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.
If mites are on you, take a hot shower with some medicated shampoo. Do this regularly if you have been having mite issues and for general cleanliness because this will dramatically reduce or eliminate mites.
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.
Showering before bedtime can also help prevent allergies and dust mites from entering your bed, especially in the summer.
If you have a dust mite problem in your home, bedding—sheets, blankets, and bed covers—should be washed at least weekly in hot water (130 to 140 F) to kill the mites. Cold water will not always be as effective.
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.
Ongoing exposure to dust mites at home can impact the health of people with asthma and those who are allergic or sensitive to mites. These allergens can trigger mild to severe allergic symptoms and can be responsible for asthma attacks. A mild case may cause an occasional runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing.
The predators of dust mites are other allergenic mites (Cheyletiella), silverfish and pseudoscorpions.
Dust mites live and multiply easily in warm, humid places. They prefer temperatures at or above 70 degrees Fahrenheit with humidity of 75 to 80 percent. They die when the humidity falls below 50 percent. They are not usually found in dry climates.
Dust mites are repulsed by the smell of Clove, Eucalyptus, Lavendar, Peppermint, and Rosemary. Make your own aromatic spray by adding a few drops of one (or more) of those essential oils in a water-filled spray bottle.
A cold cycle of laundry washing with or without laundry powder did not remove most live mites from bedding, however, the allergen concentration (Der p I/gm fine dust) was reduced by more than 90%.
Conclusions: Washing clothing and bedding in cold or warm water with detergent or detergent plus bleach removed most allergen and a significant (P <. 05) portion of live mites. Repeated washing is required to further reduce mite levels.
Dust Mites: Dust mites live in warm, damp environments like bedding, carpets, and furniture. They thrive in the winter months when people spend more time indoors with the heat on.
Since dust mites are likely to cuddle up in your sheets and blankets, it's important to launder all of your bedding, (including pillowcases, throws and duvet covers) every 1-2 weeks, in 130-140 degree hot water. Very hot water is an effective way to get rid of the mites in your bedding.
Dust mites are found in homes around the world and can multiply from 1 to 1,000,000 in a matter of weeks.
Thus, it is important to freeze objects at −12°C or lower for at least 12 hours to kill mites.
Just like hot temperatures, freezing cold temperatures also kill dust mites. For more delicate fabrics or items that cannot be washed (such as silk or lace) freeze them. Place the items in a clear plastic bag and put them in the freezer for 24 hours. This will kill the dust mites completely.
Use essential oils
Essential oils contain compounds that repel or kill insects, including dust mites. The best essential oils for getting rid of dust mites are clove, rosemary, and eucalyptus oil. Add 20 drops of oil to four ounces of witch hazel, and spray your mattress, couch, drapes, and other dust mite hangouts.
A double bed contains as many as 2 million dust mites. The weight of a mattress will double in 10 years because of dust mites and dust mite feces. 20% of the weight of an old pillow consists of dust mites. 20% to 50% of the weight of a mattress or pillow consists of dust mites and dust mite feces.
While it's hard to get rid of these pests, there are measures you can take to get rid of dust mites living in your home textiles. Because dust mite particles often become airborne, using an air purifier with a high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) filter can also help remove these and other allergens from the air.
These particles are called dust mite allergens, and most allergic people react to them. Unfortunately, although a dust mite may live for only 2-3 months, dust mite allergen particles continue to cause allergy symptoms even after the mite that produced them has died.
Every home, no matter how clean, houses dust mites. These tiny insects, about 0.4 millimeters in length, feed on flakes of human skin.
Dust mites do not feed on the blood of humans as some other mites do. Although they may “hitchhike” on clothing, it is a myth that dust mites live on people. They feed primarily on dander, or flakes of dead skin that fall from humans and animals.
Dust mites have a pair of creepy, pincer-like claws near their mouth, so they look a little threatening under a microscope. But fear not: These little guys aren't parasites like lice and bed bugs. They don't feed on blood, and they don't bite humans.
These tiny creatures are a big source of allergens and can worsen allergies and asthma. Dust mites can live in mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture, carpets, and curtains in your home. Cockroaches are another source of indoor allergens.