How to Get Rid of Dust Mites

Are you looking for effective methods to get rid of dust mites? Here is a practical guide.

Most pests are visible to the human eye. However, the same cannot be said for dust mites.

Although these are microscopic insects, they still create significant discomfort for humans. This is the subject of our discussion as we show you how to get rid of dust mites.

To provide you with lasting mite solutions, we will provide you with as much information as possible.

We also show you how an insect infestation can be checked.

Dust Mite Pest Control: Where are they Found?

Dust mites are found in almost all human settlements. In other words, dust mites are common. However, their populations need to be checked when their people are much.

Dust mites thrive in warm and humid environments. Thus, it isn’t surprising that humans and animals are perfect hosts for these pests.

Also, bedrooms and hotel rooms are places most infested by mites. As such, these places get the most attention during treatment.

• Dust Mite Nutrition

A source of food attracts all pest types. As such, dust mites aren’t an exception. These pests feed solely on dead human skin cells or flakes.

Due to this, these mites are always found wherever humans and animals are. It is essential to state that dust mites don’t bite their hosts.

How to Know if you have a Dust Mite Problem

Due to the feeding activity of dust mites, allergic conditions result. This is common wherever these pests are.

Specifically, such allergies result in eczema, asthma, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, runny nose, and watery and itchy eyes, among others.

Therefore whenever any or a combination of these conditions is noticed, dust mites may be responsible.

• Causes of Dust Mite Allergies

As a result of their reproduction and feeding activity, waste material is produced. These are primarily the cause of allergic conditions.

As such, to tackle such situations, the reason needs to be focused on, as will be discussed shortly.

• Can Dust Mites be Completely Exterminated?

A lot of people are likely to ask this question. However, the truth is they can’t be exterminated. One of the reasons for this is their microscopic size.

Dust mite activities are largely tolerable except when discomfort to humans results.

How to Identify Dust Mites

Although specific allergies can be traced to dust mites, there are other ways of identifying them. This section will provide you with practical steps to identify an existing problem.

These steps include;

• Get the Equipment

Dust mite identification starts with using the right equipment.

This is nothing more than a microscope with at least 10x magnification. We had mentioned earlier that dust mites couldn’t be seen with the naked eye.

A microscope boosts your chances of identifying the cause.

• Collecting a Sample

This sample is collected from specks of dust, particularly those on your bed and pillows. Hence the easiest way to do this is by vacuuming your mattress and other dusty areas within your home.

• Use a Clear Tape to Collect your Sample

If you have or continually experience a moving sensation on your skin, then you should consider using clear tape. A video strip should be pasted on such an area of your body and pulled.

• Probe or Examine the Sample

After collecting, your samples (either the dust, tape, or both) should be passed under the microscope for examination. But it is necessary to know what you’re looking out for.

Dust mites are eight-legged and translucent.

However, these aren’t all the details you should look out for. You also need to check out for dust mite feces. Its rectangular brownish pellet form easily distinguishes this.

If there are still doubts, search online for images.

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Effective Strategies for Getting Rid of Dust Mites on Couch

Several strategies effectively combat the problem and prevent allergies resulting from dust mite presence. Some of these double as preventive treatments while also eliminating the nuisance posed.

Dust mites can be removed by washing couch covers, regularly vacuuming the couch using a HEPA filter vacuum, and regularly dusting the sofa.

Exposing removal cushions to the sun is another way to rid your couch of these pests. Also, consider addressing your home’s humidity problems.

Consider steam cleaning and also apply essential oil treatments. Febreze and baking soda are additional home remedies for removing dust mites on the touch.

Also, pay close attention to your carpets or rugs, as these pests might be harboring there. Hypoallergenic blankets will also help.

• Wash Couch Covers

Simply washing your couch covers can go a long way to rid your couch of dust mites. This is especially true for sofas that see regular use.

Here, cleaning every few weeks would be enough to keep these pests in check. Sweat buildup and dead skin cell accumulation are reduced.

