Tips for Controlling Dust Mites

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Neil

Tips for Controlling Dust Mites
By James English III

Dust Mites are small and tiny creatures which are not visible to the naked eye, but they are present. Dust mites as the name suggests are creatures that eat, live, and breed in dust. Dust mites are not nocturnal, but attack mostly during the night. Dust mites can be found in your bed, hiding in your mattress, your pillows, your blankets, and just about anyplace where there maybe dust particles. Dust mites are known to survive by eating layers of the human skin, more like the flakes of the human skin and they need a dry atmosphere to survive. Dust mites may seem pretty harmless at first, but a large number of dust mites can cause a huge amount of problems. Dust mites cause allergies; these allergies can be termed as indoor allergies, as opposed to outdoor allergies. These unassuming creatures cause allergies that may lead to hay-fever or even asthma.

A recent study shows that over 40% of the homes in the United States have dust mites which are way above the danger level and can cause severe asthmatic conditions. The average life span of a male Dust Mite is around 45 days; the average lifespan of a female Dust Mite is around 70 days. The average female Dust Mite lays around 100 eggs in her entire life span. Dust mites cannot survive in a moist atmosphere, however, humid climates always boost their energy levels, and this is largely due to the lack of direct water intake on the Dust Mites part. Dust mites largely rely on absorbing water through their shells.

Why is there an immediate cause of action to control dust mites?

On an average a normal human sleeps for over 200,000 hours in his entire lifetime, as mentioned earlier, dust mites only act up at night. It is also a documented fact that over 3,000,000 Americans suffer from Asthma and a large amount of Americans have been victims of an asthmatic attack between 2:00 am and 6:00 am. The dust mites and their droppings are largely responsible for this statistic. It is said that an average 5 year pillow’s 25 percent weight is due to the Dust Mite carcasses and Dust Mite excreta in it. During a life span of roughly 50 days, a Dust Mite releases over 2000 particles excreta and around 3000 particles of undigested viral infected dust particles.

Dust Mites should be eliminated as soon as possible, so as to reduce further health risks to everyone living in that house.

Tips to control dust mites:

There are quite a few easy steps that can be followed to protect your home from dust mites and the allergies they bring with them.

1. The easiest method of controlling if not completely eradicating dust mites is to Vacuum the house as regularly as possible. Vacuuming the house efficiently can cause a major downfall in the number of dust mites that share your home with you. There are a number of places that you may need to vacuum to cause a severe affect a dust mites attack routine, these spots within the household premise would include, your bed, your wooden wardrobes, the floor and wall corners, curtains, and other dry places in your home which may have a tendency to let dust cling to it.
2. The second easiest method would be to steam clean your home. This is a easy method, more effective than the first one, but has it’s own limitations and constraints. Thanks to the every increasing home appliance technology, you will now be able to get your hands on a steam cleaner easily, steam cleaning is more effective as dust mites require a dry atmosphere to survive, they won’t be able to live longer in a moist atmosphere. However, some items around the house cannot be steam cleaned. Electronic appliances react in a bad way when exposed to moisture or water, please ensure that a steam cleaner is only used on other fabric items in the house.
3. However easy it may seem to implement the above mentioned control methods; it is but a fact that dust mites cannot be completely eliminated. The other simple measure you can take is to reduce the use of fabric, such as remove the carpeting in un-wanted and excessive areas around the house.
4. There are a lot of items around the house which usually get built up over time and are dust magnets, for example, movie DVD’s, books, etc. Instead of collecting and stacking them in an open place, move them to a drawer or a showcase, which can be locked or covered with a slider. This will significantly reduce the number of dust mites in that area.
5. The heat and the moisture that come from a steam cleaner can have a basic effect on Dust Mites, however, washing your blankets, pillow covers, bed covers, curtain etc, regularly will definitely kill all the dust mites present in them. Ensure that the water used for washing is hot and at least above a 120 F.
6. Buying Vinyl furniture instead of the fabric or upholstered ones can really help.
7. If a child suffers from an allergy, don’t let him or her sleep with any stuff toys, please store them in your wardrobe or cabinet. If required let the child hold the toy but not take it close to his face. Small girls have a tendency of hugging their soft toys, please do not let this happen.
8. Cleaning the furniture and other surfaces in the house with a wet cloth is useful; the wetness makes the dust particles heavy and hence does not let them rise into the atmosphere.

The basic idea is to stop any form of dust build up in and around the house. Remember as always, a clean home is a healthy home.

James English is a researcher at the Dust Mites Center.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_English_III
http://EzineArticles.com/?Tips-for-Controlling-Dust-Mites&id=629846

The Fight Against Bed Bugs

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Neil

Bed Bug Monitors – The Game Changer in the Fight against Bed Bugs
by Douglas Stern

The “pest of the 21st century” is what urban entomologist Michael Potter calls the tiny, blood-sucking pests that are spreading panic across the country. A leading expert on the habits and resurgence of Cimex lectularius, the common bed bug, the University of Kentucky researcher has found that modern bed bugs are increasingly resistant to pyrethroid insecticides commonly used to control them. Even worse, bed bugs are passing this resistance onto their offspring. Already a problem for apartment owners and property managers, a super bed bug is not a welcome thought, particularly with pending state legislation and new municipal regulations getting ready to place the onus for dealing with these problem pests at landlords’ doorsteps.

