Here are some tips for how to get rid of dust mites. Dust mites cause poor air quality in your home and can make you sick, so don’t put up with them!
How To Get Rid Of Dust Mites
I have often said we worry so much about the environment outside our homes but many of us are making our families more ill because we have stopped worrying about the environment inside of our homes. When we are concerned about the indoor environment, we often focus our attention on the wrong things.
Here are some interesting finds:
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Wash your sheets in 140 degree hot water to kill dust mites:
140 degrees kills: Less than 140 degrees kills: 100% of dust mites 6% of dust mites 90% of dog dander 60% of dog dander 97% of pollen 69% of pollen If your fabric can’t handle temperatures that high, then you can rinse 3 times extra to help.
- Check your hot water heater and adjust it to make sure it is high enough to produce the amount of hot water you need.
- Change your sheets weekly. This is so important– It makes a huge difference. I don’t think we are changing our sheets often enough because allergies, eczema, and asthma are on the rise.
- Be sure to use sheets. using sheets helps control many allergies and common health problems and they are easier to wash than most blankets so use a top and bottom sheet on your beds and your children’s beds, too. Don’t forget pillow covers and pillowcases.
- Wash stuffed animals.
- Vacuum daily if possible but vacuum at least once a week.
- 10% of the weight of a two year old pillow is made up of dead mites and their droppings.
- 80% of the material we see floating on sunbeams is skin flakes, which mites love.
- It is believed that 50-80% of asthma and eczema reactions are a result of of dust mites and their droppings.
- Dust mite and roach droppings can cause eczema sores not to heal.
This is not something to mess with. Stop getting hung up about whether the kind of cleaner you are using will hurt the environment and just get busy cleaning for your family’s well being.
Jill
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I was interested in the info on dust mites in pillows.
In an effort to be frugal, I sometimes use pillows (bed and decorative) for several years.
I do wash them every few months–is this sufficient to control dust mites? Or should I be buying new pillows every couple of years?
Thanks for any advice.
Washing should be fine.
As far as sheets go I have two sets of sets for every bed in the house. Sheets get changed every Saturday and before the clean sheets go on the beds get sprayed with Lysol. The only exception is the guest bed that gets changed every time someone sleeps in it.
I asthmatic with allergies. I found that immediately washing my hands, hair and clothing after I’ve worked or played outside/with cats/or other allergins prevents me from bringing allergins in the house and having health problems. I think it increases illness to put an allergin covered child in a clean bed and defeats the purpose of cleaing your house. I would bathe allergic children as soon as possible, or definately at bedtime and not wait until morning. Every bit helps.
Ooh! I have allergies, and so do my two sons, both out of the house now. I’m sure I have known all these things, but have gotten lax lately. I’m cleaning this house and washing those sheets in hot water. thanks for the post.
Good info! I wash my pillows at least 3-4 times a year and that seems to help. My husband is allergic to dust so it’s a big issue in our home. Thanks again for the info!
I occasionally put my pillows in the dryer for about 10 minutes. The heat kills the mites. If static is a problem use a washcloth dampened with water and a little fabric softener.
a little known fact is Tea Tree Oil will kill dust mites. Add a few drops in your wash cycle. Tea Tree Oil is versatile in that it can disinfect everything you can imagine. google tea trea oil and you will be amazed at what you can use this for. It smells like very strong Pine Sol.
Do you think mixing Tea Tree Oil with water in a sprayer and misting it on the mattress would kill the dust mites there too? In the washer you would do full strength but then it would mix with the washing water and dilute it also. I think i’ll try it next time I change the sheets. Can’t hurt. ha.
Borax can be used also. Use a half cup in your washing machine with your detergent. Sprinkle a fine layer on your mattress and/or rugs and let it sit most of the day then vacuum well.
Black tea, brewed normally sprayed on rugs and beds works too due to the tannic acid. I am afraid it might stain and haven’t tried it yet.
I just purchased something called a Vaccuflex. It attaches to your vacuum cleaner and lets you get behind and under furniture and appliances, and into hard to reach areas. I to a lot of dust vacuumed up that way. It is only $25, and a great investment, in my opinion.