The symptoms are typically worse at night and in the morning because dust mites tend to live in mattresses, pillows and bedding.
The best option when trying to get rid of dust mites on your skin is to jump in the shower and thoroughly clean yourself with hot water and soap. The heat and soap should kill off any dust mites still on your body.
Dust mites can live in the bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpets or curtains in your home. Dust mites are nearly everywhere; roughly four out of five homes in the United States have dust mite allergens in at least one bed.
Common dust mite allergy symptoms include sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes and itchy skin at night with the allergy often associated with asthma or eczema. For sufferers, the one place where they are most susceptible is the bed – as this is a favourite haunt of the dust mite.
If your mattress is not encased in a dust mite-proof case and you suffer from allergic reactions, you should vacuum your mattress at least monthly to reduce the number of dust mites. If the mattress has a dust-proof cover that is cleaned frequently, then a twice-yearly cleaning should be all that is needed.
If you make your bed right when you wake up, you trap that moisture in the sheets allowing dust mites to thrive. Researchers found a simple solution. Leaving the bed unmade allowed the moisture to dry up reducing the dust mites in the bed.
Dry skin: Your body loses moisture at night, which can make your skin itchy. Hormonal changes: At night, your body doesn't produce as many hormones as it does during the day and certain hormones reduce inflammation (swelling). As you have fewer hormones at night, your skin could be itchy.
Spray Tea Tree and Eucalyptus Oil
So, once you have cleaned your bedroom, add 2 tablespoons of organic tea tree oil and 2 tablespoons of organic eucalyptus oil into 2 cups of distilled water. Pour into a bottle and spray literally everywhere in your bed and bedroom. This will kill and repel any dust mites.
They love to burrow in your fabric and feast on your skin cells. And, for this reason, your bed is the perfect place to make their home. Unlike bed bugs, mites don't pose any significant health risks. However, dust mite proteins can trigger congestion, a run nose, watery eyes, and other allergic reactions.
Sprays and aerosols containing syngergized pyrethrins should kill mites immediately on contact, though the treatment will only remain effective for up to a few hours. Insecticide sprays containing permethrin or bifenthrin are effective against many mites and should retain their killing properties for several weeks.
Results: Washing clothing and bedding in water alone, detergent, or detergent plus bleach removed 60% to 83% of the live mites. Washing removed more mites from some items than from others.
Mop, dust, and vacuum to reduce dust and dust mites. Damp-mop hard floors (tile or hardwood, for example) once a day. Dust and vacuum once or twice a week to remove the buildup of allergens. Use a dry cloth to wipe hard surfaces such as countertops, tables, and other furniture.
Particularly with cold or warm-water washing, many mites die by drowning or are simply washed out of the substrate while still alive. In contrast, many newer washing machines are water-conserving front-loaders, in which the item is repeatedly wetted and spun, without it staying submerged in water.
A general rule of thumb is that hot water—130 degrees Fahrenheit or higher—kills dust mites*.
Killing dust mites in your curtains, clothes, and bedding
All you'll need is a washing machine, dryer, food-grade hydrogen peroxide 3%, and laundry detergent. The heat from the hot water and the antimicrobial properties of the hydrogen peroxide 3% are sure to kick those mangy mites to the curb.
A study done by the University of Sydney, Australia, says that adding Eucalyptus oil to your wash will eliminate 99% of dust mites from the bedding.
If you're wondering “Does baking soda kill dust mites?” the answer is yes! Baking soda is a pretty potent weapon against dust mites in your bed. Using it is a simple process as well. Add a little bit of essential oil to the baking soda and then spread it across the top of your mattress, then vacuum.
Circadian rhythm
In the evening, the body releases more heat, and blood flow to the skin increases, which may contribute to nighttime itching. In addition, skin loses water at night, resulting in dryness that can make you itchy.
Formication is the sensation that bugs are crawling on or under your skin when they don't really exist. Causes include mental health conditions such as depression, medical conditions like Parkinson's disease, certain prescription medications, or drug use.
Having itchier skin at night is common because that's the time of day when changes to your body temperature and increases in blood flow to your skin occur. Your skin also loses water at night, making your skin extra dry and prone to itch.
Vacuum each section for 30 seconds each to collect an adequate sample of dust to test. This comes to 2 minutes total. You can test carpet, bedding, curtains, dusty shelves, and so on. The heaviest concentration of dust mites can be found in fibers, so carpets and mattresses are the best place to test.
Wash bedding weekly.
Wash all sheets, blankets, pillowcases and bedcovers in hot water that is at least 130 F (54.4 C) to kill dust mites and remove allergens. If bedding can't be washed hot, put the items in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at a temperature above 130 F (54.4 C) to kill the mites.
In order to enjoy a good night's sleep, free of dust mites and microbes, it's important to keep your bedding hygienically clean. You can help to do this by: Washing your bedding every week on a wash of at least 140°F, then drying it in a hot dryer. Replacing your bedding regularly.