Bed bugs have been sharing beds with humans for centuries. After World War II, DDT effectively annihilated the pest in America and Western countries, although bed bugs continued to flourish in less developed countries. The banning of DDT coupled with the growth of international travel has caused a resurgence of man’s age-old nemesis. Since the 1990s, reported bed bug infestations in the U.S. have increased 500%. Bed bugs are now common in all 50 states with infestations regularly reported in apartments, condominiums, hotels, college dormitories, office buildings, hospitals and private homes.

Adept hitchhikers, bed bugs travel into apartments on residents’ clothing, mattresses, furniture and inside packing boxes. Several recent infestations have been traced back to moving vans. Adult bed bugs are reddish brown and about the size of an apple seed, but nymphs and eggs are microscopic. Nuisance pests that feed on human blood, bed bugs do not transmit disease; but their bites can cause itchy, red welts, psychosomatic stress and severe allergic reactions. Feeding on sleeping humans at night, they hide in tiny crevices in or near beds between feedings. As an infestation grows, bed bugs spread to adjacent units through wall voids, electrical and plumbing conduits and air ducts. Bed bugs can easily be spread through an apartment complex via shared laundry facilities or maintenance workers.

Legally tasked with providing pest control services for tenants, New Jersey apartment owners are being now faced with losing the litigation war on bed bug treatment as well. With new pending legislation (New Jersey #A 3203), apartment owners may soon have to bear the responsibility and financial expense of providing housing that is rat, roach and soon to be bed bug-free. While other vermin can be eliminated with proper maintenance and control costs recouped in rent payments, bed bugs are an entirely different problem. Insects of convenience, they are not attracted by food or filth but are brought into apartments by residents. They are as likely to be found in upscale, well-maintained establishments as in tenements.

To date, efforts to combat bed bugs have focused on reactive measures focused on treating the problem after the fact. Cutting-edge technologies at both ends of the temperature spectrum are being used to control insecticide-resistant bugs. New bed bug monitoring and trapping products just coming onto the pest control market offer the first opportunity for proactive prevention. A game changer in the fight against bed bugs, bed bug monitors are the first 24/7 preventative tool available on the market. Not only could proactive use of bed bug monitors become a powerful tool in protecting property and tenants, but they could turn the tide in the courtroom. In defending against bed bug litigation, regular monitor use could positively influence judges and juries in favor of apartment owners.

Monitors have the potential to alert property managers to bed bugs in the early stages of infestation while they are confined to the bed and bedroom. Early detection can allow property owners to arrange professional extermination of an affected apartment before pests spread. If bed bugs are discovered, monitors can determine the effectiveness of treatment and warn of re-infection. Monitoring adjacent apartments can alert property managers to spreading bed bugs, allowing targeted pest control. Early detection and intervention could save apartment owners thousands of dollars in professional pest control costs.

As with any new field, innovative pest control professionals are experimenting with various bed bug monitoring products in the field to determine which are most effective in different situations. U.S. tests and European use indicate that proactive use of bed bug monitors has the potential to turn the tide in the bed bug battle. Some of the potentially game-changing products being introduced include:

NightWatch by BioSensory, Inc. uses heat and pheromone lures to attract and trap bed bugs, attracting them with carbon dioxide.

Bug Dome, developed by Silvandersson, an eco-friendly Swedish manufacturer, plugs into any wall outlet, using heat to lure bed bugs into replaceable glue traps.

BB Alert Active from MIDMOS, popular in Europe, uses replaceable packets of a blood-mimicking chemical attractant to entice bed bugs into a glue trap.

CDC 3000 by Cimex Science is a discrete, portable, electric monitoring and trapping device the size of a briefcase. Mimicking the presence of a human body, it lures bugs within a six-foot radius, trapping them on sealed slides for counting and documentation, enticing them in them with carbon dioxide. Safe for use around children and pets, it can be moved from room to room.

Climbup Insect Interceptor by Susan McKnight Inc. is an inexpensive, low-tech device that is placed under bed posts to monitor bed bug presence. Concentric plastic rings coated with slippery talc trap bugs as they climb toward or from a bed.

Bed bug dogs are specially trained to sniff out bed bugs. Capable of detecting pests within a three-foot radius, dogs quickly target treatment areas or verify treatment success.

Bed bug monitoring can protect apartment owners from law suits, reassure tenants, maintain property values and uphold reputations by enabling owners to certify their properties as bed bug-free. If bed bugs are discovered, bed bug monitors can minimize their spread and extermination expense. In the near future, regular use of bed bug monitors by purchase, rental or contracted services is expected to become a routine part of apartment maintenance. Bed bug monitors give apartment owners and property managers their first real 24/7 proactive weapon in the growing battle against bed bugs.

About the Author:

Douglas Stern is the managing partner of Stern Environmental Group and a bed bug extermination expert. His firm serves commercial and residential clients in New Jersey, New York City, New York, and Connecticut. You can reach him toll free at 1-888-887-8376. Please visit us on the Web at www.SternEnvironmental.com.

