To Get Rid Of Dust Mites it is important to understand them, how they breed, and how to reduce and eliminate them from your environment.  Dust mites and dust mite feces are common in many homes and are often times the sources of cold and flu like symptoms like puffy, itchy and watery eyes. The possible reactions are also sneezing, coughing, wheezing, runny and stuffy noses.  Many people assume they have seasonal allergies when in fact it is dust mites and dust mite feces that are causing the cold and flu like symptoms you are experiencing.  The reason that many people confuse them with seasonal allergies is that in many places the ducts in your home are not used over the summer.  When you turn on you forced hot air system on during the fall season, the dust mites and feces that have been living and breeding in the ducts throughout your home begin to be blown out into your home. The worst of it is the first 2-4 weeks as they are slowly released into the air each time the heating system fan kicks on.

Other symptoms associated with dust mites and dust mite feces are eczema and asthma. All of these symptoms can lead to felling depressed or anxious about the seasons as well knowing you have these reactions more prevalent during certain times of the year. Because all of the above symptoms are also associated with many other triggers, we always recommend you see your doctor if you have these symptoms.  Make sure to ask them to test for allergies to dust mites as a possible cause, so you know if you need to get rid of dust mites.

Understanding Dust Mites

It is important to understand basic information about dust mites in order reduce the effects or eliminated them.  So to get rid of the dust mites from your environment, here is some important information.

• Dust mites are generally in the 250-300 micron size so difficult but no impossible to see with the naked eye. When they die, they can fragment into the 10-40 micron size. The dust mite feces range in the 10-40 microns in size. Anything under 50-60 microns in size is too small to see with the naked eye.
• The dust mite feces is what mostly causes the allergic reactions
• They don’t bite so you won’t feel them
• However they do feed off of skin cells that have shed from living bodies. This makes bedrooms, mattresses, pillows, dog beddings, carpet or any fibrous service.  Humans, dogs, cats and any living animal will constantly shed skin while new skin grows to replace it. This occurs even though you may not be aware of it or see it.
• Dust mites and the feces get into your heating and cooling ducts whenever your system is on because it pulls air in throughout your home. There are many folds, corners, as well dust balls that get wedged in your ducts. The dust mites and feces can and will get caught in many of these sitting inside your duct and eventually blow back out into the home when the fan kicks on.

Ways to get rid of dust mites in your home

There are a few things you can do to reduce and eliminate dust mites. 

1. Wash your cloths, bedding and other washable items in hot water and often as makes sense. The hot water and action of washing will help kill any of the living dust mites, removes the feces, and removes the dead dust mites. Most importantly it will remove the skin cells that have come off living bodies that are sources of food.
2. Eliminate as many fabric items in your home as possible and replace with hard non porous surfaces. Some ideas include replacing carpet with hardwood or tile floors, Use hardwood chairs for your dining area, replacing drapes with hard plastic or vinyl blinds, leather furniture is an option if you like that style, and removing rugs from your home.  If don’t want to or can’t eliminate these things,  get a good Medical Grade HEPA vacuum and vacuum your carpet, drapes, rugs, sofa, chairs often.
3. Wipe down or mop hard surfaces like kitchen counters, furniture, hardwood floors, window sills, etc. often with a damp cloth to collect any dust mites and feces that might have settled there.
4. Have your heating / cooling system ducts cleaned once or twice a year to remove the dust balls and areas where dust mites congregate in the duct work. There are some products they can use to sanitize the ducts by spraying it in as well. Just ask questions on what they are using because some people are very sensitive to the products they use.  Ask for a non VOC / allergen product be used if they are going to spray. The reason this is an issue is, when they spray it in the duct, some can collect on the walls of the ductwork. The residual VOC can continue to release through the home until it wears off. If you are sensitive, this can cause you to feel bad for a while.
5. Another great way to Get Rid Of Dust Mites is to add an air purifier to your home. Since dust mites and feces are often airborne from blowing through the duct work of your home or stirred up when you lay in bed, sit your furniture, or even walk across the floor.  When they are airborne is when you are breathing them and the feces in. One of the best air purifiers in the industry for this is the Austin Air Allergy Machine Air Purifier. If you have questions, just visit us at www.TheAirPurifierStore.com One of our experts can help advise.

Thanks for reading our article and have a wonderful day.