8 Natural Ways To Treat Mite Infestation

So, what kills mites naturally? There are lots of natural ways which are effective in mite treatments.

These are reliable and tested methods you can try out.

Mites are arthropods known to cause a variety of problems to humans. Some of the most common problems associated with these cousins of ticks are irritations and bites.

The logical response to mite issues involves treatment. Treatment here refers to extermination.

While there are tons of products designed for mite treatment, we’re more interested in natural methods of extermination.

Mite Problems

Mites cause a wide range of problems.

These range from mange, scabies, and allergies among others. The type of mites will determine what problems you encounter. Certain mite species will readily infest human hosts causing a wide range of issues.

These mite species include chiggers, scabies mites, rodent & bird mites, house dust mites, and itch mites.

Of these mite species, dust mites are the most common. Irrespective of species, it’s important to act fast when facing an infestation.

When mites infest, they can be detected by the signs they leave behind.

Signs of Mite Presence

Common signs used to identify mite presence range from red rash-like marks on the skin, and swollen skin which is sometimes blistered around the bite area.

Other signs include small bumps that may become inflamed or hardened and irritation as well as itchiness around bite areas.

Natural Treatment For Mites

The natural approach to mite extermination is mostly preferred due to its enhanced safety. An increasing number of people are seeing the need for safer and natural treatments as these are also reliable.

Natural mite treatments usually cost little or nothing to implement.

As such, they’re cost-effective while providing the needed solutions. These natural methods include vacuuming frequently, keeping a frequent cleaning schedule, and washing your bedding with hot water.

Other natural mite treatments include cutting their food supply, using diatomaceous earth, using hard floors instead of carpets, reducing your home’s humidity levels.

Let’s further discuss each of these natural methods and more.

• Frequent Vacuuming

Vacuuming is an exercise that should be performed frequently.

Although vacuuming your rugs and carpets twice a week will be a good idea, you may have to increase vacuuming frequency when there’s high traffic as well as pet presence.

More so, treating a mite problem will demand more thorough and frequent vacuuming sessions. This helps limit allergies caused by dust mite presence.

However, it’s important to note that your regular vacuum cleaner may not be enough unless of course, it has a high-quality filtration system.

Vacuum cleaners fitted with HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters are the best for such jobs. The reasons are simple! Once suctioned, mites are unable to find their way out.

• Keeping a Frequent Cleaning Schedule

Hygiene is important to mite control.

You’ll need to maintain a frequent cleaning schedule to contain mite infestations. This includes dusting. You might wonder where such dust is coming from.

The fact is that you and your pets shed dead skin cells each day.

These cells serve as food to mites and encourage their presence. Having your home cleaned and dusted regularly goes a long way in reducing the mite population.

It’s important to know that you cannot eliminate mites from your home or surroundings.

However, these can be contained by significantly reducing their population to tolerant levels. So, at what level is mite presence deemed tolerant?

It’s considered safe when symptoms such as allergies drop significantly.

• Washing Bedding With Hot Water

It’s important to have your bedding washed each week with hot water.

This natural practice significantly reduces mite populations by killing them. You should know that your bedding is a mite hotspot as it’s warm, humid, and has a lot of food. That is dead skin cells.

• Cutting their Food Supply

Mites feed on dead skin cells and you shed millions of them each day.

So, how is it possible to cut off their food supply? Here, you’ll need to target dust mites that have burrowed into your mattress and pillows.

Having these washed is impractical. As such, a barrier will need to be introduced.

Such a barrier should shield you by making your body inaccessible. Have your mattress, pillows, and box spring encased with special allergen-proof covers.

These covers can be easily bought and fixed.

• Using Diatomaceous Earth

Have you considered applying diatomaceous earth for mite control? You should! This is a product made from fossilized algae that remains and effective for a wide range of pest issues.

It serves as an excellent dehydrating agent that eliminates mites within a short period of time.

Food-grade diatomaceous earth is safe to use and poses no health risks whatsoever. However, it will readily kill mites and other bugs posing a nuisance to you. All you have to do is sprinkle a thin layer around infested areas.

Mite-infested areas usually include your carpets, couches, bedding, and mattress. After application, apply to sit for anywhere between a few minutes to a whole day before vacuuming.

Repeated treatments should be made for the best results.

• Using Hard Floors Instead of Carpets

Although spider mites find areas such as carpets unfavorable, these items may still attract other mite species like magnets. Now, the problem arises when mites and other allergens accumulate. They tend to do so in their numbers.

Allergic reactions are a natural response to such situations.

You may want to take out your carpets to leave only hard floors. This saves you a great deal of trouble managing mite presence in your carpets or rugs.

• Reducing your Home’s Humidity Levels

Mites love humid areas and will readily congregate around such locations. You might want to fight back by simply reducing your home’s humidity levels. Humidifiers will excellently serve such a purpose.

Also, consider lowering the temperature of your home.

• Regular Grooming of Pets

Pets also shed dead skin cells like humans.

As such, it’s natural to find mites around your home as there’s more food supply. With regular pet grooming, you get to reduce food availability.

You may also want to restrict your pets from getting onto your carpets, into your room, or couch areas as a way to limit mite presence.

Here are the natural ways to kill mites. Methods included are basic actions that are practical and can be performed as frequently as possible.