Mattress Cleaning – Against Bugs And Sickness

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Neil

Mattress Cleaning – Your Best Defense Against Bugs And Sickness
By: Stacey Hammel

Did you ever think that the reason that you keep on getting the Flu or the Common Cold Virus (that now lasts three weeks instead of three days) might be due to your immediate surroundings?

When one is sick, the sheets, pillowcases, and bed coverings are frequently sterilized and washed to eliminate germs and that sickening smell of disease. However, what about the mattress? The floors are sterilized and mopped; the carpets are cleaned, but the mattress which doubles its weight in skin cells, hair particles, dirt and dust mites, in its lifetime, is neglected.

Over the last few years, the carpet cleaning companies have perfected the art of mattress cleaning and disinfecting. Professional carpet and upholstery cleaning companies use a blend of cleaning agents that far surpass anything on the market today.

This process usually starts with a thorough cleaning to extract most of the debris. One can see the dirt particles in the water that filters the extractor unit. Then the cleaner is generously applied to one side of the mattress, scrubbed and bonneted with an orbital, and then extracted once again with the help of a powerful cleaning machine. Voila! – Fresh and clean!

Someone once said, “a clean house is a happy house”. It certainly says a lot about the person that prides him/herself in being clean. Bed bugs are once again becoming an epidemic worldwide. Harsh DDT’s (that have been proven to cause sickness and disease) nearly eradicated the bed bug, but in the process began affecting humans as well. Being clean will help cut down on the spread of bed bugs.

Bed bugs do not all of a sudden appear out of nowhere in a dirty bedroom, but rather hitch a ride on or in the clothing of humans and their luggage. Bed bugs are not only found in the mattress of our beds but also make their home in: draperies, headboards, furniture, behind pictures and decorations, behind wallpaper, clothing in closets, and baby bags. Thorough vacuuming, wiping down of all surfaces, and disinfecting will stop the spread.

For more serious infestations, additional steps should be taken to rid your home or office of the unwanted pests. Additional professional services, such as carpet cleaning and pest control will go a long way to help control pest populations.

Cleanliness of all areas of our homes is necessary for healthy lives. Do not neglect areas that are not readily visible, like closets, behind headboards, draperies, under furniture, and most of all – your mattress. Bed bugs will suck your blood while you sleep and make you sick in the process. Let’s live cleaner, healthier lives and stop the viruses and the bugs!

About the Author:
Kwik Dry Carpet Cleaning has been caring for the finest floors and fabrics since 1967. Kwik Dry International is a Total Cleaning Solution also providing superior Mattress Cleaning, upholstery cleaning, mattress cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, air duct cleaning and leather conditioning.

Article Source : http://www.articlesnatch.com/blog/Mattress-Cleaning—Your-Best-Defense-Against-Bugs-And-Sickness/4046699

Methods Used for Removing Bed Bugs

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Neil

Top Methods Used for Removing Bed Bugs
By TomBlake

If your home is infested with bed bugs, you will live a miserable life. Bed bugs are small animals that suck your blood at night as you sleep. They cause irritation and smell bad. Therefore, you have to do anything to remove them. There are various bed bugs removal Singapore companies that employ different techniques. Though they are expensive to hire, it is a worthy investment.

Reasons for the bed bugs exterminations

It is mandatory that you carry out bed bugs removal Singapore http://advancedpest.com.sg/bed-bugs-solutions.html because failure to do so means they can bring different effects. First, they can suck blood to cause anemia. They make your sleep difficult because they bite and make the skin itchy. In this regard, their bites cause body rashes and skin infections. In some people, they cause allergies and skin infections.

Places to check them in your house

Before the removal starts, there are many places that need checking. The first place is of course the mattress, then on places such as crevices and cracks on the bed and sofa frames. They also reside in carpets, beddings, clothing, curtains, rugs and linens. They also love to live in warm places.

The bed bugs management

The best method of exterminating the bed bugs is to use exterminators who have the skills, knowledge and equipment.

The exterminators who specialize in bed bug removal carry out vacuuming in all parts that have signs of bed bugs. The vacuuming exercises remove the live bugs and debris such as feces, eggs and cast skins. The exterminators in Singapore use high-efficiency particulate air filters.

High heat systems

One of the applied methods of removing bed bugs from a client house involves application of high heat systems applied on the creases, seams, tufts and folds. This is applied to the infected mattresses and box springs, footboards, and bed rails. There are top machines that produce superheated dry steam.

Freezing

Cryonite Freezing is another method applied during bed bug extermination. It is applied in areas such as tufts, creases, and seams and on the mattresses.

Encasing

This is the best method used on items such as mattresses. Here, the exterminators place external cases on the mattress to protect the bedding from attacks. Since there is no space allowed, the bugs encased inside die since they will not have space to come out.

Dusting

There are many chemicals available today. The dust is applied to areas suspected to house bugs such as the cracks and gaps. One such dust commonly available is the diatomaceous and silica gel dusts.

Simple home remedies

If you cannot afford to hire the bed bugs removal Singapore Company, there are many home remedies to use.

This includes rubbing alcohol by spraying it in the infected areas. You can also apply the lavender oil that repels the bugs naturally. Lavender oil tests and smell bad, thus repelling the bugs. Using steam and hot water is also an ideal home remedy for killing bugs.

