General
The dust mite is very common in the Netherlands in houses, company buildings etc. Until about 1900, the dust mite was only found in tanned hides, but since the sixties, they are also often found in house dust, mattresses and upholstered sofas and chairs.

The dust mite feeds on flakes of human skin. A temperature of 25 degrees is ideal for the dust mite, so the invention of central heating and home insulation benefit it greatly. In addition, 50-75 % humidity is desired. Usually, the dust mite exists in a house in acceptable numbers. Depending on the above-mentioned factors, these numbers can grow significantly however.

In recent years, we have learned that a great portion of the increase of allergic reactions in people (such as asthma) is caused by the dust mite. Mainly the droppings and moult skin of the dust mite cause this. About 10% of the population is hypersensitive to the dust mite. Allergic individuals may suffer from eczema.

Prevention
It is important to keep the humidity below 50% This is very unpleasant for the dust mites. They dryer (humidity) must have a drain that goes outside. In addition, furniture and upholstery should be as dust-free as possible. The room must be ventilate frequently and organic materials in mattresses, insulation areas and flooring must be limited where possible.

With the help of a test available at the pharmacy, it is possible to detect dust mite, as well as where the largest concentration is and whether control and / or prevention is necessary.

Control
Pesticides usually have no lasting effect against dust mite. However, mite control can help manage the population, which reduces the nuisance to a minimum. The most important is however to carry out the prevention measures after the control measures. This helps you manage toe population after it has been reduced to an acceptable size.