What Are Dust Mites And How to Get Rid Of Them

Aleena Maria
4 min readSep 30, 2021

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Dust mites are too tiny bugs that can be seen only with the help of a microscope. They belong to the spider family. They live in house dust and feed on the dead skin shed by the people. Their specialty is that they can survive in all climates and they can be seen everywhere in the house. But usually, they grow well in warm and humid environments. That is why dust mites tend to live in places like bedding, upholstery, or carpet as they provide an ideal atmosphere for them to grow.

Waste products of dust mites, produce antibodies against the normally harmless substances. This causes the symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, or itching in the eye. Aside from allergy symptoms, long-term exposure to dust mite allergens may lead to sinus infections and asthma. Regular cleaning of the house will help to reduce the allergy caused by them. The best and safe way is to hire a house cleaning service for the safe removal of dust mites from your house.

The house dust mite gets its name because it lives in household dust. The main component of dust is dead skin shed by the people, which is the dust mite’s main food source. This mite has been a reason for respiratory allergies in humans, such as asthma and other breathing-related problems. However, it is not a sign that house dust mites trigger a person’s allergy symptoms. It can be caused by other allergens or pet hairs.

Dust mites cannot transmit infectious diseases. If you have asthma or a dust allergy, dust mites will be can cause a big problem for you. Mainly droppings irritate is the main reason that causes allergy in people who have an allergy to dust.

Symptoms of dust mite allergy

House dust mites can trigger your respiratory or dermatological conditions. Some people can have only mild effects, such as a runny nose and itchy eyes, while some others feel serious health problems. Whether you have mild or severe symptoms, it is advisable to schedule an appointment with your specialist. Below are the common symptoms that can be caused due to dust mite allergy.

  • wheezing and coughing
  • breathlessness
  • runny and itchy nose
  • itchy and watery eyes
  • itchy skin and skin rashes

Diagnosis and treatment for dust mite allergies

You have to perform an allergy test and if tests show that you are allergic to house dust mites, there are many ways to reduce your allergy. For example, you can opt for allergen immunotherapy or any other allergic treatments as per the advice of a medical officer. Measures should be taken to reduce your household dust mite population may also be helpful.

Tips to reduce the dust mites in your home

It is impossible to destroy your entire dust mite from your house, but definetely you can reduce their numbers to a great extent. It is important to remember that the droppings of dust mites is the main reason that provokes your allergic reactions.

  • Direct sunlight is best for killing dust mites. If possible, you have to put your mattress outside in the sunshine for at least a couple of hours every month.
  • Protect yourself from dust mites using anti-dust pillow covers This dust mite covers actually work well, so use them as your defense against these small monsters. Wash blankets and other heavy fabrics every two months.
  • The next very important step is to wash your bed sheets twice a week or at least once a week. Wash the fabrics in hot water at a minimum of 54°C.
  • Carpets, curtains, and other furnishings can also accumulate household dust, as well as dust mite feces. So once in a week take time to clean your carpet and other upholstery.
  • Mites love high humidity, so using a humidifier you can get rid of dust mites. Or you can also do this by opening the windows on dry days and using fans and vents. So that you can set the humidity levels and make sure you keep them below 50%.
  • Even if there are many chemicals available in the market try using homemade products. It is found that certain essential oils, like eucalyptus, are effective at killing dust mites. You can use it while washing clothes or cleaning your house.

No matter how clean your home or office is, it is not possible to eliminate or clean away dust mites. Here comes the need for professional pest control services who are specialized in dust allergy treatment on carpet, upholstery, rugs, bedding, and any other areas to reduce the levels of these allergens.

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Aleena Maria
Aleena Maria

Written by Aleena Maria

Wannabe writer and extremely curious to read and learn about everything on Earth. My areas of interest includes Disaster Management, Domestic Cleanliness, etc

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