Dust Mites: All the Stuff You Don’t Want to Know But You Should

You know they’re there.  We all have them hiding in our beds, our sofas, our pillows and our carpeting or rugs.  Those blasted little microscopic dust mites. For as much as we wash our linens and vacuum the floors we know they never leave.  It’s so frustrating.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America lists dust mites and their droppings as one of the most common causes of year-round allergy and asthma.

We can never completely eliminate them from our homes but here are some tried and true natural and chemical-free methods for keeping them at bay:

Lower the Temperature and Humidity
Dust mites thrive when humidity is greater than 50% so keep the A/C on here in Florida.  On the days the humidity dips, open the windows to bring in some fresh air.

Wash your Pillows, Bedding and Soft Furnishings (cushions) in hot water.
Dust mites can’t survive temps higher than 140° and if you add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the wash it will eliminate up to 99% of the dust mites from the bedding.  You can purchase dust mite bedding with zippered, allergen-impermeable encasings designed to block dust mites.

HOWEVER!

Some items such as silk cushion covers, stuffed toys and small silk purses that cannot be washed at such high temperatures,   freeze them for 24-hours to get rid of the mites (although not of the allergens).

Ditch the Carpeting and Drapes
Hardwood or vinyl floors are a better option.  Use area rugs that you can wash in hot water frequently.  Instead of drapes get roll-down shades or washable curtains.