See Also
Indications
Furniture, Bedding and stuffed animals (house Dust mite)
1. Replace heavily infested bedding
2. Launder bedding weekly in hot water (130 degrees F)
3. Routinely clean carpets and furniture
4. Remove stuffed animals from sleeping area
5. Encase pillows and mattresses in semipermeable covers
  1. Plastic covers with cloth backing available
  2. Feels like real cloth or upholstery
  3. Not found in recent study to improve symptoms
    1. Terreehorst (2003) N Engl J Med 349:237
Housework (house Dust mite)
1. Avoid vacuuming if dust sensitive (or use mask)
2. Vacuum carpets and clean floors frequently
  1. HEPA (High efficiency particulate air) filter bags
  2. Double-thickness vacuum bags
3. Replace bedroom carpet with hardwood or linoleum
  1. Especially carpets overlying concrete
4. Minimize dust-collecting surfaces (e.g. shelves)
  1. Wipe with moist cloth once weekly
5. Cover windows with shades and washable curtains
6. Clean shades often (avoid Venetian blinds)
7. Treat carpet with Acaricide or denaturer (tannic acid)
  1. Low efficacy and must be repeated often
Ventilation (house Dust mite and pollen sensitive)
1. Ensure well-ventilated rooms
2. Install bedroom high-density particulate air filter
3. Use air conditioner to reduce humidity/temperature
Damp Areas (Mold sensitivity)
1. Avoid damp, poorly ventilated areas (basement, attic)
2. Clean shower, basement, and windowsill frequently
3. Check Cooling System frequently for mold
4. Clean vaporizers and humidifiers
5. Remove sources of mold growth (piles of leaves)
6. Consider dehumidifier to control humidity (<50%)
  1. Also reduces Dust mite growth
  2. Humidity <35% eliminates mite growth completely
7. Increase ventilation
8. Remove under house water
9. Consider fungicides
Pollen (Pollen sensitivity)
1. Avoid grass/outdoor allergen exposures
2. Eliminate houseplants, especially in bedroom
Animal sensitivity
1. Remove pet from house if possible
2. Keep pets out of bedroom (e.g. outside or garage)
3. Wash the pet weekly in water
4. Follow other environmental recommendations above
  1. Vacuum bedroom carpets weekly
  2. Eliminate carpeting and upholstered furniture
Irritants
1. Avoid Second hand smoke
References

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 6/1/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.