How to Reduce the Dust Mite Population in Your Home

Co-authored by Carlotta Butler, RN, MPH

Last Updated: March 23, 2023 Approved

Dust mites are insects that thrive on mattresses, furniture, carpets and other fabric. They feed on skin flakes shed by people and pets every day, thriving in warm, humid environments. Their presence is associated with reduced respiratory health, triggering asthma and other allergy related attacks. Unfortunately, dust mites can never be totally eliminated from the home. However, the dust mite population in your home can be reduced by proper cleaning, protecting household items and other methods.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning Your House

Most dead skin build-up occurs in and around your bed because you spend so much time there. This attracts dust mites and accumulates allergens. You will want to have multiple blankets, sheets and pillowcase covers to switch out with.
2
Wash bedding. Wash all blankets, sheets, pillow cases, bed covers and other bedding with detergent in hot water at a minimum of 131°F weekly to kill dust mites and remove allergens. High water temperature can kill dust mites better than just using detergent. Also wash curtains.^{[1]
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- Set your washing machine to its hottest setting. If the water isn't hot enough, check your hot water heater. Most hot water heaters have an adjustable knob to change the maximum temperature.^{[2]
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- If you can't wash bedding in hot enough temperatures, throw them in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at a temperature above 130 °F to kill mites. Afterward, wash and dry the bedding so allergens are removed. You could also dry items in direct sunlight.
- Use a product that contains essential oils, like eucalyptus, cedar or tea tree oil to add to the wash's effectiveness. ^{[3]
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- Using detergent plus bleach will remove most allergens and a significant amount of dust mites, even in cold or warm water. Items can be washed again to reduce mite levels further. ^{[4]
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- Know that live mites can be transferred from mite-infested items to mite-free items during washing.^{[5]
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  PubMed Central
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- Hot tumble dry items for an extra half an hour after drying or dry clean items to kill dust mites. This will not get rid of the allergen dust mites produce, however.
3
Vacuum regularly. Vacuum everything that you can, including couches, mattresses, armchairs, floors, mattresses and other places where people frequently sit or lay down on. To trap allergens effectively, your vacuum should have a double-layered microfilter bag or a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. This is important because it helps ensure that dust is not recirculated into the air.
- Vacuuming removes surface dust but can't remove most dust mites and dust mite allergens. Mites are tiny enough to pass through the vacuum cleaner bag. However, vacuuming keeps dust down so these areas aren't as attractive to mites. Get underneath and behind furniture to keep "dust bunnies" from forming.
- If you have severe allergies, leave the area being vacuumed and let someone else do the work. Stay away from the vacuumed room for about two hours to let everything settle.
- Keep your vacuum serviced so that it continues to work well.
- Use a water vacuum to keep mites inside the water container so you can dump the water into your toilet and flush it.
- You may wish to wear a mask when you vacuum to avoid inhaling allergens. Even if you don't have allergies, it's best to leave the house for about half an hour after vacuuming for the remaining dust and allergens to settle.
Steam cleaning dissolves dirt and grime, removes germs from surfaces and kills dust mites. However, the moisture that accumulates in carpet padding from steam cleaning creates an ideal environment for dust mites. Think about using dry cleaning methods instead.^{[6]
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Feather dusters and dry cloths will stir up allergens into the air. Use a damp or oiled mop, rag or electrostatic cloths to clean hard surfaces once a week. This will help keep dust and dust mites down.
Whether you packed up clothing for a move or it's starting to get cold for winter, wash all these items before using them. Dust mites love to settle into the fibers of unused and unwashed clothing and blankets as they collect dust in storage. Washing them ensures that both mites and allergens are destroyed so you can enjoy your items sneeze-free.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Protecting Your Home

