How to Eliminate Dust Mites in Your Home

Handling Dust Mites in Your Home

If you have dust and textiles in your house, you are at risk for hosting colonies of dust mites. In susceptible individuals, they trigger allergic reactions, asthma attacks, and even some cases of dermatitis.

What Attracts Dust Mites?

It is a common misconception that these animals live on humans. This is not the case. Rather, they live in areas where people and pets reside. Because they feed on dead skin cells from humans and pets, they are most plentiful where these are found.

• Carpeting. Your carpet is a repository of dead skin cells, hair, fibers, and other allergens. It also provides an easy to access smorgasbord for dust mites.
• Bedding. Mattresses combine humidity, which the mites need for procreation, and shed skin cells. Mites also live in your pet’s bedding as well as the pillows you have on your couch.
• Upholstery. Anything with textile surfaces is a potential dust mite location. Sofas, upholstered chairs, and the overstuffed comfortable chair you like to relax in are targets.
• Dusty areas. The thin layer of dust on the bookshelf consists of hair particles, pollen, mold spores, and skin cells. It is also a habitat for mites.

How to Minimize Dust Mites in the Home Environment

There are various steps you can take to decrease the mite infestation drastically in your home. For starters, change your bedding weekly. Wash it in hot water and dry it on high heat. It kills mites and eggs.

Similarly, allow direct sunlight into your home. The heat also results in a reduction of mite populations. Consider adding a mattress cover that keeps mites out. Most importantly, invest in sheets with a high thread count. They are typically less likely to experience infestations.

Routinely wash the stuffed animals in your child’s room. Keep out only those that do well in the washing machine. Others should be stored in plastic containers.

Regular vacuuming of carpeted areas is a must. When pets live in the home, it should happen at least once a day. Replace upholstered chairs with leather surface ones. Besides that, dust shelves and books regularly. By removing the habitat for the mites, they will not thrive.

Air Filtration and Dehumidification

To make your home inhospitable to these pests, HealthyAir USA recommends the installation of a whole-house dehumidifier. Dust mites thrive in humidity higher than 50 percent. Controlling home humidity levels to fall consistently between 40 and 45 percent is essential for reducing the mite population to small numbers.

Another option is the use of HEPA air filtration. Not only does it trap the mites, but it also catches the pests’ fecal particles and exoskeletons. Combine dehumidification and air filtration for best results. By the way, this combination will also remove other allergens from the air you breathe.

HealthyAir USA wants to help you breathe easier. Invite our technicians to come and conduct an air assessment. We can tell you what types of allergens are in your house’s air. Next, we can offer you actionable ideas for dealing with dust mites and other allergens. Contact us today!