The dust mite is the most common causes of "air-borne" allergens. The lowly dust mite is a microscopic insect that live all around us. These dust mites live on the dead skin cells that we shed from our body every day. They live all around us in our bedding, the fabric of our furniture, and in the dust in our homes. Lovely thought - isn’t it?

So what can we do about these despicable creatures? Here are some tips to help you tame the beasts:

Tip #1

You’re not the only one who loves to fall into bed after a long hard day. Your bed is the favorite nesting place for dust mites. Dust mites like things warm and dark and they love the moisture from your body.

The best way to get rid of dust mites (and your dust mite allergy) in your bed is to remove their food source. To do this, cover your mattress, box springs, and pillows with organic cotton covers that you can get in any department store. By covering these items and washing them frequently, you deprive them of your dead skin cells and they no longer have a food source.

It is recommended that you wash your bed sheets weekly in water that is 140 degrees or hotter. This kills the dust mites and their eggs. Also, before you make up your bed in the mornings, pull back the covers and air your bedding. This gives any moisture the chance to dry out before you pull the covers up.

Tip #2

Another "dust mite trap" is your child’s stuffed animals. The typical child’s room is full of stuffed animals and the dust mites love them. You can wash the stuffed animals regularly just as you do the bed sheets or you can put the stuffed animals in a bag and freeze them for several days. To accomplish this without your child having a meltdown, you may need to freeze just a few at a time and rotate them.

Tip #3

Dust mites also love your carpet. To truly get rid of the dust mite population in your home, you need to remove all carpet and replace it with tile, linoleum, or wood. By removing carpet from your home, it gives the dust mites one less place to live.

Tip #4

Purchase a HEPA air purifier for your home. Choose an air filter that can remove airborne pollutants as small as .3 microns with 99.97% efficiency. A filter that is this efficient will also help remove your dust mites.

Tip #5

Keep pets out of your bedroom until you feel that you have your dust mite population under control. After you have taken all of the above precautions, you can let your pets back in. If you notice your symptoms are worse after your pets return, you’ll know that you are allergic to pet dander as well as dust mites.

By following these five tips you will be able to reduce and eliminate your dust mites. Soon you will find relief to your dust mite allergy and breathing gets a lot easier and resting more comfortable.

Jason Ladock

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