The use ofdomestic steam cleaning for the control of house dust mites

Colloff, M. J.; Taylor, Christopher K.; Merrett, T. G.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1995.tb03252.x

Cited by 70 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In contrast, we found that dry steam cleaning resulted in a significant reduction in carpet HDM allergen that persisted for up to 8 weeks postintervention. These findings are consistent with the study by Colloff et al (24), which showed that steam cleaning alone is an effective mitocidal treatment for carpets. Importantly, the steam cleaning procedures used in this study are both widely available and inexpensive to implement.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Effects of physical interventions on house dust mite allergen levels in carpet, bed, and upholstery dust in low-income, urban homes.

Vojta

Randels

Stout

et al. 2001

Environ Health Perspect

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House dust mite allergen exposure is a postulated risk factor for allergic sensitization, asthma development, and asthma morbidity; however, practical and effective methods to mitigate these allergens from low-income, urban home environments remain elusive. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of physical interventions to mitigate house dust mite allergens in this setting. Homes with high levels of house dust mite allergen (Der f 1 + Der p 1 > or = 10 microg/g dust by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) in the bed, bedroom carpet, and/or upholstered furniture were enrolled in the study. Carpets and upholstered furniture were subjected to a single treatment of either dry steam cleaning plus vacuuming (carpet only) or intensive vacuuming alone. Bed interventions consisted of complete encasement of the mattress, box spring, and pillows plus either weekly professional or in-home laundering of nonencased bedding. Dust samples were collected at baseline and again at 3 days (carpet and upholstery only) and 2, 4, and 8 weeks posttreatment. We compared pretreatment mean allergen concentrations and loads to posttreatment values and performed between-group analyses after adjusting for differences in the pretreatment means. Both dry steam cleaning plus vacuuming and vacuuming alone resulted in a significant reduction in carpet house dust mite allergen concentration and load (p < 0.05). Levels approached pretreatment values by 4 weeks posttreatment in the intensive vacuuming group, whereas steam cleaning plus vacuuming effected a decrease that persisted for up to 8 weeks. Significant decreases in bed house dust mite allergen concentration and load were obtained in response to encasement and either professional or in-home laundering (p < 0.001). Between-group analysis revealed significantly less postintervention house dust mite allergen load in professionally laundered compared to home-laundered beds (p < 0.05). Intensive vacuuming and dry steam cleaning both caused a significant reduction in allergen concentration and load in upholstered furniture samples (p < 0.005). Based on these data, we conclude that physical interventions offer practical, effective means of reducing house dust mite allergen levels in low-income, urban home environments.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Effects of physical interventions on house dust mite allergen levels in carpet, bed, and upholstery dust in low-income, urban homes.

Vojta

Randels

Stout

et al. 2001

Environ Health Perspect

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“…The US Consumer Product Safety Commission provided in 2003 a report on the average temperature of four tumbler dryer designs and recorded under normal operating conditions, an average temperature of 175°C which is more than sufficient to eradicate mites and their eggs. Colloff et al (1995) found that dry (vapor) steam cleaning followed by vacuuming was equally effective in killing and removing live mites and their allergens from carpets. The same protocol of vacuuming and dry steam cleaning resulted in a significant reduction in dust mite allergen concentration in upholstered furniture when compared with pre-intervention loads (Vojta et al 2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Such control measures as encasing mattresses/pillows with impermeable covers (Mahakittikun et al 2006), washing bedding in hot water ([55°C) (McDonald and Tovey 1992), exposing loose carpets to direct sunlight (Tovey and Woolcock 1994), vacuuming (Adilah et al 1997), using acaricides (Kalpakhoglu et al 1996) which kill upon contact, or replacing carpets with vinyl or wooden floors (Tovey and Marks 1999) have been recommended. While the efficacy of these control measures has been challenged (Custovic and van Wijk 2005), Colloff (2009) has cited 12 trials/studies showing significant clinical improvement over the control group in asthma-related outcome measures. Thus, if absolute mite numbers and allergen levels are reduced over baseline by at least 95 and 92%, respectively, improvement is more probable, and, more importantly, allergen avoidance strategies do work and their use should continue to be recommended for asthma patients.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Effects of high and low temperatures on development time and mortality of house dust mite eggs

