Is your nose always in the air, your eyes full of an itch, or your skin with a reaction that you could not explain? The culprit may shock you, as it is not seasonal pollen or pet dander, but rather invisible household pests.
Every year, millions of Americans suffer from pest allergies that range from mild annoyance to full-blown asthma attacks. The good news? There is no need to continue existing in discomfort. Learn what pests cause the most allergic reactions and how to keep your home pest-free. In some cases, prevention methods are effective. Still, if pest problems persist, they are not addressable on Saturdays, and you will need one or another intervention by a trained exterminator near me to ensure the pest is eliminated and long-term relief from infestation is guaranteed.
Common Pest Allergies In the USA
- Dust Mite Allergies
Dust mites are invisible troublemakers that lurk in bedding, carpets, and upholstered furniture. These tiny creatures consume dead skin cells we shed every day.
An average adult can lose as much as 1.5 grams of skin per day—more than enough to feed one million dust mites! Dust mites produce airborne waste products and body parts that cause allergic reactions with symptoms like sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy eyes.
- Cockroach Allergies
You may think cockroaches are just a mere disturbance, but they are significant, allergy-evoking pests. Crain et al. conducted a national study among 994 inner-city allergic children recruited from 7 U.S. cities. Cockroaches were found in 58% of the homes. Cockroaches’ saliva, feces, and shed skin proteins may trigger severe allergic reactions.
Cockroach allergens can remain in your home long after you have eliminated the cockroaches, even if you do not see live cockroaches, and can continue to cause reactions.
- Bed Bug Reactions
Bed bugs cannot cause real allergies, but in some sensitive patients, their bites may produce severe skin reactions. Bed bug bite reactions usually appear as localized welts or clusters of bites, and some people get secondary infections from scratching the itchy bite marks.
How Can You Protect Yourself From Pests?
Control Humidity and Temperature
Controlling the humidity in your home is your first line of defence against many pest-related allergens. From May to October, house dust mites breed at their peak, specifically during the season with the highest concentration of allergens. Use dehumidifiers or air conditioning to maintain below 50% humidity in your home.
Keep an eye on moisture-prone areas, especially in bedrooms and basements. In some regions of your home, such as the bathroom and kitchen, make sure to use your exhaust fans to prevent the extra humidity from circulating through the rest of your home
Regular Cleaning and Maintenance
Use a HEPA filter to suck up the smallest known allergens picked up by regular vacuums, then wash bedding once a week in hot water (at least 130ºF) to kill dust mites and dissolve their waste products. Wrap up one more lingering offender, the fabric items in your home, from curtains to pillows to stuffed animals, all of those can hide a lot of allergens.
When it comes to hard surfaces, opt for wet cloths rather than dry dusters, which push allergens into the air. Concentrate your efforts on dark places cockroaches like to hide, such as behind appliances, under sinks, and in the corners of pantries.
Seal Entry Points and Eliminate Food Sources
Seal cracks around windows, doors, and pipes to prevent pests from entering your home. Try to keep food in air-tight containers and with no visible crumbs. Pests must have moisture, so repair leaking pipes and remove water accumulation.
If you have terrible allergies, consider installing hard flooring in bedrooms instead of carpeting.
This is also where genuine pest control service providers like Presto Pest Control come into play. Their years of experience in locating and removing pest allergen sources help pest control services make their services comprehensive in terms of eradicating the issue and preventing the problem altogether.
