Dust mites

VanMan2007

My cats have been suffering with respiratory problems. The vet thinks it could be dust mites. I've had a good clean-up; but can anyone recommend any tips or products just to make sure I eradicate any little !!!!!!s that may be there?

I suspect this may have been asked before, if so just redirect me to the old thread please.

Many thanks for any help.

maninthestreet

You can't eradicate them completely. There are probably millions just in your bed and bed clothes.

London_Town

A good steam cleaner should kill them, due to the high temperatures it operates at. Perhaps try and borrow or hire a machine to do your carpets as a good one, like a Polti, will be expensive.

If an item is washable, put it on a 60 degree wash and then hang it out to dry on a sunny day. Both the hot temperature of the wash and the UV while drying, will go a long way to killing dust mites.

If your cats have bedding that can't be washed, you could always bag up the stuff and put it in the freezer for a few days. I believe this can kill the dust mites too.

However, as maninthestreet says, you'll never eradicate them completetly. You want to see it as trying to reduce their numbers and therefore the impact on both animal and human health in the home.

ljonski

You may have to get rid of carpets and mats .

VanMan2007

maninthestreet wrote: »

You can't eradicate them completely. There are probably millions just in your bed and bed clothes.

That makes me feel better! (Joking!) Look at the little !!!!!!s!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_dust_mite

Part of the arachnida family. Great news for spider-phobia, guy!

Seriously, perspective on the situation. Thanks, buddy.

VanMan2007

London_Town wrote: »

A good steam cleaner should kill them, due to the high temperatures it operates at. Perhaps try and borrow or hire a machine to do your carpets as a good one, like a Polti, will be expensive.

If an item is washable, put it on a 60 degree wash and then hang it out to dry on a sunny day. Both the hot temperature of the wash and the UV while drying, will go a long way to killing dust mites.

If your cats have bedding that can't be washed, you could always bag up the stuff and put it in the freezer for a few days. I believe this can kill the dust mites too.

However, as maninthestreet says, you'll never eradicate them completetly. You want to see it as trying to reduce their numbers and therefore the impact on both animal and human health in the home.

Some great tips there, many thanks.

VanMan2007

ljonski wrote: »

You may have to get rid of carpets and mats .

Great minds! That is the solution for me as well. My carpets are old anyway, so nothing lost. That will make my whole house floorboards. Much easier to keep clean.

Going to war!

Thanks, buddy.

madget_2

One of our cats has a dust mite allergy and other health problems mean that she is indoors only, so it was vital that we found a solution.

Once a year, we spray all of the carpeted areas with Indorex, making sure to damp dust skirting boards and to either move or thoroughly spray underneath all furniture. It's not the most pleasant spray to use and you need to clear the rooms for a couple of hours or so until it is dried. Rooms also need to be well-ventilated, with windows fully open.

What I do is to put the cats upstairs whilst I do the whole of the downstairs, then vice versa. This keeps them indoors but away from any toxic fumes.

Indorex kills dust mites as well as any fleas.

It sounds a bit of a fuss but it has worked really well so far. Her allergy is a skin one, rather than respiratory, though.

I also damp dust, especially the skirting boards, at least once a week.

VanMan2007

madget wrote: »

One of our cats has a dust mite allergy and other health problems mean that she is indoors only, so it was vital that we found a solution.

Once a year, we spray all of the carpeted areas with Indorex, making sure to damp dust skirting boards and to either move or thoroughly spray underneath all furniture. It's not the most pleasant spray to use and you need to clear the rooms for a couple of hours or so until it is dried. Rooms also need to be well-ventilated, with windows fully open.

What I do is to put the cats upstairs whilst I do the whole of the downstairs, then vice versa. This keeps them indoors but away from any toxic fumes.

Indorex kills dust mites as well as any fleas.

It sounds a bit of a fuss but it has worked really well so far. Her allergy is a skin one, rather than respiratory, though.

I also damp dust, especially the skirting boards, at least once a week.

Thanks madget. Sounds like you've had an ordeal as well. Well done for sorting it out Indorex - is that about £25 a bottle (vet rates)? It was just something the vet rec'd for house fleas.

"Damp dust"? Do you mean water spray them? I will have to do something like that as well. My house is ready for renovation, all except the money to fund it! I would rip the skirting boards out, but for the fear of being overrun with spiders!

I rented a house across the road before buying this one, about 15 years ago. I "unearthed" a spider who fled, leaping from one table, to another table, to the floor and scurried off behind the floorboard! Some kind of super-balanced, ninja spider!

Traumatising for a boy who had to poop in an outside toilet whilst watching for "daddy longlegs" on the wall!

marmitepotato

Thanks for posting this. My boxer dog has an allergy. I changed her food, my washing powder, her dog tag, stopped using household sprays, and she still scratches and scratches.

Found some Indorex on amazon for about nine quid.

VanMan2007

UPDATE: Since my last post, I've ripped out all the old carpets from the top floor. I've bought a new hypo-allergenic mattress, duvet and pillow. Removed the woollen blanket from the bed, that probably hadn't been washed in 3/4 years! And now wash bedding much more often! So far, so good. (Cautiously optimistic!)

Will be sanding down all the excellent floorboards that were revealed, varnish them and hopefully, job done.

Freddie Bear is much more like his old self. Just got to work on his diet now!