How to get rid of dust mites naturally?

How to get rid of dust mites?

Do you often find it difficult to breathe at home? Do you sneeze often or do you regularly have a stuffy nose? A dry cough irritates your throat, but not all of these symptoms sound like a cold. What can cause such symptoms? These are mites, critters invisible to the naked eye, present in almost every home.

Think you have a dust mite problem at home? Let us explain how to find the signs of dust mites in your home and how to get rid of them.

1. What are dust mites and where are they found?

If you could see mites with the naked eye, their appearance would seem disgusting to you. The rounded body of the mite does not have a head, but two claws instead. Its four pairs of legs are equipped with suckers, and the size of this arachnid is only 0.1-0.5 millimeters. That’s why we don’t see them or feel the mites moving on our skin.

The greatest density of dust mites in a house is:

• in down and feather pillows
• in the mattresses
• in the wool carpets
• in the sofas
• in the books

More than 70% of mites are therefore concentrated in the place where you sleep! WOW!

But dust mites can also be found under baseboards and in vacuum cleaner bags, where they feel very comfortable because it is warm, dark and dusty.

Dust mites don’t just live in houses and apartments. They feel good in libraries, hotels and hair salons. Upholstered theater seats, bus seats and train mattresses are also favorite places for dust mites!

Mites can also live on your face and in your hair. This causes demodicosis, a disease that manifests on the skin of the forehead, cheeks and eyelids. This leads to hair loss, itching and inflammation.

It is impossible to visually detect the presence of mites. You can live with them for years without knowing it.

The mites themselves are harmless, but the products of their activity, such as molting debris and feces, can cause severe allergies and exacerbate bronchial asthma.

It is often these symptoms and allergies that tell us the presence of dust mites in a house.

3. The following symptoms should put you on your guard:

• Nasal congestion, frequent sneezing, runny nose (without signs of a cold).
• Redness and irritation of the eyes, conjunctivitis, tearing.
• Dry cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing.
• Redness and irritation of the skin, rashes, hives.
• Bronchial asthma (According to statistics, about 80% of asthmatics have an allergy to house dust mites.)

If you notice one or more of the symptoms mentioned above it is important to check the presence of these parasites and to quickly fight against the mites!

Do you suspect the presence of dust mites in your home? You must take all measures to prevent them from multiplying and spreading.

You will not be able to completely get rid of dust mites, but applying these measures will reduce the amount of mites:

• Get rid of down and feather pillows, old mattresses, rugs, stuffed animals, as they are a source of household dust. Down pillows and duvets should be replaced with hypoallergenic synthetics.
• Wash your bedding at temperatures above 65°C using anti-mite products.
• Use a carpet shampooer and add anti-mite products.
• Install an ultraviolet air purifier.
• Since dust mites love humidity, get into the habit of airing every room in your home for at least 30 minutes every day.
• Do not take pets into your bed.

5. Anti dust mite products

There are several products, often chemical, to get rid of dust mites. Some of these anti-mite products are available in powder, aerosol and spray.

For those who have significant problems with mites, there are even kits specially designed to fight mites. In addition, there are products specifically designed for laundry on the market, which we add to our regular soap.

Of course, most of these mite control products are strong chemical insecticides, and may not be suitable for everyone.

10-Trucs offers you below an anti-mite spray to spray directly on fabrics, mattresses and carpets:

6. Eliminate dust mites naturally with diatomaceous earth

Are you interested in a natural and powerful insecticide against dust mites and other parasites? Do you know diatomaceous earth?

You can therefore sprinkle a little of this natural insectici along the baseboards in the different rooms of the house. You can also use diatomaceous earth against bed bugs, fleas, and moths.

Never sprinkle diatomaceous earth directly on the mattress, sheets, pillows and bedding in contact with the skin.

Diatomaceous earth is also very useful against bedbugs as you will discover here: How to repel bed bugs?

Fortunately, there are alternatives to chemical anti-mite products! In addition to the tips mentioned above to fight against dust mites, there are natural ways to kill dust mites, including the famous baking soda.

Indeed, it seems that baking soda has powerful acaricidal properties to kill dust mites!

To get rid of dust mites naturally, here’s how:

• Sprinkle affected areas with baking soda.
• Leave to act for a minimum of 2 hours or better, overnight.
• Then vacuum to complete the mite treatment.

Did you know that baking soda is also effective against certain insect bites? Come and discover this article: Baking soda against bed bugs.

Want to make sure you get rid of dust mites in your home? After vacuuming your mattress, pillows, rugs and more, spray them with a special house dust mite removal recipe.

For this natural dust mite remedy you need:

• The juice of 2 lemons
• 1.5 liters of water
• 2 teaspoons essential oil of eucalyptus, mint or lavender

Mix the ingredients well and pour them into a spray bottle. Spray all areas where you think you have a dust mite problem, leave for a few hours and vacuum again.

To eliminate mites naturally, nothing better than essential oils. Here is an acaricidal recipe, to spray on your mattress, pillow, carpet, etc. :

• 60 drops of tea tree essential oil
• 60 drops of clove essential oil
• 30 drops of lavender essential oil
• 90 milliliters of rubbing alcohol or modified alcohol

Mix all the ingredients and pour into a spray bottle. Spray the areas affected by the mites generously. Leave for a few hours, then vacuum.

If in addition to mites you are looking for repellents against fleas and aphids, read these tips: Anti-flea tip.

To effectively eliminate dust mites from your linens, sheets and other bedding during laundry, we have another effective anti dust mite recipe.

Just add 1 tablespoon of eucalyptus essential oil to your laundry soap container. Wash as usual, and dry on high heat when possible.

Finally, how about making your own homemade insecticide? Come find out how to do it right here: Natural insecticide.