Having a clean environment and washing the linens is a better idea for preventing the bug attacks. But when infected, use recommended chemicals available in local shops

Article Source : http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/top-methods-used-for-removing-bed-bugs-7218703.html

Get Rid of Dust Mites. Protect your Mattress & Bed

Posted on May 30, 2015 by Neil

Dust Mites And How Dust Mite Covers Can Minimise Exposure
by Carol Parr

In many homes, accommodation, education facilities and work places, the microscopic dust mite can trigger runny, stuffy noses; red, itchy, watery eyes; coughing and sneezing; severe wheezing, shortness of breath and may bring on asthma symptoms.

To the naked eye, it looks like a moving speck of dust against a dark background, no more than one third of a millimetre in length when fully grown. Check out the web for pictures and see what they look like magnified!

So how does such a minute creature, invisible to the naked eye, cause so much discomfort and distress?

To the majority of people it causes no stress at all and most people live quite happily with them, unaware of their presence.

Yet for some people, they become sensitized to the allergenic proteins which the mites produce in their bodies and faeces. As a consequence, they can develop an allergy and respiratory disorders such as asthma, allergy symptoms, or eczema.

In fact, it is estimated that there are one in four Australians, nearly half a million people in New Zealand and around 100 million people world wide who are sensitive to house dust mites. If you are one of them, look around and you will see, you are certainly not alone!

Even in the cleanest of homes, house dust mites inhabit mattresses, pillows, blankets, under-blankets, quilts, doonas, carpets and all soft fabric covered furniture and curtains. Even soft toys and car seats.

Unfortunately for sufferers, the mite itself, its faeces, waste particles and expired mites, all float easily into the air when anyone disturbs bedding or walks on the carpet.

Being so tiny, they slip easily through the weave of sheets in your bed and through soft fabrics on your lounge and floor.

Yes, exactly where you and your family are sleeping, playing, crawling and working!

No amount of vacuuming or treatment with spray or powder (acaricides) will render your home free from allergens. Particularly in your bed and bedding.

Complete encasement is the only effective means of bedding protection with specifically developed dust mite covers, protecting your whole family the allergic symptoms they trigger.

Dust mites mattress protectors, pillow protectors and doona protectors totally enclose the bedding, with a zip that has been specially designed to prevent dust mite activity, even through the needle holes!

Your normal bed linen should be washed in hot water weekly and all bedding washed every 3 or 4 months to kill dust mites, prevent a build up of allergen on the covers and for hygienic reasons.

Dust mite and their by-products are a major allergic factor. Their control is essential in the management of asthma according to Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Minimising allergen exposure is recommended by major Australian and International asthma and allergy medical opinion leaders to provide significant relief from symptoms.

About the Author:

Mitey Fresh specializes in dust mite control, practical solutions on how to get rid of dust mites and dust mite covers.

Dust Mite may trigger your dust mite allergy symptoms. Understanding what Dustmite are, helps you get rid of dust mites, providing you and your family welcome relief.

Our products and services will give you dust mites allergy relief with allergy free bedding, dust mite mattress protector, dehumidifiers for sale, air purifiers, our carpet cleaning service, matress cleaning and doona treatment to dust mite removal.

Natural treatment will give you allergy treatment through dust mite covers.

Article Source : http://goarticles.com/article/Dust-Mites-And-How-Dust-Mite-Covers-Can-Minimise-Exposure/5055756/

How To Treat Bedbugs Effectively

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Neil

How To Treat Bedbugs Effectively
by Thomas Proctor

Bedbugs may be small but they sure are terrible since they cause a lot of trouble. They can transmit diseases like kala-azar and tularemia. The former is a parasitic disease characterized by fever, anemia, enlargement of the liver and spleen, and edema.

Bedbugs are as well accountable for the pestilence that destroyed millions of inhabitants in Asia and Europe. Named in the Middle ages as the plague or black death, this pestilence creates chills, elevated fever, head pains, throwing up, swelling of the lymph glands, and black hemorrhagic marks in all the body parts. Professionals state an additional outbreak can break out in this world if the vermin that start it, bedbugs as well, aren’t managed.

How can bed bugs be treated? If you suspect that there are bed bugs present, or even if are only precautionary, there are certain measures that can be taken to prevent them from establishing. These methods have been proven effective. First, make sure you wash all of your bedding, curtains, and vacuum carpets and mattresses on a fairly regular basis.

Another way of how to treat bedbugs? If you know you have an infestation of bedbugs then wash all clothing and materials in the hottest water they can stand. If you have a severe infestation of bedbugs then it may be better to dispose of the mattress altogether and buy a new one.Be careful to thoroughly wash and clean any second hand items of furniture or clothing you acquire as bedbugs can enter your home in this way. Similarly, if you have been traveling, take special care to inspect and if necessary treat everything you carried home with you, including suitcases, rucksacks and backpacks.

How to treat bedbugs using herbs? Herbs to treat bedbugs: Mint, Lavender, Cayenne, Cilantro , Black Walnut, Garlic ,Red Pepper ,Black Pepper, Rosemary ,Thyme ,Clove. These herbs can be used in sachets, strewn in infested areas, or infused into spray form and applied that way. You can find many blends and concoctions on the market today that are ready to use. Look online to find out more about how to use herbs to treat bed bugs, as well as ways to use these herbs.

