Good Housekeeping recommends you vacuum your mattress every three-to-six months, while other sources recommend mattress vacuuming on a monthly basis. If someone has allergies in your home, you may need to vacuum more frequently to remove dust and other allergens.
It's a good idea to also vacuum the mattress at least once a month. Dust, dander, and dust mites build up in your mattress. Even those of us without allergies can begin to notice dust and dirt in our mattress. Vacuum your mattress using the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner.
You may be able to tell you have dust mites in the home, by a continual round of some of the following allergic symptoms: Itchy nose. Stuffy or runny nose. Facial pain due to sinus pressure.
If your mattress is not encased in a dust mite-proof case and you suffer from allergic reactions, you should vacuum your mattress at least monthly to reduce the number of dust mites. If the mattress has a dust-proof cover that is cleaned frequently, then a twice-yearly cleaning should be all that is needed.
Mop, dust, and vacuum to reduce dust and dust mites. Damp-mop hard floors (tile or hardwood, for example) once a day. Dust and vacuum once or twice a week to remove the buildup of allergens. Use a dry cloth to wipe hard surfaces such as countertops, tables, and other furniture.
Vacuum Properly (and Regularly)
A thorough vacuuming once a week, or even once a day, will go a long way toward eliminating dust. Many new bagless styles come with built-in HEPA filters, which trap even smaller particles of dirt and help freshen the air.
These can come from both animals and humans, found in mattresses, carpeted areas, lounging areas and furniture. Numerous dust mites have a short life span of 10-30 days. But, depending on the environment and moisture conditions, females can live up to 70 days – and lay hundreds of eggs.
Vacuuming alone cannot eliminate bed bugs (except possibly in a very limited new infestation), and vacuuming is typically used in conjunction with insecticide treatment and other non-chemical controls.
Dust mites can live in the bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpets or curtains in your home. Dust mites are nearly everywhere; roughly four out of five homes in the United States have dust mite allergens in at least one bed.
For most people the best thing to reduce dust mites in your pillows, sheets, and bed is to launder your sheets regularly in hot water, switch out your pillows about once a year, and make sure you buy a new mattress every 5 to 10 years from 2 Brothers Mattress.
If you wake up with itchy skin, watery eyes or a runny nose - chances are your allergies were triggered by dust mites in your mattress, pillow or bed sheets.
While a normal vacuum will give your mattress a basic clean (something we're supposed to do twice a year, apparently, to extend its lifespan), mattress vacs tend to have stronger suction, so they can extract finer dust and dirt particles. They can also cost as much—or more than—a regular vacuum.
Apply Baking Soda
Baking soda helps to absorb moisture and neutralize odor. Once applied, simply leave the baking soda on the mattress for at least a few hours.
We recommend dusting before vacuuming, this is because dust particles usually get moved around the room when you dust, meaning all your hard work will go to waste. A top tip is to wait at least 2 hours after dusting to get the vacuum out.
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 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.
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.
Vacuuming every day, or even a few times a day, is not going to create any long term problems.
“We would recommend vacuuming at least once or twice a week—and more often if we have pets—with the right tools to remove dust quickly and effectively," Patel advises.
Bedrooms, especially those with carpet, should be vacuumed at least once a week and twice a week during allergy season. Less-often used spaces such as guest rooms, sunrooms, or formal dining rooms can be vacuumed less frequently or just before you're expecting company.
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.
This special bedding (such as mattress covers) acts as a physical barrier that serves several roles: It keeps new dust mites from setting up residence in your mattress or pillow.
Differences Between Bed Bugs and Dust Mites
Bed bugs are insects with 6 legs whereas dust mites are arachnids with 8 legs. Dust mites are scavengers that feed on dead skin of people and other pests. Bed bugs feed directly on the blood of people and sometimes animals.