Sleeping with most of us every night are tiny microscopic creatures called Dust Mites. Dust Mites are in the arachnid family which includes spiders, ticks and scorpions. They feed on fungi, mold, bacteria, and scales of dead human skin and hair. Their life span is 2 to 4 months during which time the adult female can deposit between 60 and 100 eggs. In our homes, hundreds of thousands of Dust Mites are found in our beds, mattresses, sofas and carpets because those environments provide the best breeding ground for them. A typical used mattress may have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites inside. One of the main reasons they are harmful to people is that they expel allergens that create respiratory allergies and asthma. Estimates are that Dust Mites may be a factor in 50 to 80 percent of asthmatics, as well as in countless cases of eczema, hay fever and other allergic ailments. Two materials that offer the best known protection against the growth and spread of Dust Mites are wool and latex.
Why Wool and Latex
Wool is so effective in preventing the growth of Dust Mites because it naturally eliminates the moisture dust mites need to live on that we as human produce every night through perspiration (8-9 ounces per night). Latex is a natural material that Dust Mites cannot live in. The combination of the 2 materials as bedding form a protective barrier against the spread of these creatures in our bedrooms.
To view a short video on Dust Mites, click the image below:
