You can learn how to get rid of dust mites in your mattress by considering these four solutions. All of them are possible to do at home, and we’ll also talk about when you must call a professional. But first, try these techniques to wash the bedding, clean the mattress, and lower the room’s humidity.
We highly advise that you also check this guide on what lives in your mattress. Who knows? You might not even be dealing with dust mites in the first place.
How Do I Get Rid Of Dust Mites In My Bed?
Wash the bedding
Strip off the bedding from your mattress and wash everything that you can wash at high temperatures. Besides cleaning the mattress itself, you have to also clean the other accessories in the bed where dust mites might be hiding. And since you can’t wash most pillows in the washing machine, place them in a plastic bag instead and then into the freezer for two days to kill the dust mites in them.
According to studies, you must expose dust mites to water temperature at least 130°F to kill them. You can also wash the bedding, and other mattress covers as usual, then place them in the dryer at 130°F or higher for 15 minutes. Do these for the clothes you used on the bed to ensure that there are no dust mites in them too.
Clean the mattress
Since mattresses can’t be soaked or exposed to high temperatures without the risk of material degradation, you’ll clean your bed differently. First, get a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to ensure that it can suck out and remove the dust mites effectively. Otherwise, you risk spreading the pesky critters if the vacuum just blows at them.
Then, apply several drops of essential oil on baking soda and sprinkle the powder all over the bed. Vacuum the baking soda off after 15 minutes and dispose of the contents securely. For more tips, here is how often you should clean your mattress.
Manipulate the room’s humidity
Low humidity can be uncomfortable for sleep, so if you’re sleeping somewhere else, reduce the humidity in the bedroom. High humidity is advantageous to dust mites and using a dehumidifier to reach around 35% can make the bedroom inhabitable for the survival of dust mites. Place a hygrometer in the room to help you check the indoor conditions.
Do note that low humidity is also not pleasurable for us. Therefore, you should only lower the room’s humidity if you’re not in it. Furthermore, you still want to clean the mattress and bedding to ensure that you’re removing all the remnants from dust mites.
Hire a pest control remover
The final step to removing dust mites on your mattress is by hiring a professional. This should be considered, especially if cleaning won’t suffice to address titles. On the other hand, you don’t immediately need to hire pest control because house dust mite management suffices in most cases.
Furthermore, killing dust mites is only addressing the infestation. If you suffer from allergies, you also need to ensure that you’ve removed all the dust mite skins or fecal matter. Therefore, consistent and proper cleaning is still the best way to address dust mites.
What Can I Spray On My Mattress To Kill Dust Mites?
Essential oils
The most common natural homemade remedy you can use on the mattress with dust mites is essential oils. The acaricidal activities of essential oils like eucalyptus and rosemary can control house dust mites. You can also make a spray solution with tea tree oil to kill and repel these critters.
- Clean the mattress as usual
- Mix tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, and distilled water and pour the solution into a spray bottle
- Mist the bed and allow it to air dry
Diatomaceous earth
Dust mites have an exoskeleton, so using diatomaceous earth against them should be effective. You don’t need to make a spray solution with this fine powder. Instead, sprinkle it all over the mattress and leave it there for as long as possible.
You can also use DE on other parts of the room where dust mites can hide. For example, the carpets should be cleaned consistently.
Vinegar
Vinegar is not only effective for getting the musty smell of the mattress. You can also use it to keep dust mites off the bed. Try a solution of distilled water, white vinegar, and essential oils.
- Remove all the accessories in the bed
- Clean the mattress
- Spray the vinegar solution over the mattress and let it sit for a few hours
- Sprinkle baking soda on the surface and vacuum it off after several hours
How Do I Know If I Have Dust Mites In My Bed?
There’s a high chance that you have dust mites in bed if you develop allergies. This means that you experience a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, or even worsened asthma. Consider cleaning the room and the bed itself, then get a home testing kit to confirm your suspicion.
Conclusion
If you’re sneezing more than usual, you might be dealing with dust mites on your bed. To recap this guide on how to get rid of dust mites in your mattress, you must clean the bedding, vacuum the mattress, or lower the room’s humidity. You can even consider contacting a professional.
The good news is dust mites can be manageable. We have found studies that showed how essential oils can kill them. Try the home remedies we discussed, and don’t forget to ask your doctor about your allergies.