Dust mites, a close relative to spiders, are small, eight-legged arachnids that are about a fourth of a millimeter in size making them virtually invisible to the naked eye. The majority of their life is spent feeding, making waste, and reproducing in great numbers. In fact, a full grown female dust mite can lay up to 100 eggs throughout her lifetime, with each mite capable of producing about as much as 20 waste pellets a day.

A recent study revealed that almost half of American homes are suffering from a dust mite infestation associated with the development of allergies that can trigger asthma attacks and a myriad of other allergy-related conditions. Dust mite allergy can be attributed closely to hay fever, with symptoms ranging from watery/itchy eyes, runny nose, sinusitis, and rashes. Children are normally more prone to dust mite allergies but can still develop asthma and eczema.

How To Get Rid of Dust Mites In Your Home

If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned earlier related to dust mite allergies, then you need to do something about it if you want you and your family free from these pesky insects. Here are some of the most effective things that you can do to finally rid your home from these tiny menaces.

1.) Dust Your Home Extensively
As their name suggests, dust mites thrive on dead skin, dander, and other materials that are normally found in dust. Thus, if your home is free from dust, there is a big chance that it is also free from dust mites. Removing dust in your home with the use of a damp cloth is effective in eliminating the presence of dust mites. A damp cloth is more ideal for removing dust than a dry one and be sure to include all areas where dust is present in your home including your furniture, walls, and floor. Rinse the cloth constantly to avoid spreading dust.

2.) Vacuum Your Home
Because riding your home from dust is the best way to eliminate dust mites, vacuuming is another great way to get rid of them. Your vacuum cleaner will not only suck out the dust but also the dead skin, dust mite feces, and other forms of allergens. To avoid allergens and dust from spreading, using a vacuum with a HEPA would be ideal. Be sure to vacuum floors, baseboards, furniture, carpeting, rugs, and furniture areas, and those other sections in your home where dust normally settles.

3.) Rinse your bedding with Hot Water
Bedding is a hot spot for dust mites. That is why it is important that you clean them properly to eliminate the pests. Remove the pillowcases, sheets, blankets, and covers from your bed and wash them in the washing machine using hot water. Once they are washed, be sure to dry them on a hot setting. Hot water is more effective than regular water in eliminating dust mites including eggs and hatchlings.

4.) Clean curtains and drapes
Aside from pillows and beddings, dust mites also thrive on heavy curtains and it is important that you clean them. Remove your curtains and drapes from their rods or tracks and wash them thoroughly. Be sure to thoroughly clean your curtains and avoid missing any section no matter how small. Use the same process in washing your beddings and pillowcases with the use of hot water.

5.) Use disinfecting sprays
Lysol and other disinfectants are very effective at killing dust mites and creating an environment in your home that is deadly to the tiny pests. It would also be ideal to spray your home after you have finished dusting to achieve best results. Also, make sure to disinfect other crucial areas in your home including corners, baseboards, floors, shelves, curtains, and around your furniture.

6.) Adjust Your Home’s Temperature and Humidity
In order to eliminate dust mites in your home, you need to adjust the temperature and humidity. Somewhere between 75°F and 80°F (24°C and 27°C) and a relative humidity around 70% to 80% are the ideal conditions for dust mites to thrive. While putting the temperature outside the dust mites comfort zone won’t necessarily kill them, it will slow down there breeding and alters their eggs’ ability to hatch. Adjust the temperature inside your home to no higher than 70°F (21°C) and relative humidity to less than 50%. An electronic humidity monitor will help you check your home’s relative humidity.

7.) Avoid Letting Pets Inside your Bedroom
Pet dander helps dust mite thrive inside your home that’s why it would be best to keep your pets away from your home’s interior specially from your bedroom. You can limit your pet’s indoor freedom to one or two rooms if you can’t help letting them inside. As much as possible though, let your pets roam around the garage or outside to avoid the spread of dust mites inside your home.

8.) Clean Regularly
While this might be a very obvious advice, there is really no better alternative to regular cleaning in avoiding dust mite infestation inside your home. This is because dust mites can breed extremely fast and with the average human – not to mention our pets – shedding more than enough dead skin everyday to feed one million of these menaces, maintaining a regular cleaning schedule is crucial. The more you clean, the more you prevent dust mites from invading your home.

9.) Call in the experts
If you’re really struggling to eliminate dust mites, it’s time to call in the experts. Eagle Pest Eliminators are experts in all areas of pest removal and can remove your home of dust mites and other pests quickly and effectively.