• Regular Vacuuming using HEP Filter Vacuum

Vacuuming your couch regularly is one of many ways to tackle dust mite problems. While that is true, your regular vacuum won’t do much to contain the situation.

You’ll need to go for a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Besides its mighty suction power, the filter ensures the mites are trapped.

After vacuuming, properly remove and dispose of the filter bag. The exact process should be repeated each day until there’s a clear improvement.

• Regular Dusting of Couch

A simple activity like dusting does a lot to rid your home of dust mites. Apart from dust, your couch is also laden with dead skin cells and hair particles.

There may also be moisture from pet pee or poop and sweat. Regular dusting reduces the buildup of dead skin cells and dust, which dust mites feed on.

• Expose Removable Cushions to Direct Sunlight

For couches with removal cushions, these should be removed once every few weeks and exposed to direct sunlight for a few hours.

The same should be done for couch covers and pillows. The heat from the sun and resulting dry air kill some of these pests hiding within the cushions.

• Fix your Home’Home’sdity Problems

Dust mites thrive in areas with high humidity. It’s It’suncommon to find homes having moisture problems that need to be addressed.

You can test the moisture levels using a hygrometer. Once it’s beyond 70%, conditions are perfect for dust mite activity.

Fixing your home moisture problem can be done using a dehumidifier. Have your windows opened for adequate aeration, and turn on the appliance to reduce moisture levels.

• Consider Steam Cleaning

Not all couch fabrics are ideal for machine washing. For these, you’ll apply steam cleaning to rid your couch of dust mites.

These pests cannot withstand the high-temperature steam released by the steaming machine. This should be done at least once a month.

• Apply Essential Oil Treatments

Essential oils can be a great ally in combating dust mite problems. Here, vital oils in this task include eucalyptus, clove, or tea tree oils.

Any of these oils can be sprayed on your couch using a mixture of water or forming a combination of all of them with water.

• Apply Febreze & Baking Soda

Both Febreze and baking soda are good dust mite killers. To apply Febreze, you only need to follow the use instructions on the product label.

Baking soda can be sprinkled on the different parts of the couch and allowed to sit for around 30 minutes to an hour before vacuuming.

• Treat your Carpets and Rugs

When dealing with dust mite problems on the couch, it’s necessary to look beyond the couch as such may also be on your carpet.

You can use some treatments on the couch, like baking soda and Vacuuming. Also, consider sprinkling food-grade diatomaceous earth before vacuuming.

• Use Hypoallergenic Blanket

While treating your couch for dust mites, it will be good to use hypoallergenic blankets to cover the sofa to avoid or lower allergies from dust mite presence.

This makes it less likely for dust mites to get into the couch after treatment.

• Call for Professional Couch Cleaning

Professional couch cleaning should be considered by persons having limited time on their hands to follow the treatment strategies discussed above.

By informing them about the problem, these pros know exactly how to rid your couch of dust mites while leaving it clean.

Use any combination of the above treatment techniques to rid your couch of dust mites. These methods have been proven to be effective when properly applied.

How to Get Rid of Dust Mites Completely

We’ve provided you with as much information as possible throughout our discussion.

However, this section will focus on how to rid your home of mites—this isn’t restricted to homes but also businesses such as lodges or hotels.

• Lower Humidity Levels

Dust mites are known to thrive in humid conditions. Although this is the case, humidity levels below 70% are unfavorable. As a result, ensure your home’s humidity stays below 50%. This can be achieved by using a dehumidifier.

Another way to reduce relative humidity is by putting on your fan and opening your windows. To measure the level of moisture, you need an electronic humidity monitor.

Air conditioners can also be used to regulate the levels of humidity. Febreze air freshener has also been established to work for dust mites.

• Maintaining Good Hygiene

Frequently cleaning your surroundings is an excellent way of keeping dust mites at bay. We have discussed that dust mites thrive on dead skin cells shed daily. It becomes necessary to clean all the surroundings.

One of the best ways to achieve this is through Vacuuming. In addition to floors and carpets, beds and furniture should be vacuumed regularly.

The bedding should also be washed frequently. A mask should be worn during the vacuuming process n to avoid inhaling allergens. These are part of the process of getting rid of the problem.

