We were getting ready to move house and amongst all the chaos there’s one thing which really took me by surprise and that’s the amount of dust which was happily living where I couldn’t see it.

Wasn’t my weekly vacuum, mop and wet dust enough to keep dust away? Apparently not.

Of course the reason why I was so alarmed about the hidden amounts of dust is that dust mite allergen is a big trigger for eczema. Some babies skin can be become more inflamed if it comes in contact with dust mite allergen. Dust mites and eczema just don’t go together. So now I’m trying even harder to make dust mites uncomfortable in our new house with a few new tricks.

Avoiding dust mites allergy

Along with vacuuming, mopping and wet dusting regularly there are a few tips which I’ve found can really help keep dust mites under control which is part of managing my toddlers eczema symptoms.

• Mattress encasings

One of the things which I have discovered makes a big difference is using an allergy encasing on both my toddlers mattresses. In discovering new ways to avoid dust mites I came across a study from 1996 where a team of dermatologists decided to see what would happen if the amount of house dust mite in the homes of people with eczema was reduced. They used a number of different ways to control house dust mite but the most effective way was encasing the mattress in a dust mite allergen protective cover. The dust was collected from the mattress every month over six months. The amount of dust taken from the encased mattress was 98% less than the plain cotton covered mattress and stayed that way for the time of the study. Of extra special interest were the eczema symptoms of those sleeping on the encased mattress greatly improved.

• No carpet in the bedroom

Before we moved into our house I insisted on replacing the carpet with floor boards. Carpet is really good at trapping dust and making it difficult for the household vacuum to get to them. This means more dust mite allergen to inflame our baby’s eczema. We still wanted somewhere to sit and play in their bedrooms on a warm floor so I chose low pile rugs from Ikea these are harder for dust mite allergens to trap themselves. Stay away from from high pile rugs!

• Washing

Only washing in hot water (60 degrees C) will kill dust mites. I wash my toddlers all cotton bed sheets weekly in a hot cycle cycle and when the weather is good hanging them, along with their pillows out in the sun to dry. Direct sunlight also kills dust mites.

Washing all stuffed toys in a hot cycle regularly is a must. If the toys are too delicate for the washing machine I put them in the freezer for 24 hours to kill the dust mites. Of course I try my best to stop stuffed toys entering our house but some always find a home with us.

These three actions I’m finding so far to be reducing both my toddlers eczema symptoms. Avoiding eczema triggers is a big part in managing your baby’s eczema.

This post was brought to you and your baby with love from Julia and the itchy baby co. team x

Disclaimer: Information provided is of a general nature only, and you should always consult your medical professional.