How To Remove Dust Mites – Allergies

Dust Mites & Allergies

Recently our oldest child was diagnosed with severe allergies including many kinds of foods and dust mites. We knew about the food allergies from a very young age but we were extremely surprised to learn about his allergy to dust mites. So we’ve been learning how to remove dust mites from our home.

Dust Mites – House dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) are very small (less than 0.5 mm) insects that live in our homes and feed on dead skin! Many people with severe allergies and asthma have serious allergic reactions to house dust mites. People with allergies to dust mites are allergic to the feces of these microscopic pests.

How To Remove Dust Mites and Their Effects

Physicians recommend that we take extra care eliminating dust mites and their effects in bedrooms where we spend many hours each day. The following steps can greatly reduce the effects of house dust mites:

Vacuum – Regular vacuuming with a HEPA Filter Vacuum is one of the best ways to reduce the number or dust mites and their feces. Amazon sells the award winning Dyson DC17 Animal Cyclone Upright Vacuum Cleaner with a lifetime HEPA filter. No matter what vacuum you chose be sure it’s equipped with a HEPA filter.

Bedding – Encasing pillows, mattresses and box springs in Allergen rated covers is very important. You can purchase Pillow Cover, Mattress Cover and Box Spring Covers from Amazon to cover all your bedding items. Bedding items such as sheets, blankets and comforters should be washed in hot water and dried in a clothes dryer weekly. Temperatures above 140 F will kill dust mites. If you have bedding items that cannot be washed you can place them in a large chest freezer to kill the dust mites.

Window Treatments – Should be washed on a weekly basis similar to the bedding to remove dust mites. Curtains and blinds that are not cleaned in a similar fashion end up being a source of significant dust mite populations.

Flooring Options – Choosing the best flooring option can make a big difference for people that suffer from dust mite allergies. Hardwood and tile floors are much easier to keep dust free. Carpets are a very porous material which holds dust mites and feces deep in the material. If you must have carpets then be sure to clean them with a HEPA filter vacuum.

Humidity – Dust mites flourish in warm humid air. By reducing the humidity in your home with dehumidifiers you will be minimizing an ideal environment for dust mites to live in your home.

Air Purifiers – Air purifiers are another way of removing dust mites from the air. Be sure to select an air purifier with a HEPA filter.

Conclusion

Even if you’re not allergic to dust mites you may want to consider some of these approaches to keep your home clean and safe for family and friends. If you suffer from asthma then you definitely should take some of these ideas and put them to use.

Todd Fratzel

I'm full time builder for a large construction company in New Hampshire. I run their design-build division that specializes in custom homes, commercial design-build projects and sub-divisions. I'm also a licensed civil and structural engineer with extensive experience in civil and structural design and home construction. My hope is that I can share my experience in the home construction, home improvement and home renovation profession with other builders and home owners. I'm also the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Tool Box Buzz. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, suggestions or you'd like to inquire about advertising on this site.

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View Comments

paul says:
January 9, 2009 at 11:03 am
Todd, that is good information. Our Daughter has asthma and allergies to all sorts of things, dust mites included. It is especially a problem when we go to the cottage in Canada.
One other thing we found helpful, exposing bedding and rugs to sunlight. It seems an afternoon in the hot sun also kills dust mites
micaela6955 says:
January 9, 2009 at 10:53 pm
great article! I have an allergy to dust mites and ended up learning a few new things from it!
janetfaye says:
January 11, 2009 at 10:28 am
Thanks for the article.
I did not know that air purifiers removed them.
Liquid Roof says:
January 16, 2009 at 1:40 am
Really a good information. Its the problem of almost everyone. Thanks for nice piece of sharing.
Charlotte says:
March 25, 2009 at 10:10 am
Hi Todd,
Thanks for the tips, very helpful indeed! My daughter has dust mite allergy and I have bought some very effective dust mite proof proof covers which totally keep out the dust mites.
I hope thats helpful,
All the best,
Charlotte
Dust says:
July 11, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Great article, very complete and comprehensive. I especially found useful the last part with advice on how to prevent house dust allergies. Thank you.