Are you ready to continue our exploration of the microcosmos? Well, like a quality oriental rug on a hardwood floor, we’ve got it covered. In the first installment of this blog series, we took a look at how we ever even discovered these invisible creatures in the first place. We rewound the clock to a time when people were completely oblivious to bacteria, viruses, tardigrades, dust mites, and all the other tiny things we take for granted today. We then looked at how technology has advanced and allowed us to discover the full extent of the microbial world. And how extensive it is! As we mentioned, we now know that there are more bacterial cells in the human body than there are human cells!
For this blog, we want to take a closer look at micro-animals in particular. As fascinating as viruses and bacteria are, we’re going to look at tiny arthropods that call our rugs and carpets home. And then we’ll look at some of our rug cleaning services that can help keep these critters in check. Which reminds us: be sure to reach out to Oriental Express in Las Vegas for all of your rug cleaning services! And now, to the world of the tiny!
Modern science has allowed us to measure and discover all sorts of interesting facts about our daily lives. For instance, did you know that the average household accumulates around 40 pounds of dust in a single year? That amount of dust is the equivalent weight of a 3-year-old child — or the entire leg of a fully-grown adult! Strange comparisons aside, that’s a whole lot of dust!
Now, you may have heard before that dust is made mostly of dead skin cells. The good news is that’s not entirely true. The bad news is that it’s partially true. Dust isn’t mostly skin particles, though skin particles are certainly an ingredient in dust. That 40 pounds of dust that accrues in your home each year consists of things like plant pollen, insect waste, good old fashioned dirt, and even burnt meteorite particles! And, of course, dead skin.
Even though dead skin might not be the most common element of dust, it’s certainly what fuels the existence of a common micro-animal: the dust mite.
As we mentioned in the previous blog, recent research has revealed that the typical home is going to have 100 different species of microscopic arthropods roaming around. That’s a whole lot of biodiversity in a single home. The vast majority of these critters are going to be completely harmless. Something like a spider mite or a book louse might sound scary or disgusting, but they’ll live harmlessly in your home without you ever even noticing they’re there. Just invisible little free-loaders.
Unfortunately, not every species of micro-animal in your home is harmless. And even more unfortunately, one that poses a danger — the dust mite — is extremely common. Every home has dust mites. Dust mites are arachnids, making them close cousins to spiders. They’re large enough to almost be visible with the naked eye, and when examined under a microscope they take on the look of translucent jellybeans with legs. So, what makes them dangerous? Luckily, it’s usually not the mites themselves. Rather, it’s the waste they leave behind.
Dust mites use powerful enzymes to break down the keratin in skin particles and digest it. After that, the mites produce waste pellets at a prodigious rate. Along with the exoskeletons the mites shed as they grow, the droppings become part of the dust in our homes. The droppings and exoskeletons from dust mites has been shown to increase symptoms of allergies and asthma. In fact, recent research has even shown that inhaling dust that contains dust mite waste might be a contributing factor to children developing asthma in the first place.
So, what can be done about dust mites? Well, first of all, we should be grateful that we live in Las Vegas, since dust mites are less common in these climates. Less common — but still common enough to be a potential problem. The best way to prevent dust mites and any potential side effects that come from their presence? Regular cleaning!
Of course, getting regular rug cleaning service is all the more important for homes with pets, children, and high-traffic. This holds true for mitigating the effects of dust mites. Homes with pets will accumulate much more dust — and, thus, attract more dust mites. Vacuuming and mopping are essential. On top of that, you will want to turn to the pros for regular rug cleaning services.
Something else you can do is to seal your oriental rug with MicroSeal™ fabric protection. This will not only keep your rug cleaner and safer in the long-run, it will also make cleaning in the future easier and more efficient.
In short, regular cleaning can and will help prevent the numbers of dust mites in your home, as well as the potential negative health effects that come from them camping out in your rugs. Standard regular maintenance is essential, as well as professional rug cleanings. It’s important to keep in mind, too, that there’s no way to completely rid your home of dust mites, let alone all micro-animals. But that’s okay! These little critters are mostly harmless, and even dust mites aren’t too much of a worry unless you suffer from bad allergies or have children who might be at risk of asthma. Besides, it’s awfully cool that we know all about these invisible visitors now, especially considering that we had no clue of their existence until relatively recently. So, no need to panic — just keep things tidy and get regular cleanings. Are you ready for expert rug cleaning service? Oriental Express in Las Vegas is here for you! Reach out to us today!
