I found out through my allergy testing that one of the things I'm very allergic to is dust mites (actually, it's their poop you're allergic to). Removing all the upholstered furniture and carpet from my house is not a viable option.

I see there are products on the market that kill dust mites, and other products that neutralize the poop, so it can't affect you. I'm wondering if anyone has tried these?

A lot of sites (including National Jewish, I think) say that tannic acid products will neutralize. But tannic acid stains, like tea. So that's not an option on white carpet and light furniture. I see other products like Aller-x that say they have no tannic acid and don't stain. But I wonder if they really work.

Anybody had any experience with any of these things?

I'm hoping that taking allergy shots and tackling the dust mites will help my breathing.

Dear PLM: my pulmonologist last week told me that he had attended grand rounds and the latest data indicate that the mattress and pillow covers don't work. The best thing is to wash bed linens in very hot water very frequently--at least once per week.

As far as the rest goes, dust will never go away. I've been taking the shots for 12 years and they have definitely helped. I do, however, have wall-to-wall carpeting but I cann't afford to pull it up and install hardwood floors. I'm thinking of hiring a cleaning person. The protocols for asthma abatement when dust is a trigger basically say that we should live in a house with linoleum floors, no curtains, and natural fiber bed linens. Well, not possible or realistic and without some sort of trust fund.

Good luck.

Mary