subject: Steam Cleaners vs Dust Mites - Who Will Win? [print this page] Steam Cleaners vs Dust Mites - Who Will Win?
Microscopic dust mites that live and breed in our mattresses, upholstery, carpeting and clothing are responsible for many common allergic reactions that people suffer. Do you suffer from allergic reactions like a stuffy nose when you go to bed? The number of dust mites in your mattress could be a trigger for these allergic reactions. The number of dust mites found in the average mattress is estimated to be between 100,000 and 10 million.
The traditional treatment to eliminate dust mites is to launder the suspect item at a temperature of at least 130 Fahrenheit, or to treat it with a tannic acid solution or other chemical-based solutions. This task is difficult at best with items like carpets, couches, mattresses, or your best suit (which probably is the most highly contaminated).
In addition to the difficulty of applying traditional treatments to the suspect item you have to deal with the residue left behind by chemical-based solutions and tannic acid. In addition to triggering more allergic reactions this residue can damage the item being treated.
Is there a better way to eliminate dust mites and other allergens from your life? Of course, try using a vapor steam cleaner. Steam vapor cleaners use a dry steam vapor produced from small amounts of water that is heated to temperatures of 225 F and higher. This steam vapor will clean, disinfect and sanitizing all surfaces except extremely sensitive ones. And since a steam vapor cleaner uses only water to clean, disinfect and sanitize there is no residue left behind to aggravate allergies or harm the treated surfaces.
Vapor steam cleaners spell doom for the poor dust mite, penetrating mattresses, carpets, couches and clothing with temperatures in excess of 225 while not excessively wetting the surfaces. This is important because these critters thrive in a humid environment. After treatment, vacuum thoroughly with a HEPA equipped vacuum to remove any particulate matter for a resounding death knell for your dust mite problems.
As an added bonus, bedbugs, fleas, flea larvae and many other allergens are also killed by short-term exposure to the high temperatures created by steam cleaners. Traditional chemical-based cleaners do not have any effect on the eggs or flea larvae. Cleaning with a steam cleaner that uses only water to disinfect, sanitize and clean insures that there are no poisons left behind to potentially harm children and pets or to contaminate your indoor environment.
Another added bonus is that steam cleaners do quite a bit more than just rid your life of dust mites. They are excellent for cleaning almost every surface in your home. Once you finish treating your bedding, upholstery and carpets try your steam cleaner for other tough jobs like cleaning your kitchen or bathroom and begin enjoying an environmentally friendly clean you never thought possible.