Professional bedbug eradication, like home pest control, is no more common. This is because bedbugs themselves are not common anymore with homemade remedies for their control. Bugs usually hide in baseboards, carpets, under dressers and between mattresses and box springs all of which can be sprayed with homemade recipes. You could also take other measures with the bed to kill the pests, like placing the legs inside dishes of water, or greasing the legs with petroleum jelly, thus blocking their passage up the leg since bedbugs don’t fly or jump.

Bedbugs are also responsible for the plague that killed millions of people in Asia and Europe. Experts say another plague could strike the earth if the pests that bring it, bedbugs included, are not controlled. How can bed bugs be treated? Bedbug eradication can be difficult. Finally, if the bedbug infestation is severe, it is best to dispose infested items, such as mattresses and couches.

Article Source: How To Treat Bedbugs Effectively

Dust Mite Mattress Cover

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Neil

Dust Mite Mattress Cover
by Jessica Boyd

If you happen to suffer from allergies due to airborne dust particles, then you would do well to invest in a dust mite mattress cover, to protect your bedding where you sleep at night. In fact, it is in your best interests to keep your bedding completely sterile, clean, and free of any allergy inducing dust mites, it being the case that you are going to be spending seven hours a night every night lying in one place on this mattress. Otherwise, you’ll be lying there, passively vulnerable and exposed to the particulate matter that these dust mites emit. They will wreak havoc upon your respiratory system all night long. So your best bet would be to proactively take the preventative measure of covering your bed with a dust mite mattress cover.

As you might suspect, dust mites are microscopic bugs that emit dust particles. When inhaled by the human body, these dust particles can cause irritation for your immune system. An allergy attack is what may ensue.

There is no way to completely eradicate dust mites, as they can be found anywhere. But they do have favorite places to make themselves home. Unfortunately, your mattress is one of them. This is because they prefer the warmth and the darkness that your mattress provides. So if your bedding were to become infested by a colony of dust mites, this can pose a serious threat to your health. One of the most effective ways to deal with the issue of dust mites is to protect your mattress with a dust mite mattress cover.

You may be wondering how a dust mite mattress cover could actually help you? Easy. What a mattress cover does is provide a protective barrier, one that is solid and which prevents dust mites from being able to burrow themselves into your mattress fibers. These covers are composed of impermeable, synthetic, that even the tiniest of microscopic bugs cannot penetrate.

An infestation of dust mites is the last thing you would want to have happen to your mattress. They will generate a constant source of particulate dust matter for you to inhale and thus aggravate your allergies, every night, when you go to bed. Could dust mites be the reason why for some people, their allergies seem to get worst at night, when they go to bed?

The best way to prevent a dust mite infestation is to protect your bedding with a dust mite mattress cover. All you have to do is wash the cover periodically in the laundry, in case any dust mites may have tried to cling onto the cover itself. Your mattress, on the other hand, will remain safe and clean.

Safeguard your mattress against dust mites with a dust mite mattress cover.

About the Author:
Check out all the great reasons why people use mattress covers to help ensure the safety of their investment. Check out more about Dust Mite Mattress Cover at www.mattresscovershop.co.uk.

Article Source : http://goarticles.com/article/Dust-Mite-Mattress-Cover/3696483/

Isolate Your Mattress from Bed Bugs

Posted on May 23, 2015 by Neil

How to Isolate Your Bed from Bed Bugs
By Jens Alexander

Isolating your bed basically means cleaning the bed bugs off your mattress and linens, and then building traps that prevent remaining bed bugs in the room from crawling up the legs of your bed and re-infesting it. Isolating your bed won’t get rid of your bed bug problem, but you will be able to sleep again at night.

Before We Get Started…
Your bed bug exterminator should get involved in this process. Exterminators have chemicals that kill any bed bugs hiding on your mattress, box spring, headboard and frame. So, depending on what your pest control tech tells you, some of these steps may not be necessary for you to do on your own. Again, clear the following plan with the expert before you begin.

