How steamers can help asthma sufferers

According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 12% (or 8 million UK people) suffer from asthma. Data from AllergyUK shows a surprising 49% of the UK population suffer from Hay Fever.

In peak hay fever season the advice often includes closing windows and staying inside, yet dust mites and pollen hidden in curtains and other furnishings can still cause sneezing and irritation.

Now there is an easy way to ensure that mites are killed and pollen nipped in the bud – steaming with a Propress Steamer.

Propress Steamers are the original steaming brand. Launched over 40 years ago to quickly remove creases in fabrics, and origonally supplied to leading fashion retailers and soft furnishing stores, Propress Steamers are now rapidly becoming a ‘must have’ for home users.

Combined with the steamer’s ability to quickly remove creases in clothes, furnishings and curtains, the Propress Steamer has earned itself a reputation for stopping common home allergies.

A study by researchers MJ Coloff, C Taylor and TG Merrett was carried out to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a domestic steam cleaner for the control of dust mites in fabrics.

It was found that after steaming, all mites were killed.

More significant for allergy sufferers is the measurement of the allergen Der p1.

The study found an average 87% fall in the concentration of Der p1 after just one session of steaming.

The study concluded:

Steaming as reported here is the only method of house dust mite control that combines effective killing of mites and substantial reduction in allergen concentrations within a single system. These factors, taken together, render domestic steamers especially suitable for the management of dust mites and their allergens in the homes of allergy sufferers.

MJ Coloff, C Taylor, TG Merrett

The Propress Steamer range consists of the PRO Series of professional steamers (PRO 290 and PRO 580) for a range of clothes and fabric applications, and the portable MINI Handheld Steamer.

Sources:

1.MJ Coloff, C Taylor, TG Merrett. The use of domestic steam cleaning for the control of house dust mites. Clinical and Experimental Allergy 1995 25: 1061-6.