1
Add an allergen barrier to your bedding. Encase your mattress, box spring and pillows in dust-proof, allergen-proof covers available from specialty supply mail order companies, bedding and some department stores. Made of tightly-woven fabric, allergen-proof covers prevent dust mites from colonizing or escaping. ^{[7]
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Research source}You are closest to the mites and their feces in your bed, so enclosing your mattress and pillows in a dust mite cover pretty much eliminates the mite problem there.
- Mattresses covered in fitted sheets are protected from the accumulation of human skin scales on the surface. These sheets are usually also waterproof.^{[8]
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Replace down pillows with synthetic-filled ones. Also, replace woolen blankets with nylon or cotton cellulose ones. Memory foam mattresses are supposed to create an environment that is unfavorable to dust mites. You might consider replacing your mattress with memory foam.^{[9]
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3
Change your flooring. Carpet is a haven for dust mites, especially if it sits on concrete, which holds moisture and provides a humid environment for dust mites. Remove wall-to-wall carpeting to help with dust mite allergies, especially in bedrooms. Replace with bare floors, such as linoleum, tile, vinyl, wood or anti-allergenic carpet.
- Also, remove furnishings that collect dust, such as fabric curtains, horizontal blinds and upholstered furniture.
- Don't forget to remove all rugs and mats from the home as they too harbor dust mites.
- Bare floors can be damp-mopped or cleaned with electrostatic cloths.
Tannic acid neutralizes the allergens from dust mites naturally. Tannic acid powder can be purchased from health food stores and other specialist providers. Sprinkle it liberally over mattresses, couches, pet beds and other dust mite havens to help reduce the impact of allergens.^{[10]
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Research source} You can also make your own solution of tannic acid by adding one cup of weak tea to a gallon of water, spraying carpets and vacuuming 3 hours later.
5
Reduce stuffed toys. Minimize your child's stuffed toys to one or two favorites. Get plastic toys or washable stuffed toys instead. If you choose washable stuffed toys, wash them often in hot water and dry thoroughly.
- Keep stuffed toys off beds.
- Put any non-washable stuff toys that you keep in the freezer every couple of weeks to kill living dust mites.
This can attract more dust mites to the area by providing ample food in the form of your dead skin cells. Couches tend to be more difficult to protect from dust mites than beds. It is better to sleep in a bed with a dust mite cover for protection from allergens and mites.
That's right, now you have a legitimate reason not to make your bed every day! Leaving the bed unmade each morning with the sheets exposed to air will air-dry and release moisture from bedding. This significantly reduces the number of dust mites you have to contend with. ^{[11]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Other Methods

Open windows and screen doors to allow fresh air to circulate. This reduces humidity and can help move dust and other allergens out. Do this often to reduce dust mite populations.
Sunlight kills dust mites, but keep in mind that it does not remove dust mite residue.^{[12]
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Research source} Hang bedding, clothing and other furnishings outside or in direct sunlight. Air blankets, rugs and other heavy bedding items outside as often as possible. Open curtains and blinds to let the sun shine in.
Excess items in the bedroom such as books, magazines, clothing baskets, knickknacks, ornaments, toys and piles of clothing that make it hard to clean or dust create an excellent home for dust mites. A good rule of thumb to follow is that if it can collect dust, it can be a haven for dust mites. Try making a mimimalist bedroom.
Dust mites thrive in humid environments because they absorb water from the atmosphere. Avoid humidifying, and use a dehumidifier or air conditioner to keep relative humidity below 50%. A hygrometer, available at hardware stores, measures humidity levels in the home so you can have more control.
Dust mites do very well in temperatures between 65°F and 84°F and a relative humidity of more than 50%. To cut down on dust mite populations, make your home less comfortable for them. Along with a reduction in humidity, consider lowering your in-home temperatures to below 70°F or more. ^{[13]
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A high-efficiency media filter in your furnace and air conditioning unit can help remove allergens and reduce dust mite populations. Look for a filter with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of 11 or 12 and change the filer every three months at least. Leave the fan on for a whole house air filter. ^{[14]
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Mayo Clinic
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There are many types of air purifiers that can be attached to the central air return. These purifiers decrease irritants and food sources for dust mites with most filters removing 50 to 70% of material. HEPA filters, however, will remove up to 99% of dust mite feces, dust, animal dander, pollen, cockroach feces, and other materials. ^{[15]
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Non-washable bedding, toys, furnishings and other items can be frozen to kill dust mites. Freeze these items for 24 to 48 hours. Though this method will destroy mites, it does not remove allergens.^{[16]
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Tips

Choose bedding, covers and other fabrics wisely. Avoid bedcovers that easily trap dust and are difficult to clean.

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Warnings

These methods will all help to reduce dust mites and allergens in the home, but a medical doctor should be consulted for all allergies or allergic symptoms.

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