Dust Mites Are Everywhere, But There’s Something You Can Do

Dust mites are one of the three most common triggers of indoor allergies.

A dust mite is a tiny, microscopic bug. Dust mites feed on dead skin cells and other components found in dust. Dust mites thrive in homes and are virtually unavoidable. That spells trouble if you suffer from a dust mite allergy, but even though it is near impossible to completely rid your home of dust mites, you can take measures to reduce the number of dust mites in your home dramatically and keep the population to a small, unnoticeable size.

For people with a dust mite allergy the symptoms of dust mite exposure are pretty much the same as they would be for any other kind of allergy. Primarily, sufferers will notice respiratory and nasal reactions such as those people suffer with seasonal outdoor allergies. Allergy symptoms include:

Runny nose
Watery eyes
Itchy nose, itchy roof of mouth
Sneezing
Nasal stuffiness and sinus pressure
(sometimes) hives (or red and hive-like skin reactions to dust mite bites)

Dust mites thrive on fabrics and soft surfaces of the home, the so-called “dust magnets” of the house. A place you can expect to find the dust mite is mattresses, bedding, carpets and upholstered furniture. It is also normal to find the dust mite in pillows.

Dust mites are largely a part of life - one that no one likes to think about, but one that is ever-present nonetheless. Dust mites are being talked about more and more lately as they come to be recognized as common allergens and mainstream public hears more about them. It’s not uncommon anymore for a school student to design a science fair project with dust mites. A dust mite science fair hypothesis might sound something like - ‘do you know what you are sleeping in?’.. Science fair projects on dust mites do offer some very useful information about understanding dust mite facts and dealing with dust mites on a daily basis.

A dust mite school science fair project might sound like fun to young boys who like creepy-crawlies, but most of us adults only want to know one thing - how to kill dust mites and keep populations at bay.

There are sprays and chemicals that can be used in the home against dust mites, but it is difficult to cover all surfaces and frequent reapplication is required. Steam vapor cleaners are highly effective killers of dust mites, killing on contact and without chemicals. For regular maintenance, though, a few things are recommended..

• Remove fabrics, upholstery and drapes where possible and launder often.


• Keep stuffed animals and dust-collecting toys away from sleeping areas.


• Cover mattresses and pillows with plastic covers..


• Wash bedding weekly in hot water (140 degrees F or hotter).


• Use air cleaners, hepa filters, and electrostatic air purifiers in the home.


• Remove carpeting.


• Clean hard surfaces with a damp cloth frequently.


• Vacuum with a good vacuum with a hepa filter.


• Lower household humidity.

For more about preventing dust mite allergies and new theories on dust mite allergy prevention (like taking vitamins to prevent dust mite allergies), talk to your doctor.

The best defense to mount against dust mites is a good, regular household cleaning schedule. Routine cleaning keeps dust mite populations as low as possible to where their presence and ability to trigger an allergy is diminished. With good cleaning, dust mite allergies are manageable.