Your bed and bedsheets are the perfect environment for dust mites to thrive and live in! Therefore, ensure you're washing your bedding every week. Hot temperatures kill dust mites.
Though too small to see with the naked eye (only about . 33 millimeters long), dust mites are easily visible through even a cheap microscope. You can pick up an inexpensive microscope from any store that sells toys, a hobby store, or a thrift store and use it to discover whether your home has dust mites.
Wash all sheets, blankets, pillowcases and bedcovers in hot water that is at least 130 F (54.4 C) to kill dust mites and remove allergens. If bedding can't be washed hot, put the items in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at a temperature above 130 F (54.4 C) to kill the mites.
The best way to kill dust mites is to wash your bedding (sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and comforters) in hot water on a regular basis, ideally once a week. Opt for bedding that can withstand regular hot water washing.
Live mites and allergen present in washed versus unwashed and washed mite-infested versus washed mite-free items were compared. Results: Washing clothing and bedding in water alone, detergent, or detergent plus bleach removed 60% to 83% of the live mites. Washing removed more mites from some items than from others.
If you're concerned your mattress has dust mites, you can clean it. One simple step is to remove any detachable covers and use an upholstery attachment to vacuum the mattress and all of its crevices.
Both steam cleaning and dry cleaning will take care of surface soil, but dry cleaning will not kill dust mites. Also, steam clean chairs, sofas, couches and carpets. Steam clean carpets and rugs on a regular basis. Once again, it will at least kill the mites even if it doesn't eliminate the allergens.
Keep your mattress and pillows in dustproof or allergen-blocking covers. These covers, made of tightly woven fabric, prevent dust mites from colonizing or escaping from the mattress or pillows. Encase box springs in allergen-proof covers. Wash bedding weekly.
Just like hot temperatures, freezing cold temperatures also kill dust mites. For more delicate fabrics or items that cannot be washed (such as silk or lace) freeze them. Place the items in a clear plastic bag and put them in the freezer for 24 hours. This will kill the dust mites completely.
The CDC's top recommendations for avoiding dust mites includes using an allergen-proof mattress and pillowcase covers in addition to washing your sheets weekly.
Essential oils contain compounds that repel or kill insects, including dust mites. The best essential oils for getting rid of dust mites are clove, rosemary, and eucalyptus oil. Add 20 drops of oil to four ounces of witch hazel, and spray your mattress, couch, drapes, and other dust mite hangouts.
Materials like organic cotton, wool, bamboo, and microfiber are made of moisture-wicking, antimicrobial materials that are naturally resistant to dust mites and mildew.
Get a dust mite cover – plastic covers will make certain that someone's mattress is not infested. Use dust mite sprays – There are many different dust mite sprays available that you can spray over your bedding products. These won't be enough to completely eliminate the problem, but they can help.
You cannot feel dust mites crawling on your skin. The allergic symptoms are caused by inhaling the microscopic fecal matter and shed skins. The dust mite feeds on shed human and animal skin cells.
Although they may “hitchhike” on clothing, dust mites do not live on people. They feed primarily on dander, flakes of dead skin that fall from people and animals. Upholstered furniture, pillows and mattresses typically harbor more dust mites than carpeting.
Dust mites occur naturally and can appear in nearly all homes. Humidity is the most important factor in determining whether a house has high levels of dust mites. This is because dust mites do not drink water like we do; they absorb moisture from the air.
Dust mites live and multiply easily in warm, humid places. They prefer temperatures at or above 70 degrees Fahrenheit with humidity of 75 to 80 percent. They die when the humidity falls below 50 percent.
Allergen levels are at their highest between May and October, the peak breeding season of house dust mites. Most of the mites die during the winter, but the allergen-containing dust is stirred up by heating systems. This often causes the symptoms experienced by affected patients year-round to worsen during the winter.
A mild case of dust mite allergy may cause an occasional runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing. In severe cases, the condition may be ongoing (chronic), resulting in persistent sneezing, cough, congestion, facial pressure, an eczema flare-up or severe asthma attack.
Joining you in bed are countless dust mites and bacteria, not to mention lots and lots of your own dead skin. Dermatologist Alok Vij, MD, says you should wash your sheets at least every two weeks — maybe more, depending on factors like whether you live in a warm climate and whether your pet sleeps in your bed.
Spray Lysol on dust surfaces to kill dust mites
After cleaning dust surfaces with a vacuum, apply and spray Lysol on your furniture and fabrics.
Tea Tree Essential Oil is a natural antiseptic, antibacterial, and deodorizer. Eucalyptus oil, in specific concentrations, has been scientifically proven to kill 99.99% of dust mites. If you are into natural cleaning options and remedies, this is definitely a good place to begin at killing off dust mites.
Other Treatments. You can also use Ortho® Home Defense® Dual-Action Bed Bug Killer to kill dust mites. Thoroughly vacuum the entire house, concentrating on areas where mites congregate, like mattresses, box springs, headboards, walls, floors, carpets and along baseboards. Then spray the surfaces until damp.
Using a vacuum with a high-power or Boost mode will deliver the suction you need to remove as many mites, skin flakes and allergens as possible.