and frequent, violent sneezing. Allergic sneezing fits can last for a while and be very exhausting - unusually frequent sneezing within one's own home is therefore a good indicator of a dust allergy.
The symptoms can also affect the eyes, appearing as itching, redness, and severe watering . Less commonly, a skin rash or urticaria with wheal formation occurs. The symptoms are often worst when allergy sufferers are lying in bed, as house dust mites like to inhabit bed linens and mattresses.
In more severe cases, a house dust mite allergy can develop into bronchitis and, in the long term, cause the dreaded allergic asthma. All of these symptoms also occur with colds, flu, or allergies to pollen and animal allergens.
Especially with mild symptoms, those affected gradually become accustomed to the permanent "cold-like state" and try to live with it. However, the frequent occurrence of symptoms in every season should be a warning sign - especially if the symptoms subside in the fresh air, only to return indoors.
Seek medical advice and get examined if the symptoms described apply to you - you may be suffering from a house dust allergy.
House dust mites cause dust allergies through their feces
House dust mites are tiny arachnids that have adapted to life in dust. They are found almost exclusively in human dwellings, as they feed on our dead skin flakes and hair. They find their food in our dust - but they do not live in it. House dust mites prefer high humidity and like to nest in beds.
The human body sweats during sleep, creating a warm, humid climate that mites love. Thanks to our shed skin flakes and hair, they can even have breakfast in bed. Incidentally, some mite species probably also feed on mold spores and molds - these little creatures are at least somewhat useful.
The mites' feces and the remains of dead mites mix as the finest particles with the other dust in the surrounding area. The allergens are then inhaled or come into contact with the mucous membranes in the mouth, nose, and eyes. The allergy is triggered by certain proteins found primarily in mite feces.
These proteins are actually harmless, but in the case of an allergy, the immune system goes on the defensive and sends its antibodies after the mite proteins. The antibodies attack the allergens with histamine - an inflammation-promoting substance. Histamine triggers allergic reactions such as itching, sneezing, or a runny nose.
House dust mites themselves are so tiny that they are barely visible to the naked eye. They reproduce quickly under favorable conditions and can even survive long periods in hostile conditions. If the humidity drops too sharply, mites can enter a so-called "dormant stage."
They revert to an almost dormant state and can survive for long periods, becoming active again when humidity rises. This is why mite levels in homes are lowest in winter, when dry heating air affects house dust mites. The arachnids reproduce most prolifically from spring to autumn.
Diagnosing and desensitizing house dust mite allergies
An allergy test can easily determine whether you have a house dust mite allergy. Such a test can be carried out at an allergy specialist's office - many general practitioners or dermatologists have also specialized in allergies. A prick test is the usual procedure.
This is a skin test in which the top layer of skin is lightly pricked through a drop of liquid containing allergens. The allergen can penetrate the skin tissue, where it causes a visible reaction if an allergy is present.
The symptoms of a house dust allergy can be treated with medication to suppress histamine production . Special nasal sprays reduce swelling of the nasal mucous membranes, but their effect diminishes with prolonged use.
In general, it is likely to make more sense in most cases to tackle the allergy with hyposensitization in order to weaken it permanently or even drive it away.
Hyposensitization can be administered by subcutaneous injection or through preparations taken orally. Over a long period, patients are given gradually increasing doses of the allergen.
The entire process can take three to five years, but it offers good prospects of permanently alleviating the allergy.
Measures for living better with a house dust allergy
Anyone suffering from a house dust allergy can take various measures to reduce the allergen load in their own home. Although house dust cannot be avoided completely, it can be reduced.
Trying to fight the mites themselves with chemicals is pointless, and any pest controller will advise against it. The mites will keep spreading. Natural predators such as predatory mites or silverfish also do not reduce the house dust mite population sufficiently. Hygiene is the best response to a house dust mite allergy.
House dust mites live mainly in duvet covers, bed sheets, and mattresses because that is where they find the most skin flakes as well as an ideal, humid climate. Wash your bedding and sheets once a week at a minimum of 60 degrees to reliably remove mites and their droppings. Air out the sleeping surface in the morning after getting up, before making the bed, so that moisture from night sweats can escape.
Carpets also harbor numerous mites - especially if you have pets whose dander and hair end up in the carpets. Vacuum all carpets thoroughly several times a week. Better still: Replace all carpets with parquet, laminate, or tiles. Smooth floors are easier to clean and do not provide house dust mites with a place to retreat.
Anything fluffy with a surface made of textile or synthetic fibers can serve as a refuge for dust mites. Cuddly blankets, sofa cushions, curtains, and furniture covers - reduce these where possible, or store blankets and cushions in sealable containers. Furniture with leather or faux leather covers is easier to wipe clean.
Soft toys are naturally ideal habitats for house dust mites. However, children should not have to give up their fluffy companions. Many stuffed animals can be washed at 60 degrees. If this is not possible, you can freeze the cuddly toy in the freezer from time to time for 12-24 hours and then wash it at a suitable temperature.
Dust floats in the air as fine particles because it is stirred up from the floor with every movement. Frequent ventilation of all living areas reduces the amount of dust in the air. Air purifiers with powerful HEPA filters can reduce the particle density in indoor air to a minimum. If you are allergic to household dust, you should at least equip your vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters to retain even the finest particles.
If you are looking for a natural home remedy for mites, you could try pure tea tree oil. This essential oil is extracted from the leaves of the Australian tea tree and contains no preservatives.
It is said that its smell can repel insects and mites for a while. Add a splash of tea tree oil to the cleaning water and spray it on furniture and curtains, or use it to wipe the floors. However, this method has not been scientifically tested.
When cleaning, you inevitably come into contact with household dust - so it may be sensible to wear protective clothing. Disposable gloves prevent direct skin contact with dust and can simply be disposed of after use.
A medical face mask protects you from inhaling dust particles. FFP2 masks are particularly effective, as they can filter even the finest particles from the air you breathe. Wipe surfaces with damp cloths to stir up less dust. Using damp disinfectant wipes on keyboards, telephones, and other frequently touched objects makes sense to eliminate germs that could be living in the dust in these places.
