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.
Spray Tea Tree and Eucalyptus Oil
So, once you have cleaned your bedroom, add 2 tablespoons of organic tea tree oil and 2 tablespoons of organic eucalyptus oil into 2 cups of distilled water. Pour into a bottle and spray literally everywhere in your bed and bedroom. This will kill and repel any dust mites.
Dust mites are repulsed by the smell of Clove, Eucalyptus, Lavendar, Peppermint, and Rosemary. Make your own aromatic spray by adding a few drops of one (or more) of those essential oils in a water-filled spray bottle. Lightly mist your bed and allow it to air dry.
Use essential oils
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.
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 are not usually found in dry climates.
—LAYING CARPETS OUT IN THE SUN FOR 3 HOURS will kill mites but the allergen (from dead mites and their faecal particles) will still be there. —CARPETS CAN BE STEAM CLEANED and this will reduce the levels for 1 to 2 months. The steam cleaning needs to be done with steam not hot water.
Vinegar is highly acidic and will kill just about any mite that crosses its path.
99% of dust mites can be eliminated from your bedding by the simple addition of a long soak in Eucalyptus essential oil.” The research work with this eucalyptus oil solution for dust mites was done at the University of Sydney in Australia.
Dry vacuuming doesn't pick up dust mites. Consider steam cleaning carpets when possible. In addition to cleaning the carpet, the heat of the steam kills dust mites. You can buy chemicals (ascaricides) that kill dust mites and that you can use on carpeting and furniture.
Does vinegar or baking soda kill dust mites? Although baking soda and vinegar can help remove mattress odors, neither can kill dust mites. Baking soda may help absorb moisture from a mattress if you want to sprinkle some on before vacuuming, however.
Start by adding a cup of vinegar (just the plain white vinegar) and a cup of water to the spray bottle. Then add about 15 drops of tea tree oil and about 5 drops of peppermint oil to the bottle. Put the spray top on and give it a good shake. That is all there is to the DIY mattress spray.
At the highest doses, the essential oils of the two lavender species and of peppermint killed 100% of the mites, both by direct contact and by inhalation. Eucalyptus oil was the least active.
They recommend a wash temperature of 130°F or higher to kill dust mites. You would need to measure the temperature of your wash water to make sure you actually are washing at this temperature.
Spray away: Use Lysol® Disinfectant Spray on surfaces around your house to get rid of dust mite debris and other allergens.
Another great essential oil to help eradicate dust mites and bring you relief is Lavender essential oil. Known for its calming properties, spraying lavender on bed sheets can also make dust mites flee.
The symptoms are typically worse at night and in the morning because dust mites tend to live in mattresses, pillows and bedding.
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.
Particularly with cold or warm-water washing, many mites die by drowning or are simply washed out of the substrate while still alive. In contrast, many newer washing machines are water-conserving front-loaders, in which the item is repeatedly wetted and spun, without it staying submerged in water.
So, how do you starve them? Cut off their supply of food. This is the natural way to get rid of dust mites and their allergens. Encase your mattress, box spring, and pillows in special zippered dust mite proof covers.
They love to burrow in your fabric and feast on your skin cells. And, for this reason, your bed is the perfect place to make their home. Unlike bed bugs, mites don't pose any significant health risks. However, dust mite proteins can trigger congestion, a run nose, watery eyes, and other allergic reactions.
Dust mites love warm, humid areas filled with dust. Bed pillows, mattresses, carpets, and furniture are great places for them to live. Cleaning each one of these places can reduce the number of dust mites in your home.
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.