What are Dust Mites? How Do I Remove Them?

What are Dust Mites?

Dust Mites are tiny microscopic relatives of the spider and live on mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture, carpets and curtains.

These tiny creatures feed on the flakes of skin that people and pets shed daily and they thrive in warm and humid environments. Dust Mites can cause a list of symptoms that people contribute to allergies or indoor allergens.

No matter how clean a home is, dust mites cannot be totally eliminated. However, the number of mites can be reduced & in turn allergy symptoms can be greatly reduced following the suggestions below.

Preventive Strategies for Dust Mites

• Hire a professional carpet cleaner such as Chem-Dry of Boerne to deep clean your carpets, mattresses, furniture & any other highly active area in your home. Once the dust mites have been deep cleaned out of high traffic areas preventative steps can be taken.
• Use a dehumidifier or air conditioner to maintain relative humidity at about 50% or below.
• Encase your mattress and pillows in dust-proof or allergen impermeable covers (available from specialty supply mail order companies, bedding and some department stores).
• Wash all bedding and blankets once a week in hot water (at least 130 – 140°F) to kill dust mites. Non-washable bedding can be frozen overnight to kill dust mites.
• Replace wool or feathered bedding with synthetic materials and traditional stuffed animals with washable ones.
• If possible, replace wall-to-wall carpets in bedrooms with bare floors (linoleum, tile or wood) and remove fabric curtains and upholstered furniture.
• Use a damp mop or rag to remove dust. Never use a dry cloth since this just stirs up mite allergens.
• Use a vacuum cleaner with either a double-layered micro-filter bag or a HEPA filter to trap allergens that pass through a vacuum’s exhaust.

If you feel that you are suffering from Dust Mite infestation or any other indoor allergens that are providing you and or family members symptoms please don’t hesitate to call us at (830) 331-2003! Removing indoor allergens permanently is possible & you can find relief, call us today to see how we can help.