What You’ll Need

Zippered dust-mite encasements for your mattress, box spring and pillows. These are basically large
bags that are designed to keep dust mites inside the encasement – but they also keep bed bugs inside. Find them at allergy supply stores.
Wide duct tape.
Contractor grade trash bags (not lawn and leaf bags, but the thick contractor grade trash bags, at least two or three mils thick).
Wide double-sided tape.
Bed lifts to raise your bed off the ground (these are little stands that you set the legs of your bed frame into to raise it off the ground). Find them at your local bedding/linen store. Note that if your frame is already fairly high off the ground (like a foot or more), you don’t need the risers.
Four metal bowls large enough to place the bed lifts in (heavy duty plastic bowls are fine, too. Either way, they have to be unbreakable). Pet stores have nice metal bowls that are ideal for this.
XXL Ziploc bags
Food-grade freshwater diatomaceous earth. Also known as DE, diatomaceous earth is an abrasive mineral powder that kills bed bugs and other crawling insects by scratching open their skins, which dehydrates them (they die after a day or two). This stuff is razor wire for bed bugs – they will be able to crawl through it, but the damage they suffer is deadly. You can get DE everywhere: online, your local garden center (gardeners use it to kill pests, sometimes marketed as ant killer), or pet supply stores (food grade stuff is sprinkled on pets to kill fleas). Make sure you don’t get swimming pool grade diatomaceous earth – that is the wrong stuff. Also, get a dust mask while you are at Home Depot – you’ll wear it as you are dusting around your bed.A note about DE: While considered generally safe, you need to carefully read the label and follow all safety instructions. Wear a dust mask or respirator when applying.
Murphy’s Oil Soap. Murphy’s is a wood cleaner made by Colgate-Palmolive that also has pesticide properties. You can find it everywhere. Buy the spray bottle.
A new set of white sheets, pillowcases and covers. You are going to replace your existing bedding with new white linens, to better spot any fresh bed bug fecal spots or blood.
New pillows: Your current ones might be infested, so let’s start over with new ones.
Optional: Something that kills bed bugs on contact. Rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle will do it. You can dilute the alcohol with a bit of water to make it last longer – 9 parts alcohol, 1 part water.

What to Do

Step 1: Clean your Linens and Bedding

First you need to pull all the bedding off your bed – sheets, mattress cover, comforter, pillows and pillow cases. Everything. These are infested with bed bugs, so you need to immediately stuff them into the trash bags and tie the bags off.

Now wash every item in hot water. Don’t let those infested linens touch other linens or clothing items. Then dry them on high (at least 140 degrees) for 4 hours, or two complete drying cycles. When done, put each item into an XXL Ziploc and seal it.

Put your pillows in a contractor bag, seal it, and throw it in the trash. Cleaning a pillow thoroughly is tough, so you’re better off starting with a new one.

Step 2: Vacuum Your Mattress and Box Spring

You are now going to clean the mattress and box spring of any bed bugs, eggs, or larvae.

Get out you vacuum cleaner and clean EVERY INCH of your mattress. Scraping the end of the vacuum attachment vigorously over the harborage area is better than using a brush, because the bugs cling tightly to the surface, and the eggs are cemented to it. Clean every inch of the surface, the tufts along the edges, and the sides of the mattress. Lean it against the wall and vacuum the other side.

Clean the box spring just as carefully. Tear that flimsy dust cover fabric off the bottom, seal it in a plastic bag and throw it away. Vacuum the insides, making sure to get every bit of fabric, as well as the wooden frames and support.

When you are done vacuuming, remove the bag from the vacuum, seal it in a plastic garbage bag, and throw it out. The vacuum bag will have bed bugs in it, and you don’t want them to crawl out.

Step 3: Clean the Bed Frame

If you have a metal frame, you are in luck, because these are fairly easy to clean. Grab the vacuum and clean all the nooks and crannies. Pay special attention to inside corners, joints, the areas where the wheels attach to the frame – any dark little corners where bed bugs might hide.

Spray it down with rubbing alcohol to kill anything you missed. Use caulk or duct tape to fill in any holes or gaps between the metal pieces (bed bugs hide in the holes and joints).

If there are any hollow areas in your bed frame (sometimes, the legs are hollow), those are perfect places for the bed bugs to hide. Spray the interior with alcohol and vacuum them out.

If you have a headboard, you should get rid of it. The headboard is one of the most likely places the bugs will hide and lay eggs, and if you have one, I can pretty much guarantee you that it has bed bugs hiding on it. Put it in a plastic bag, carry it to the dumpster, spray paint the words BED BUGS on the package, and throw it in. (It is important to wrap the headboard in plastic before it leaves your bedroom. You don’t want any bugs jumping off in the hallway on the way to the door.)

If you have a wooden bedframe, you need to disassemble it, and wash it down with Murphy’s Oil Soap. Once you have the frame disassembled, vacuum it like you did with your mattress and box spring. You may need to use a stiff brush to dislodge any eggs or bed bugs in the nooks and crannies. Now spray the Murphy’s onto the frame, making sure to spray it into every cracks and crevice.

Step 4: Clean and Prepare the Floor Around Your Bed

When you reassemble the bed, you have to position it away from the walls and furniture, so bed bugs don’t have anything to use as a bridge to reinfest your bed. Usually, the best place is to position the bed toward the center of the room and the night stand or tables away from it.

Carefully vacuum the floor in the area under the bed. If you have any carpets or rugs, I think you should roll them up, put them in the trash bag, seal the bag tightly and put it in the garage or storage for the next 18 months. But consult with your bed bug exterminator. Rugs can be treated by with chemicals, so it’s your call as to what to do.

Sprinkle the floor you just cleaned with a light dusting of DE. Don’t make piles, just use a baby powder bottle or some other plastic bottle that can puff out a very light layer of the stuff.

Warning: DE is almost lighter than air, and it takes some practice to get used to. As with any pest control product, READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW ALL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. Wear a dust mask or respirator when applying.

Step 5: Reassemble the Bed Frame

Now reassemble your bed frame and move it to the middle of the room, over your dust field. Put the legs of the bed frame on the lifters, and put the lifters in the bowls. In other words, the bowl is on the floor, the lifter is in the bowl, and the bed frame is on the lifter.