• Wash Fabrics in Hot Water or Freeze Them

Fabrics need to be frequently washed. Howeversomech cannot withstand hot water (hot temperature is required to exterminate mites).

For such fabrics, freezing is necessary. Dust mites cannot survive extreme temperatures hence the two options. Freezing is the best alternative for materials damaged by heat.

Either way, dust mite is gotten rid of.

• Use Allergen Impermeable Dust Proof Pillow Case
  

Bedding and pillows are the most viable infested areas in a room. However, this can be prevented by using allergen-impermeable and dustproof pillowcases.

As a result, dust mites are denied the perfect conditions they need.

• Eucalyptus and Tea Tree Oil Spray

If you are looking for essential oils that control dust mites.

To make this, all you need are two tablespoons of eucalyptus oil, two tea tree oil as well as 2 cups of water. These should be mixed and poured into a spray bottle.

This remedy solves your dust mite issue and acts as an anti-fungal, antibacterial, and antiviral therapy.

Here are the most recommended dust mite sprays.

• Change to a Hypoallergenic Mattress

This type of mattress is designed specifically for problems such as this. Most times, mattresses are host to sometimes millions of dust mites.

Hence, in getting rid of the problem, a hypoallergenic mattress creates unfavorable conditions for dust mites to thrive. This helps keep them in check.

• Using Desiccants

To get back control of your home, certain conditions are necessary. These are mainly unfavorable to dust mites. Dust mites cannot thrive when their needs aren’t met.

Humidity plays a huge role in their daily lives. Due to this, desiccants are applied to reduce such humidity to unbearable levels.

As a result, they either die off or have significantly reduced reproductive activity.

• Call in the Pro

This option is preferable if you have competent hands to handle your pest issue. Under this strategy, little effort is required on your part. However, the treatment process is likely to involve fumigation.

Here, you may have to move out for your safety temporarily. If this is your preferred option, you won’t need to handle the identification process yourself.

Pest management services only need to know what you are faced with.

• Using Zippered Covers

This is an efficient way to starve dust mites. Bedding serves as breeding grounds hence the need to address the problem from the source.

Although quite effective, it takes its toll over time. As dust mites get less access to food, they die off or relocate. It’s It’sfficient yet cost-effective way to rid your home of these pests.

• Getting Rid of Soft Furnishings and Curtains

Dust mites will thrive in environments where the conditions are right. Your curtains and soft furnishings provide such ideal conditions hence the need to get rid of them.

Luckily, there are alternatives to these. In place of curtains, blinds can be used. For soft furnishings, leather or artificial leather can be used on couches, etc.

These are less attractive to dust mites.

• Restrict Pets from your Bedroom

This may be a hard pill to swallow for pet users.

However, it’s a worthwhile measure for controlling dust mites. In addition to this, regular grooming of pets is also necessary. This ensures that dead skin cells are significantly reduced.

• Consider Changing your Floor Coverings or Carpets

Compared to hard floors, carpets provide dust mites with better hiding spots.

These are also harder to clean. As such, we recommend going for hard floors rather than carpets. Cleaning hard floors are much more accessible.

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Will DIY Treatments Work?

When faced with a pest problem, one of the first things people want to figure out is whether DIY measures will be effective. Now DIY measures are only effective when reliable treatment strategies are used.

You’ll have to figure out the best way to apply the treatment.

DIY enthusiasts are primarily drawn to this type of approach. While dust mite DIY treatments may work in some cases, they won’t be effective in certain situations for the reasons stated above.

You may have to call for professional treatment to increase your chances of ridding your couch of dust mites. However, following the DIY approach, you’ll need the information provided.

Let’s proceed to the next section to identify and discuss the different treatment strategies for dust mites on the couch.

Conclusion

Knowing how to get rid of dust mites depends on how much information is at your disposal. We have provided you with as much as is needed for tackling a pest problem of this nature.

The good thing is that a combination of the above methods can be used. These options have their advantages and disadvantages.

However, when combined, better dust mite treatment results are obtained.