Des,
Ian is being too kind, but thanks nevertheless.
The Hygienitech system incorporates pulsating UV-C light to kill the mites, plus a vibrating vaccum for extraction. The use of light has the advantage over insecticides in that there is no associated risk of alergic reaction for the human occupants of the bed.
However, the dust mite is photophobic and will burrow within the padding to avoid daylight. this means that at start of treatment most of the mite population will be away from the surface. The penetration of the treatment light pulses is limited and I am doubtfull as to what proportion of mites would be affected.
What is good about the system is the vibrating vacuum, which will remove a significant amount of mite droppings and exfoliated skin. Other ways of removing this include the Von Shraeder upholstery vacuum and the Victor electric brush head, the vaccum power for this can be supplied by your HWE, fitted with a dust-downer device and locate out side the building.
If we accept that without the use of a liquid nitrogen system, we are able to kill only a proportion of the mite population within a mattress, then we arive at the more practical proposition of population controll.
The dust mite does not drink, it obtains the moisture it requires to survive from its food - our exfoliated skin. When this leaves our bodies it is too dry to support the mites. What introduces the water is a micro-fungus which forms on the skin scales and absorbs and injects ambient moisture and enzymes into the skin.
By removing as much of the food sorce, dead mites and mite excrement as possible, then treating with a safe fungicide and educating the client as to simple daily airing of bedding the mite population can be kept at low level.
In this way I have been treating mattresses for years and the 'proof of the pudding' is that sufferers of asthema and allergic rhinitis often show an immediate impovement after treatment.
John.