Wrap plastic wrap around the legs of your bed (regular Saran Wrap is fine for this), then wrap double sided tape over the plastic wrap to catch any bed bugs crawling up.

For additional protection, spread Vaseline on the legs above and below the double sided tape. This is an old trick from the turn of the century, and another obstacle to gum up any bed bugs trying to crawl into your bed.

Put the encasement over the box spring. Put the box spring on the frame. Make sure you don’t tear the encasement! Cover the zippered seam of the case with duct tape. Use a lot of tape, and extend it four to six inches from the end of the zipper. You are taping up the zipper because baby bed bugs are tiny, and can slip through the teeth of the zipper.

Gently put the mattress on the box spring. Gently pull the casing over it, and tape the zippers shut.

Now it is time to fill the bowls with soapy water. Bed bugs cannot traverse soapy water, so this becomes like a little moat, protecting the legs of your bed.

Put your new white sheets on the bed, over the encasements. With new sheets, you’ll be able to see any blood spots, fecal stains, or crushed bed bugs that might have penetrated your defenses.

Step 6: Securing the Perimeter

Put down a three or four inch wide circle of double-sided carpet tape on the floor around your entire bed (be sure that you vacuumed within this area. If you didn’t, do it now). This way, any bed bugs crawling from outside of your fortress will get caught in the tape.

And finally, be sure you have a dusting of DE extending 12 inches around the soapy water-filled bowls. You want to be sure that any bugs that try to get up those bowls have to go through the DE first. Again, this should only be a dusting of DE. You should not see much whiteness at all – thinner is better. Any more than that, and it won’t work.

And you’re done! Feels good to be taking the offensive, doesn’t it? If everything works as planned, you’ve cleared the bed bugs off your bed, any that you missed are encased inside the mite cover, and the bed bugs elsewhere in the room will be unable to get into your bed. Finally, a chance to sleep!

Jens Alexander is the owner of The Bed Bug Battle Plan, an extensive resource for bed bug victims. At BedBugBattlePlan, you can find links and information, photos of bed bugs, and most importantly, learn how to get rid of bed bugs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jens_Alexander
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Isolate-Your-Bed-from-Bed-Bugs&id=892668

Protect your Bed from Dust Mites

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Neil

Dust Mites – Protecting Your Bed
By Ben Anton

Anyone suffering from rhinitis allergica, or bronchial asthma, knows that common household dust can be a very serious problem. What asthma sufferers might not realize is that dust mites are a huge contributing factor to their attacks. Dust mites are extremely common in most households (close to 100,000 mites can live in a single square yard of carpet!) and produce waste that can act as an allergen to those with allergy sensitivities. It’s nearly impossible to make your home dust mite-free; however, there are a few steps you can take to help reduce the mite population in your home and lower your chances of experiencing an allergic reaction.

Dust Mites 101
It’s important to know just what dust mites are and how they encourage common bronchial asthma symptoms. Dust mites are microscopic bugs that feed on the dead skin cells shed by humans and pets on a daily basis. Since the average human sheds off close to 10 grams of dead skin a week, beds, couches, and carpets are perfect places for dust mites to get more than enough to eat. Mites prefer moist, warm environments and are invisible to the naked eye. While the actual mite is generally harmless to most humans, the cast skins and fecal matter produced by dust mites can lead to allergic reactions that include not only asthma but eczema, hay fever, sneezing, watery eyes, and other common allergy symptoms.

Dust mites are one of the most common microscopic organisms that exist in homes. And since they thrive on dead skin cells, they are most common in beds and mattresses. Beds are where one-third of all dust mite populations live. A single mattress can be home to anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites, and mites and their droppings make up ten percent of the weight of a pillow that is only two years old. Adult females can lay up to 80 eggs and the cycle from birth to adult mite is only about one month. Adult mites live roughly one to three months. Dust mites not only will feed off of dead skin cells but also food crumbs, fish flakes, pet food, cereals, and many other nutrient-rich products.

Some people feel the need to test for mites microscopically by collecting fiber samples from mattresses, couches, and carpets, but this practice is unnecessary and costly. There is always an abundant food supply for mites, even in homes that are kept impeccably clean. Instead of worrying about whether or not your home is infested with dust mites (the answer: yes!), it is better to concentrate on ways to control the mite population already present.

Controlling Dust Mites
The best way to control a dust mite infestation is to use plastic or other dust mite-impervious covers on mattresses and couches. Beds are where people are closest to mites and their feces, making them not only a breeding ground for mites but also the place where most allergies begin or are exacerbated. Placing a mite-impermeable mattress cover or fitted sheet on your bed will help prevent the accumulation of human and animal skin cells on the surface of the bed, effectively removing the mites’ food source and eliminating the majority of the population in a short period of time.

Another great way to control mite population is to regularly wash bedding in hot (no less than 130 degrees F) water or freeze bedding and pillows for 24 to 48 hours. Using fabrics with synthetic fibers is another effective means of mite population control. Wool blankets and down pillows have much higher mite counts than nylon sheets or pillows with synthetic fillings. Even something as simple as leaving your bed unmade each morning will help. This allows the sheets to cool and dry out, making the atmosphere unpleasant for mites. Sunlight also kills mites, as will frequent damp dusting, vacuuming, and lowering levels of humidity in the home. Children’s toys can be breeding grounds for dust mites, too. Freezing plush toys for at least 24 hours is a simple and effective way of keeping them dust mite free.