et al. 2011

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Hatching of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus eggs was investigated when exposed to temperatures ranging from -70 to +70°C, at varying degrees of humidity (dry and wet heat, direct sunlight) and lengths of time (seven intervals, ranging from 0.5 to 5 h). Exposure to cold was induced using a domestic refrigerator at 4°C, its freezing compartment at -10°C and a deep freezer at -20, -40 and -70°C. For each time interval, there were three slides containing 30 eggs per slide, except for sunlight (five sets of slides). After treatment, all experimental groups were kept on an open work bench for 15 days of observation at ambient room temperature (ca. 22°C) and ca. 75% relative humidity. Control groups with 10 eggs per slide, in triplicate, followed a similar protocol. An egg was considered hatched if an emerging larva was detected from a cracked shell. Results indicated that at 40°C for both dry and wet heat, approximately 80% of all eggs survived. At direct sunlight and dry heat at 50°C, the thermal death point (TDP) occurred at 3 and 5 h, respectively. At 60 and 70°C both wet and dry heat, TDP occurred almost instantaneously. Under cold conditions, only the deep freezer at -70°C was effective in preventing hatching. It may be concluded that exposure to direct sunlight for 3 h, dry/wet heat of 60 and 70°C for a minimum of 30 min, and -70°C prevent egg hatching. This study may have relevance for mite control procedures.

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“…Colloff et al found that steam cleaning reduces 87% of dust mite allergens in inoculated carpet samples, but the study did not assess actual reductions in dust mites. (47) Vojta et al (9) reported that dry-steam cleaning plus vacuuming resulted in a significant persistent reduction in dust mite allergen that lasted for up to 8 weeks.…”

Section: Inactivation Of Dust Mites Dust Mite Allergen and Mold Fromentioning

confidence: 98%

Inactivation of Dust Mites, Dust Mite Allergen, and Mold from Carpet

Ong

Lewis

Dixit

et al. 2014

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene

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Carpet is known to be a reservoir for biological contaminants, such as dust mites, dust mite allergen, and mold, if it is not kept clean. The accumulation of these contaminants in carpet might trigger allergies or asthma symptoms in both children and adults. The purpose of this study is to compare methods for removal of dust mites, dust mite allergens, and mold from carpet. Carpets were artificially worn to simulate 1 to 2 years of wear in a four-person household. The worn carpets were inoculated together with a common indoor mold (Cladosporium species) and house dust mites and incubated for 6 weeks to allow time for dust mite growth on the carpet. The carpets were randomly assigned to one of the four treatment groups. Available treatment regimens for controlling carpet contaminants were evaluated through a literature review and experimentation. Four moderately low-hazard, nondestructive methods were selected as treatments: vacuuming, steam-vapor, Neem oil (a natural tree extract), and benzalkonium chloride (a quaternary ammonium compound). Steam vapor treatment demonstrated the greatest dust mite population reduction (p < 0.05) when compared to other methods. The two physical methods, steam vapor and vacuuming, have no statistically significant efficacy in inactivating dust mite allergens (p = 0.084), but have higher efficacy when compared to the chemical method on dust mite allergens (p = 0.002). There is no statistically significant difference in the efficacy for reducing mold in carpet (p > 0.05) for both physical and chemical methods. The steam-vapor treatment effectively killed dust mites and denatured dust mite allergen in the laboratory environment.

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The use ofdomestic steam cleaning for the control of house dust mites

Abstract: These data indicate that steam cleaning has considerable potential as an highly effective and efficient method of killing dust mites and reducing concentrations of Der p 1 in domestic premises.

Cited by 70 publications

References 16 publications

Effects of physical interventions on house dust mite allergen levels in carpet, bed, and upholstery dust in low-income, urban homes.

Effects of physical interventions on house dust mite allergen levels in carpet, bed, and upholstery dust in low-income, urban homes.

Effects of high and low temperatures on development time and mortality of house dust mite eggs

Inactivation of Dust Mites, Dust Mite Allergen, and Mold from Carpet

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