Linen mite - how to get rid of it at home

The bed mite belongs to a type of arthropod of the class of arachnids. These are synanthropes (not to be confused with philanthropists) who feel great around people. On the Internet, bed mites are often identified with saprophytes. But this is not true, despite the fact that the word “saprophyte” has two roots of Greek origin, translated meaning “rot” and “plant”. In professional terminology, synanthrope is a microorganism that feeds on the organic matter of dead cells and processes it into products of its vital activity.

But saprophytes also feed directly on dead bed mites and their secretions, and mites only feed on human skin cells.

Almost all saprophytes do not cause any harm to humans, since they live in the lungs, intestines, on mucous and skin surfaces, without causing any harm. But bed mites are classified as saprophages.

Description of the pest

The bed mite is a parasite measuring 0.1-0.23 mm. In fact, they do not exist separately as a species, being in fact microscopic saprophagous mites (genus dust mites). They are often called dust mites or linen mites, which generally mean the same thing.

Unlike bed bugs or cockroaches, these parasites are not capable of physically causing harm and leaving bed tick bites on the skin. Ideal conditions for accelerated reproduction are 18-25°C and high humidity. The life of one individual lasts approximately 65-80 days. During this time, females manage to make hundreds of clutches, each of which contains up to 60 eggs.

Their miniature size allows them to live without problems in every person’s home. And the best habitat for them is the human bed. Heat, dust, moisture, and the presence of dead skin particles create an ideal environment for them not only to live, but also to actively reproduce.

Most often, bed mites settle in natural-based materials - feather and down pillows, mattresses, duvets, wool blankets. But he also does not disdain synthetics, especially if a person uses the same blanket for a long time without weekly dry cleaning. Therefore, various methods of combating bed mites and methods of treating bedding and surfaces are used, including recipes from folk remedies.

Movement and infection of a room by this parasite occurs due to the transfer of individuals from place to place through clothing, contact with an infected surface, be it someone else’s chair, a hotel bed, or a seat on public transport. Their habitat is very extensive, and therefore no one can say with confidence that there are no ticks in their home.

Bed mites feed not only on human waste, but also on domestic animals. Therefore, caring for them is not just maintaining their beauty, but a necessity. Therefore, bathing and combing should be done regularly, and wet cleaning should become almost a daily ritual in the house.

Linen mite - how to destroy it

There are several ways to destroy linen mites:

Method number 1. Freezing

In addition to freezing, care should be taken to treat sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases. A washing machine does the best job with this task.

Linen mite. Insects are very afraid of sudden temperature changes and this should be used to combat them in winter. Blankets and pillows are very difficult to wash, so you can take them out into the cold (on the balcony) and leave them there for at least a day. After this procedure, all parasites will be destroyed.

These steps should be repeated at least 2-3 times per season.

Method number 2. Wash

In addition to freezing, care should be taken to treat sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases. A washing machine copes best with this task, but the water temperature should be at least 60-65 degrees. The bigger, the better.

After washing, all laundry should be ironed to consolidate the effect of the treatment.

Method No. 3. Aerosols

There are special insecticides for linen mites that are produced in the form of aerosols. They are very convenient for treating sofas, beds and mattresses.

When performing the procedure, safety precautions should be observed, since these substances are harmful not only to parasites, but also to humans

. After spraying, aerosols retain their effect for 3-4 weeks, which will delay the reproduction of linen mites.

Method number 4. Service call

In addition to the methods described above, you can call a special service that deals with the destruction of various insects.

Of course, it costs more than aerosols, but the result will be much better. The main disadvantage of this method is the insecticides that are used to kill linen mites. Their concentration is quite high, so you usually cannot enter the premises for at least 6-8 hours.

What harm do they do to humans?

Ticks have been found at home in literally every part of the world where humans live. In bed they find food in the form of dandruff and skin flakes. This way they receive the necessary nutrition, and sweat provides the level of humidity required for reproduction. Such conditions help them survive in a wide variety of climates. They only cannot tolerate severe frosts or scorching sun rays.

