Allergen of the month: dust
As part of our ongoing Allergen of the Month series, this month we’re focusing on house dust and dust mites, the bane of many allergy and asthma sufferers.
While February may not often be associated with allergens, the fact is, cold weather can play havoc with your allergies. That’s because when you crank up the heat, you’re likely to stir up house dust—and that can trigger sneezing, wheezing and a host of other unpleasant reactions to dust and dust mites. Plus, turning up the heat can make the air drier, which can lead to irritated and inflamed nasal and bronchial passages, which can further exacerbate your allergy symptoms.
Fast facts
• Dust mites typically feed on skin flakes from humans and animals
• A typical house dust mite measures 0.2–0.3 millimeters in length
• Major causes of dust mite reactions are digestive enzymes from the mite’s gut that exist in its feces and exoskeleton
• A dust mite can produce about 2,000 fecal particles
• While the average life expectancy for a male dust mite is 10 to 19 days, a female can survive for up to 70 days, laying 60 to 100 eggs in the last five weeks of her life
Where to find them
These microscopic critters can set up shop just about anywhere in the house. Some favorite spots are wall-to-wall carpeting, upholstered furniture, bedding and curtains. Plus, because they prefer warm temperatures, any room that’s particularly toasty is also a potential breeding ground for dust mites.
How to Prevent them
• Use special filters or cheese cloth to block dust coming out of heating vents
• Change bed linen weekly and wash it in hot water
• Use dust-mite-proof bed clothes and cover pillows and mattresses with hypoallergenic covers
• Use anti-mite fabrics with a thread count greater than 246 threads per inch, a pore size of two-10 microns and dust leakage of less than 4 percent.
• Keep the air temperature low, since dust mites thrive in environments between 60 to 85 degrees
• Use an air purifier with a HEPA filter, like Airmega, to reduce the presence of dust and other allergens
Disclaimers
1 Airmega air purifiers have been proven to trap dust, pollen, dander in the air based on KCL(Korea Conformity Laboratories) testing. They have been tested according to the Korea Air Cleaning Association standard (SPS-KACA 002-132:2022 Modified) to measure the 0.01㎛ size of particle removal rate. It was tested on maximum airflow speed in normal room temperature and humidity conditions. The performance may vary in the actual living environment of customers. Tested with Airmega Aim, 50, 100, 150, Tower AP-1216L, Mighty AP-1512HH, MightyS AP-1512HHS, 200M, Icon, 230, 240, 250, 250S, 300, 300S, 350, 400, 400S, 450, ProX
2Our HEPA filter complies with IEST-RP-CC007 standards at speed level 1 as tested by SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance). SGS's test report only reflects SGS's evaluation of the sample and does not reflect the evaluation of the batch of goods from which the sample was taken. Tested with Airmega 100, 150, 160, Mighty AP-1512HH, MightyS AP-1512HHS, 200M, 230, 240, 250, 250S, 250 Art, 300, 300S, 350, 400, 400S, 450, ProX
3 Tested by KCL(Korea Conformity Laboratories) according to JEM 1467: 2015 condition, the concentration of acetic acid was proven to be reduced up to 99.5% in 60 minutes. Results may vary depending on actual environment. Tested with Airmega 150, Mighty AP-1512HH, 200M
4 Tested by KCL(Korea Conformity Laboratories) according to SPS-KACA002-132:2022, showed result of over 99.5% removal rate of common household gases including Ammonia, Acetaldehyde, Acetic acid, Formaldehyde, Toluene, Benzene, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) within 30 minutes. Results may vary in different environments and not all odors or gas particles may be removed. Tested with Airmega MightyS AP-1512HHS, 250S, 300S, 400S, 350, 450
5 Test conducted using Coway Allergen filter media (5×5 cm) placed in a polyethylene bag. The allergen solution and sample were immersed in 2 mL of phosphate buffer (100 ng/mL) prior to the reaction and heat-sealed to specimen size. The reaction was maintained at 4°C for 24 hours. Nichinichi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. conducted the test using ELISA to measure allergen concentration. Results may vary in actual product usage environments. Tested with Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH, 200M
6 Removal rates of Ammonia (NH₃) and Hydrogen Sulfide (H₂S) were tested in a 1 m³ chamber under EL608:2023 conditions for 30 minutes. Gas Detector Tubes were used for measurement, and testing was conducted by KCL (Korea Conformity Laboratories). Results may vary in actual product usage environments. Tested with Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH, 200M
7 Reduction rates of Naphthalene, Sulfur Dioxide, and Nitrogen Dioxide were tested using the Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH in 1㎥ chamber, following JEM-1467:2015 standards. Tests were conducted by Intertek. Actual performance may vary depending on the living environment. Tested with Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH, 200M
9 Tested by KCL(Korea Conformity Laboratories) according to SPS-KACA002-132:2022. The test was conducted with Methyl mercaptan, Isovaleraldehyde, Isovaleric acid in a 1.0±0.1 m³ chamber with a test time of 60 minutes at (24±4)°C and (46±10)% Relative Humidity. A removal ratio of over 99.5% was achieved. Results may vary depending on the actual usage environment. Tested with Airmega 350, 450
10 Tested by the Guangzhou Institute of Microbiology, exposed the filter media to protein solutions for 24 hours under ISO 4333-2022 standard. The results showed strong reduction performance: >99.79% for pollen, >99.60% for dog allergen, >99.90% for cat allergen, and >99.80% for dust mites matter allergen. Actual results may vary depending on room size, airflow, and pollutant levels. Tested with Airmega 350, 450
11 Tested by KCL(Korea Conformity Laboratories) according to SPS-KACA002-132:2022. The test was conducted in a 1.0±0.1 m³ chamber for 60 minutes at (24±4)°C and (46±10)% Relative Humidity. A removal ratio of >99.5% was achieved for Formaldehyde and Toluene in 60 minutes. Results may vary depending on the actual usage environment. Tested with Airmega 350, 450
12 Tested by Intertek. The evaluation was conducted against designated test materials: Sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen dioxide, and Naphthalene. The test was performed in a sealed 1.0×1.0×1.0 m (1.0 m³) odor chamber at a test room temperature of (23±2)°C (measured between 23.6∼23.9°C) and a test room humidity of (45±5)% R.H. (measured between 40∼48)% Relative Humidity. It met the odor removal rate of ≥99.9% for Sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen dioxide, and Naphthalene. Results may vary depending on the actual usage environment. Tested with Airmega 350, 450
