Dust mites need not apply

WARNING:  IF THE THOUGHT OF BUGS, BUGS YOU, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP THIS POST!!

We've vacuumed and dusted and dusted and vacuumed and washed blankets and pillows... getting the room ready for the "allergy prone kids".  I've read more about dust mites than I care to know... (Like, dust mites and their (ahem) droppings can make up 10% of the weight of a 2 year old pillow).  Dust mites aren't harmful to people - good thing, because they are everywhere... a mattress can have 100,000 to 10 million dust mites in it...  But some people are allergic to their (ahem) droppings... And we happen to have at least one of those people living in our house and most likely 3 of them... So tonight, the 3 of them begin their exile to their room of new mattresses, washed bedding, vacuumed carpeting, scrubbed walls...

And in case you are shuddering to think of these bugs, you can read this

As a practicing allergist in Wisconsin, I would like to make a few comments about dust mites and their control.
1. Man has lived with them for many thousands of years.
2. They do not spread any type of disease. If you are not allergic to them, they are harmless
3. They eat shed skin, human as well as other mammalian types.
4. They do not live on you or bite you.
5. Dust mites are present in all homes except in areas of low humidity ie. the southwestern U.S. or at altitudes above approximately 3500 feet.
6. Their presence is not related to how well you clean your home or your socioeconomic level.
7. Mites are unable to drink water. They absorb moisture from the atmosphere. Therefore, the cheapest and some feel the only environmental manipulation that may be effective is lowering indoor humidity. Reproductive rates of mites drop when indoor humidity is less than 50%. Keep indoor humidity below 45%, ideally close to 20%. Therefore, no humidifiers, especially in bedrooms, in the winter and use air conditioning all summer.

Martin Lobel M.D.— Martin Lobel M.D., FAAAAI, FACAAI

And here is what I found on the door to that room.

The No Dust Mites Aloud sign was Lincoln's - one of his sisters helped it out a little

Magnified many, many, many times!  Garrett wouldn't go in the room until this sign was removed - he thought this was actual size - and he is one of the ones sleeping in here.

Funny kids...  I sure hope it works!!!