Over the course of a week, about 1 g of dead skin particles fall from the human body into bed linen. This diet is enough for thousands of parasites. Naturally, after feeding, they defecate. And special protein compounds in their feces begin to act as allergens for humans. As a result, when this substance accumulates, people simply get sick. Those rashes and raised redness on human skin are not the site of a bite, but a banal irritation, a reaction to an allergen released by arthropods in the course of their life.

In particularly advanced cases, a person, especially if he is predisposed to allergies, may develop serious symptoms of the condition, including anaphylaxis.

Among the main manifestations of an allergic reaction observed in people:

• Rhinitis;
• Dermatitis;
• Irritation;
• Asthmatic manifestations.

This condition most affects those who are genetically predisposed to such immune reactions. But with a large accumulation of fecal matter, bed mites in dust can give such symptoms in a completely healthy person who has not previously suffered from allergies. Essentially, a person inhales dust along with fecal matter, which has a size of 10-40 microns. Once on the mucous membrane, they begin to dissolve and provoke corresponding symptoms in the form of a severe allergic reaction.

The maximum acceptable level for humans from a safety point of view is 100 individuals per 1 g of dust. But the reality is that in this volume of the carrier there are often up to 50 thousand parasites at the same time.

Linen mite - professional treatment

No one today knows 100% of the strategy for how to get rid of linen mites in an apartment without spending anything and quickly. No one except professionals knows the full answer to the question: how to get rid of linen mites. If your premises are very heavily infested, it is better not to waste time and energy, but contact organizations that are engaged in the professional elimination of linen mites. This will save both your time and your money.

Today there are quite a lot of companies that offer their pest control services. Their choice should be approached very responsibly. All those chemicals that they usually use belong to a special category of insecticides; they must be certified in the system of the State Standard of the Russian Federation and Rospotrebnadzor, and also belong to the so-called low-hazard substances of the fourth group.

Firms that combat linen mites offer the elimination of parasites using special ULV generators. Thanks to their use, it is possible to reduce the amount of insecticide used. Therefore, it is possible to carry out such disinfestation completely safely. The total duration, as well as the effectiveness of the final result, depends on the correct execution of the destruction.

Linen mite. Disinfection by experienced professionals is the fastest and most guaranteed option for getting rid of ticks and their larvae, which are quite difficult to kill at home.

Often, those companies that specialize in treating houses and apartments remove linen mites in one go.

Moreover, regardless of the dimensions of a particular room. In case ticks are detected after treatment, our service always guarantees that the procedure will be repeated. The disadvantage of such a fight against linen mites is the complete isolation of the house for the duration of exposure to the insecticide: this is usually a couple of hours. All its inhabitants must be evacuated from the house, various personal hygiene items and dishes must be tightly packed. However, you will no longer have to think about the question: linen mites and how to get rid of them.

Signs of bed mites in your home

The most reliable method for determining these parasites in bed is to conduct laboratory tests. But when not everyone can use this method, it is easier to determine their presence by the person’s condition and the symptoms that appear:

1. Lumpy rashes on the skin without bite marks;
2. Possible (extremely rare) increase in temperature for no apparent reason;
3. Sneezing without cold symptoms;
4. Problems with respiratory function, wheezing;
5. Inflammation of the mucous membranes in the eyes and nose;
6. Rhinitis.

Children whose immune systems overreact to irritants are the first to suffer from the parasite. Moreover, it is skin reactions that appear first. But the bed tick bite itself cannot be detected on the skin due to the miniature size of the individuals.

Often, such symptoms can be attributed to other conditions - from dermatosis to diaper dermatitis and are not at all associated with the presence of a pest. But then the condition will regularly make itself felt, since it was not possible to get rid of the bed mite as the cause of the condition.

To suspect the presence of bed mites in a room, the easiest way is to examine your household and analyze the so-called sudden “allergies and colds.” Their significant increase should signal that invisible neighbors have settled in the home, and they should be dealt with as soon as possible.

