Wash bedding weekly. 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.
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.
Wash bedding regularly
A temperature of 122 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes kills dust mites, according to one study.
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.
Avoid furniture covered with fabrics. Use dust-proof pillow and mattress covers made from a tight-weave fabric that keeps out dust and mites. Use furniture made of wood, plastic, leather, or vinyl (including vinyl mattress covers) that you can wipe clean. Remove rugs and wall-to-wall 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.
Fortunately, an air purifier is great for dust removal, including dust mite allergens, and can help you breathe easier. An air purifier also prevents sickness by killing harmful airborne germs. Being exposed to dust mites at home on an ongoing basis can have a dramatic impact on your health.
The answer is yes … with an asterisk. Research shows that using hypoallergenic mattress covers, pillow covers or blankets is an effective way to reduce your exposure to those dust mites. That's welcome news, as the idea of those little insects roaming around is pretty creepy.
Dust mites are happy to live in any dust in your house, but they especially like warm, humid areas like your mattress and bedding. There, the dust mites have an all-you-can-eat buffet of their favorite snack — skin flakes.
Dust mites do not bite you or carry diseases, but their presence in your home, or even worse the bed where you sleep each night, can cause severe allergy issues including: Nasal congestion. Coughing or itchy throat.
Memory foam:
Memory foam mattresses tend to top lists of best hypoallergenic mattresses because the consistency of the foam prevents dust mites and other common allergens from getting in and taking hold. Denser memory foam is the most effective at this.
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.
Dust mites are microscopic insects that live in our pillows, furniture and carpets. They're not the same thing as bed bugs. To reduce your exposure to dust mites, follow these tips. First step, in terms of reducing dust mite exposure is to buy dust mite proof encasements for your pillows, mattress and box spring.
Unlike some insects and bugs, dust mites do not bite humans or burrow into the skin. But if you like to have a clean environment, it's best to take measures to get rid of and prevent dust mites in your bedroom. However, if your mattress becomes full of dust mites, you might have to consider mattress disposal.
Bamboo fibre offers many other properties besides being the best anti-dust mite bedding: Known for its breathable properties, bamboo makes for a great temperature regulating bedding.
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.
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.
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.
They thrive in pillows, mattresses, box springs, blankets, rugs and carpets, "stuffed animals" and upholstered (cloth) furniture such as couches. They also live in dusty areas like furnace ducts. They are so tiny that they are hard to see without a microscope. Dust mites feed on organic matter such as flakes of skin.
Predators. The predators of dust mites are other allergenic mites (Cheyletiella), silverfish and pseudoscorpions.