Yes, dust mites are horribly common, filthy organisms. They can irritate already existing skin and bronchial allergies or, over time, create entirely new ones. Luckily, by simply investing in mattress covers, keeping the home cool and dry, and regularly washing and cleaning problem areas, dust mite populations can be easily reduced and their harmful effects all but eliminated.

~Ben Anton, 2008

Finding out more about dustmite allergy symptoms caused in your home is easy. The CleanRest website features products and information on protecting your family with impermeable covers for pillows and mattresses.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Anton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Dust-Mites—Protecting-Your-Bed&id=1472431

Reason to Clean Mattresses

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Neil

Why Should We Clean Mattresses?
by Brijesh Purohit

One of the things that we tend not to clean is our bed mattress. Usually, we just buy new ones and throw or give away the old ones. But if they are not clean, we also pass whatever lives inside the mattress to the new owners. What if the new owners are sick? Or if they have children? Or someone inside their house are already sick? That mattress that we just gave away might worsen their illness.

If you keep buying new ones instead of cleaning the mattresses, it would cost you tons of money. And if it is dirty, there are a lot of diseases that we can get from it. How? Because of the organisms that lives on dirty mattresses. What are those organisms? Bed bugs, dust mites, and molds.

BED BUGS
This insects feed on any warm-blooded hosts which includes us and our pets. As of now, there are no related disease that you can get from their bites. However, due to its itchy bites, we can get stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Especially, if we get bitten a lot of times. We can also get skin infection and scars from scratching the bed bug bites.

They are fond of living in places like the sofa, furniture, and mattress. They love to be near the hosts that they feed on. Bed bugs do not like a lot of light so they only feed at night when the hosts are already in their deep sleep.

DUST MITES
They are microscopic bugs that live and feed on dead skin cells that are shed by us and our pets. They may seem harmless to most of us but a single dust mite produces 20 wastes (feces) each day which contains a protein that make people get an allergic reaction and induce asthma to people who are asthmatic.

MOLDS
They are fungi that lives indoors and outdoors. They love warm, damp, and humid places. There are so many types of molds that some of them produces mild health problems while others can produce serious health problems which could eventually lead to death.

Some of the common symptoms are coughing, sneezing, difficulty to swallow, spitting, burning throat and lungs, asthmatic signs, nausea, diarrhea, kidney and liver pain, coated and discolored tongue, memory loss, vision problems, headaches, anxiety and depression, balance problems, chronic fatigue, excessive sweating, nose bleeding, easily bruised, infertility, sudden weight changes, cancer, hair loss, brittle nails, muscle pain and stiffness, irregular heart beat, seizures, numbness of the face, hypersensitivity, and anaphylaxsis.

Keep in mind that not all people develop ‘all’ the symptoms. Babies, elderly, and people with immune problems are the most susceptible in developing serious conditions. Excessive mold build up needs to be taken care of immediately. It can lead to toxicity, allergies, building and structure problems, and death.

Here are some examples of common molds that lives indoors and outdoors:

Aspergillus spp is the most common fungi in our environment. It has more than 160 different mold species. Exposure to them can cause skin rashes, hair loss, vomiting, and more.

Stachybotrys chartarum is a greenish-black and slimy mold that can be found indoors where water damage goes unnoticed. They can live anywhere like inside the wallpaper, walls, ceiling tiles, etc. This type releases a very toxic mycotoxin. Exposure to this fungi can cause memory loss, acid reflux, nose bleeds, flu symptoms, headache, seizures, and more.

To simplify, the types of molds are:

Allergenic molds are not dangerous to our health in low amounts of exposure but they can cause allergic and asthmatic symptoms.

Mycotoxic molds are known to cause serious health problems. The symptoms ranges from irritation, auto-immune diseases, cancer, and death.

Pathogenic molds can also cause serious illness to people with immune deficiencies. Example of them are people taking chemotherapy and people with AIDS/HIV. If you suspect that you have the symptoms, seek professional help and guidance. You should also have your family and pets checked by their doctors for mold toxicity.

It is important to have your house, building, or office checked. If you are going to do it yourself, be sure to wear rubber gloves, masks, and goggle or eyes shields. Look around for these three organisms (bed bugs, dust mites – if there are excessive dust, and molds) in bed mattresses, upholstery, furniture, basement, attic, ceiling, and anywhere you suspect.

If you found large quantities or if you do not know how to look for them, call a reputable cleaning company or any company that specializes in their removal. Remember, cleaning and maintaining our home, buildings, and offices can improve our health and our budget.

Brijesh Purohit is the Managing Director for http://www.keentoclean.com.au. Keen to Clean Group offers carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, commercial cleaning, domestic cleaning, flood restoration, and move – out cleaning.

Article Source: U Publish Articles
http://www.upublish.info/Article/Why-Should-We-Clean-Mattresses-/259877

Clean Mattress

Mattress Cleaning Auckland | Hygienic Mattress Washing, Cleaning and Sanitization Services Company Auckland, New Zealand

Author Archives: Neil