Effective methods for treating bites

Many people's bodies respond adequately to bed tick bites, and they heal on their own within a few days. There are people who need emergency help because their body reacts in a very specific way. For atypical reactions it is necessary:

• Wash the bite areas thoroughly with soap or soda solution, then rinse them with clean running water. To prepare the solution, take a glass of water and add a spoonful of soda or liquid soap.
• Bite areas must be disinfected with any alcohol-containing product, such as vodka or moonshine, cologne or perfume.
• Severe itching indicates an allergic reaction. To reduce these symptoms, you can use both pharmaceuticals and folk remedies.

Folk remedies

There are a number of effective and proven recipes. For example:

• Bite areas should be wiped with pure vinegar. There is no need to rinse the product.
• You can apply a piece of ice or some product from the freezer to the bite site.
• Applying a used black or green tea bag to the bite site will relieve the victim of discomfort.
• Lotions are also made from medicinal herbs. St. John's wort is considered the most effective remedy. To prepare the solution, you need to take a spoonful of St. John's wort and pour a glass of boiling water. After the infusion has cooled, soak a cotton swab in the infusion and apply it to the wound for half an hour. Herbs such as chamomile or calendula are suitable. The product is prepared in the same way as St. John's wort base.
• Treatment with a composition based on aloe and plantain. After mixing the ingredients, the wound is treated several times a day. The juices from these plants help reduce swelling of the bite site, reduce itching and have an antibacterial effect.
• Onion and garlic juices in combination act in a similar way on the bite site. The smell of onions and garlic, in addition to relieving discomfort, also helps repel these leeches.
• You should drink at least 5 tablets of activated charcoal to flush out toxins from your body as quickly as possible.

As a rule, folk remedies help a person cope with negative consequences in the initial stages. If these remedies do not cope with the task, then pharmacies should be used. Alternatively, you can use essential oils, which have the same effect as herbal infusions.

Essential oils of such plants are recommended to be used as:

• Lemon.
• Orange.
• Lavender.
• Geranium.
• Tea tree.
• Needles.
• Juniper.
• Cypress.
• Sage.
• Mint.

Medications

There are both special remedies developed for the bites of various insects, and non-special ones that cope with this task. The fact is that each body reacts differently to bed tick bites.

Typically the following pharmaceuticals are used:

• Special ointments “Fenistil” and “Rescuer”. These remedies have a wide spectrum of action and help protect the victim from negative consequences.
• Vietnamese star, which is characterized by an antibacterial effect.
• Afloderm helps cope with severe itching.
• Propolis tincture is effective against any bites.
• Afloderm ointment is used with Tavegil, which helps relieve the symptoms of allergic reactions.
• The chatterbox “Tsindol” will easily cope with the task.
• Akriderm perfectly relieves signs of inflammatory processes.

Ways to fight

Man has been fighting domestic bed mites for a long time. There are certain methods that can give good results, but do not completely rid the room of the parasite:

• Taking your mattress and heavy blankets to the dry cleaner at least once a season;
• Ironing slightly damp items on both sides;
• Carry out wet cleaning daily;
• Wash bedding once a week;
• Give preference not to heavy pile carpets, but to wicker, homespun carpets;
• Remove upholstered furniture;
• Refuse drapery on the windows and choose blinds;
• Keep air humidity less than 40%;
• Ventilate the room regularly;
• Bedding should ideally be replaced with padding polyester or other artificial materials;
• Wash and comb your pets regularly.

Since the pest is especially fond of dust, it is necessary to carry out a general cleaning to remove all places where dust accumulates, animal hair, and so on. This impact helps reduce the population and deprive them of their favorite habitats. To make tidied areas unattractive for new occupancy, it is necessary to carry out wet cleaning using ammonia: for 1 liter of water, use ¼ cup of liquid soap and ½ cup of ammonia. First you need to combine soap and water, and then add alcohol. The solution can also be used when washing bed linen and clothes.

It is important to understand that treating bed linen is not enough on its own. In fact, these parasites have a way of clinging to clothing, furniture, soft toys and surviving there until they again find themselves in familiar and favorable conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly treat all surfaces in the contaminated room, as well as in neighboring rooms, including hard-to-reach areas on cabinets, under sofas, and so on.

