Tips for Controlling Dust Mites

The microscopic dust mite is an insect that is known to plague people all over the world. There have been many studies that have shown that the dust mite will often make its home wherever it can find somewhere warm and moist to live. There could be as many as 40,000 dust mites for every ounce of mattress dust on your mattress. This article talks about several tips that can be used to control the dust mites in your home.

Dust mites are attracted to the bedding on our mattresses, because as we sleep, our bodies shed skin, which then accumulates on our mattresses, making it the perfect home for dust mites. Although it is almost impossible to totally eliminate the mites, there are ways that we can keep them under control.

For most people dust mites are not particularly harmful unless you happen to suffer from allergies. Some symptoms from an allergic reaction might be itchy eyes, a running nose, asthma or rashes. If you find that you are allergic to dust mites you will need to see an allergy specialist for treatment or medication. You may also need to take some additional steps to control the mites in your home.

It is always a good thing to remove all of your bedding and wash it in hot water. Before replacing the bedding back on your bed, make sure that you cover your mattress and pillows with allergen protective covers because this will reduce the amount of allergy symptoms that you experience.

Your carpet is the next area of your home that you will want to pay close attention to. You could potentially have millions of dust mites trapped in your carpet fibers alone if you have an especially thick carpet. The carpet will more than likely need to be removed and replaced with some type of linoleum or hardwood floor. If you decide that you just can't do without your carpet, you may need to get one that has a thinner texture. You may also want to invest in a vacuum that has the capability to remove mold, pet dander, excess dust and other allergens from your carpet.

If you have upholstered furniture in your living room, you may need to consider replacing it with some type of leather furniture, because upholstered furniture as well as drapes are ideal areas for dust mites to accumulate in. Leather has the benefit of being more durable, and it won't leave the mites a place to hide. You should also replace those thick drapes in your home with blinds or wooden shutters.

Although there are many different types of furniture polishes on the market, Pledge dust and allergen spray is the best and can be used on wood cabinets, furniture, and other hard surfaces in your home. Using this type of polish will more than likely cut down on the number of times that you will need to dust per week.

Although there is probably no way to completely rid your home of dust mites, there are a multitude of things that you can do to cut back on their effect on your allergies. When attempting to make your home dust mite proof, pay special attention to the areas that you think would make good hiding places for them, and eliminate them.