Create a Dust-Free Bedroom

Brought to you by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

If you’re dust-sensitive, especially if you have allergies 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.

You probably can’t control dust conditions under which you work. To a large extent, however, you can eliminate dust from your bedroom. To accomplish this, you must reduce the number of surfaces on which dust can collect.

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
• Keep clothing in zippered plastic bags and shoes in boxes off the floor, if you can’t store them elsewhere
• 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
• Cement any linoleum to the floor
• Close the doors and windows until the dust-sensitive person is ready to use 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

• All carpets trap dust, although shag carpets are the worst type
• Health care experts recommend hardwood, tile, or linoleum floors

Beds and Bedding

• Most importantly, encase box springs and mattress in a zippered dust-proof or allergen-proof cover
• Scrub bed springs outside the room
• Keep only one bed in the bedroom
• If you must have a second bed 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’s at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit (lower temperatures won’t kill dust mites)
• Use a synthetic 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 chairs that you can scrub
• Use only plain, lightweight curtains on the windows

Air Control

• Air filters — either added to a furnace or a room unit — can reduce allergens
  
  
  • Electrostatic and HEPA (high-efficiency particulate absorption) filters can effectively remove many allergens from the air
  • If they don't function right, however, electrostatic filters may give off ozone, which can be harmful to your lungs if you have asthma
• A dehumidifier may help because house dust mites need high humidity to live and grow
  
  
  • You should take special care to clean the unit frequently with a weak bleach solution (1 cup bleach in 1 gallon water) to prevent mold growth
  • Although low humidity may reduce dust mite levels, it might irritate your nose and lungs

Children
In addition to the above guidelines, if you’re caring for a child who is dust-sensitive:

• Keep toys that will accumulate dust out of the child's bedroom
• Avoid stuffed toys
• Use only washable toys of wood, rubber, metal, or plastic
• Store toys in a closed toy box or chest

Although these steps may seem difficult at first, experience and habit will make them easier. The results — better breathing, fewer medicines and greater freedom from allergy and asthma attacks — will be well worth your effort.

For more information visit www3.niaid.nih.gov.