How to deal with dust mites without the involvement of specialists

It is possible and necessary to fight ticks without the help of specialists. Let's look at some effective ways to reduce the invasiveness of a room.

Wash in warm water using a suspension

Buy a special liquid such as Alcaril and add it to the washing machine every time you wash it. This measure will destroy all parasites and neutralize their allergens. Each bottle costs approximately 2,500 rubles, but it is enough for 12 washes.

This product works at any washing temperature and does not damage colored fabrics. But it can only be used for textiles, and regular use of the suspension during washing is necessary.

Different manufacturing companies!

Special supplements are produced by different companies, but the principles of action of the drugs are similar.

Application of sprays

The functions of the spray are similar to those of the suspension. Active substances fall on insects, stick together their excrement, and cause the death of parasites. The drug works for about 10 minutes, the price of each bottle is about 1,500 rubles, the volume is enough to treat 20 sq.m. contaminated surface.

How to use the spray

Shake the can and gently spray onto the surface to be treated. Sprays are odorless, safe for humans, and do not leave any traces. The only downside is that the bottle volume is too small.

How to use

You can treat toys, pillows, carpets, beds. Do not use simultaneously with other antiseptics, chemicals, acids and alkalis.

Treating floors against ticks

Harmful insects often find their hiding places on the floor and in carpets. Special floor cleaner is added to water vacuum cleaners or to buckets of water for washing floors. Even if the level of tick infestation in a room is low, these products are still useful with every wash. It helps remove mold, stubborn dirt, and pollen. You can find the product on sale in different volumes at affordable prices.

You can also use a liquid product to treat all textiles in the house. At first, it is advisable to carry out disinfestation every 10 days, later - once every 1 season. Ventilation is necessary after each floor treatment.

What are the benefits of liquid floor cleaners?

1. Easy and quick to dissolve in water.
2. It lasts a long time.
3. They are used in various fields of processing.
4. They have a pleasant smell.

One of the disadvantages is that during the first treatment it is necessary to frequently repeat the procedure.

Use of powder products

Effective for cleaning carpets, upholstered furniture, pillows and mattresses. The powders contain particles containing an aqueous cleaning solution, the enzymes of which destroy dust mites and neutralize their allergens. On sale you can find bags of powder weighing 500 grams. One package is enough to process 14 sq.m. surfaces. Price - about 3000 rubles.

The powder also fights mold and adds freshness to the material. It must be used once a season. It is safe for humans and animals and has a pleasant smell. The disadvantages include the high cost for a small amount of product.

The use of folk remedies

In the absence of modern chemical production products, our great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers effectively fought against ticks using conventional means.

This cheap remedy is found in every home, and it is quite effective. But the procedure should be repeated once every 7 days in order to feel its effect. Dilute 200 grams of table salt in 1 liter of water. You will receive a saline solution that should be used to wash all dusty places in the house - floors, baseboards, cornices, shelves, curtains, appliances, toys and interior items.

Preparations to combat bed mites

A good option for eliminating parasites is winter with severe frosts. In this case, you can take pillows, blankets and other similar items related to the bed out into the cold for several hours. Summer “roasting” in direct sunlight is no less successful. But special insecto-acaricidal preparations will help completely destroy the population of bed mites.

The drugs help cope with various kinds of parasites in several applications. Their protection against pests of this type lasts up to 1.5 months. When the bed mite is eliminated, it is easier to carry out the usual prevention in the form of the previously mentioned tips.

Where and when are you most likely to get bitten?

People living in disease-endemic areas, as well as those who visit these areas during periods of particular tick activity - from May to mid-June and from late August to late September - are most at risk of contracting a serious illness from a tick bite.

But the danger of being attacked by ticks remains throughout the warm period of the year when visiting almost any forested areas, parks and other areas where there is grass and shady shelters. You can even get a tick bite in your dacha or in the local area of ​​your private home, if the grass there is not mowed.

