Dust Mite Control

Remove surfaces that are conducive to high dust mite populations. If you don't want them in your home, don't make them comfortable. First and foremost, the best thing you can do for dust mite allergy control is to get rid of all wall-to-wall carpeting. There is nothing that makes dust mites happier than carpeting. Upholstered furniture should be next on the list, especially the big, fluffy, overstuffed stuff. If you can afford to, replace it with leather or vinyl. Don't use bed skirts or bed canopies. Replace heavy drapes with washable curtains or easily cleanable blinds.

Clean house! For getting rid of dust mites you need to be dusting at least once, preferably twice, a week. Use a microfiber cloth and start high, like ceiling fan blades, tops of picture frames, and tall shelves, and work your way down. Once you're done dusting, immediately vacuum both the furniture and the floors. After vacuuming, start mopping. Many people feel compelled to sweep before mopping. If you're trying to remove dust mites, this is a no-no. Sweeping causes things that have settled to the floor to get kicked back up into the air. Before doing any dusting, vacuuming, etc., make sure to eliminate all drafts. Close doors and windows and turn off fans and air conditioners.

In the bedroom. Since so much time is spent in the bedroom, you should put forth a little extra effort when it comes time to eliminate dust mites found there. Wash sheets and pillowcases once a week in hot water. The hot water will kill dust mites and dust mite eggs and wash away most of the old nasty skin cells that you've dropped in them. If you use down comforters, wool blankets, or feather pillows, swap them out. Use bedding made from cotton or synthetic fibers. They're not as tasty. Finally, pick your crap up. Keep your clothes in the closet with the door shut or in the dresser.

Temperature and humidity. Dust mites thrive in warm temps and high humidity. Set thermostats to below 70ºF and do everything you can to reduce humidity. This is important because dust mites don't drink water. They absorb it from the air. Set up some dehumidifiers, install fans in the bathroom and above the stove, fix leaky faucets and pipes, insulate pipes to avoid condensation, get rid of aquariums, install fans in rooms with poor circulation, and keep the doors to those rooms open. When it comes time to mop, forgo the damp mop, spray a towel with your cleaner of choice, get on your hands and knees, and scrub. While a relative humidity of less than 70 percent is helpful, you should aim for around 35 percent.

Use HEPA air filters along with a HEPA air purifier. The words corresponding to the acronym HEPA are "high efficiency particulate air." These are the most efficient filters available for dust mite removal. HEPA filters remove 99.97 percent of particulate matter from air that passes through them. This includes dust mites, dust mite feces, and dust mite remains. HEPA filters are available for furnaces, air conditioners, and central air units. You should also use a HEPA air purifier. HEPA purifiers look and work much like fans. The main difference is that when air is sucked into the unit, it passes through a HEPA air filter before being released back into the wild. Also consider purchasing a HEPA vacuum, a HEPA filter for your current bagless vacuum, or a microfiltration bag for your bagged vacuum.

Dust mite‒proof bedding. It's highly recommended for people learning how to get rid of dust mites to invest in some dust mite mattress covers and some dust mite pillow covers. The brand of dust mite-proof mattress covers that I've been using for a couple years now is Protect-A-Bed. Regardless of the brand of dust mite covers you decide to go with, the benefits will be more or less the same. Dust mite-proof covers are effective in that they are impermeable to dust mites and easy to remove and wash. So, when dust mites settle and lay their eggs on your bed, they will be on your washable blankets, sheets, and dust mite bed covers.

Use a commercial dust mite killer. The steps listed above are the most effective methods for getting rid of dust mites. If, however, you want to speed the process up a bit and kill dust mites with dust mite killers, consider using Acarosan (active ingredient Benzyl benzoate), Steri-Fab (active ingredients synthetic pyrethroids, isopropyl alcohol, and a dual quat ), or Dust Mite & Flea Control by The Ecology Works (active ingredient borate).