The maximum number of bites from infected ticks is recorded annually in Siberia, the Urals and the Volga region. However, a considerable number of those bitten annually seek medical help in almost all regions of Russia, including Crimea and the Caucasus.

Consequences of a tick bite for humans

In the worst situation, a tick can infect a person with the following infections:

1. Hemorrhagic fever. It is an infectious disease caused by a virus. Signs of infection include: intoxication of the body, the onset of fever, subcutaneous hemorrhages, changes in the composition of the patient’s blood. Experts distinguish between Crimean and Omsk fever. If you consult a doctor in a timely manner, the prognosis is favorable. Treatment consists of taking antiviral medications, vitamins that strengthen blood vessels;
2. Tick-borne encephalitis . It is a viral disease, the main symptoms include: hyperthermia, intoxication, damage to the human central nervous system (meningitis, encephalitis). The consequences of the course of the disease include: neurological pathologies that lead to personality changes, in some cases to disability, even death. The first signs of the disease are observed in the first seven days; prevention should be carried out for several days after the bite;
3. Borreliosis or Lyme disease . It is an infectious disease of a bacterial nature. General intoxication of the body is accompanied by a sharp increase in temperature, headache, constantly migrating rash, and fatigue. Bacteria are capable of infecting human organs and systems (especially the nervous and musculoskeletal, cardiovascular). Delayed assistance leads to disability.

Considering the danger of a tick bite for a person, be sure to pay attention to such a nuisance and, if necessary, visit a doctor.

What should I do if bitten by a tick?

Since the likelihood of contracting dangerous infections increases significantly with prolonged contact of the human body with a tick, the main thing that needs to be done is to remove the arthropod. But the removal procedure should be carried out correctly so as not to crush or damage the tick, since this can further contribute to infection. In addition, the tick can and even should be examined in the laboratory for the fact of infectiousness, and for this it must remain intact.

Therefore, if you do not have the skills to remove ticks, but there is a possibility, it is better to contact the nearest medical institution, where they will expertly remove the arthropod and give recommendations on further actions. In addition, you can ask all your questions regarding tactics of behavior in the presence of a tick on the body by calling 103 (by calling an ambulance).

Signs of an allergic reaction to a tick bite

An allergy occurs in response to tick saliva entering the wound. The individual reaction of the body depends on the state of health as a whole. The consequences of tick bites are more severe in allergy sufferers, children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. A mild allergic reaction can be relieved with antihistamines.

Common signs of allergies:

• nausea;
• dizziness,
• weakness;
• drowsiness;
• aching joints;
• headache;
• temperature increase;
• itching and rash in the bite area and other parts of the body.

With a strong individual allergic reaction, anaphylactic shock may occur, which is preceded by:

• difficulty breathing;
• hallucinations;
• Quincke's edema (rapid and massive swelling of the face, throat or limbs);
• loss of consciousness.

Anaphylactic shock can be relieved by administering prednisolone and adrenaline. If symptoms after a tick bite indicate a severe allergic reaction, an urgent call to the ambulance is necessary, otherwise death is possible.

Clinical researches

The effectiveness, safety and tolerability of the product for children and adults has been proven by a clinical study. The products are also suitable for daily skin care for children with mild to moderate forms of atopic dermatitis and during remission, accompanied by a decrease in the quality of life of patients. As a result of therapy, a decrease in the activity of the inflammatory process, a decrease in dryness, itching and flaking was noted.

La-Cri cosmetics, according to research results, are recommended by the Russian Union of Pediatricians.

Sources:

1. Fokina R.A., Atopic dermatitis: stages of development of classification forms, Siberian Medical Journal, 2007
2. A.N. Pampura, A.A. Chuslyaeva, Modern approaches to the treatment of atopic dermatitis in children
3. N.L. Rybkina, Modern approaches to newborn skin care: pediatrician tactics, journal Bulletin of Modern Clinical Medicine, 2014
4. I.I. Ryumina, V.V. Zubkov, Newborn skin care, Healthy Child magazine, 2017