How to Create a Dust-Free Bedroom

House dust mites are tiny, microscopic animals that live in our homes, feeding on shed human and pet skin. They cause allergies, asthma, eczema and other unpleasant health issues and that’s why getting rid of them is one of the most important household chores. These creatures are incredibly resistant and fast, traveling throughout the homes in search for cozy, warm and humid place where they can live. They are usually found in mattresses, sheets and night clothes, which are the perfect environment for them.

Although not all people are allergic to them, it’s best to clean and maintain your bedroom and mattresses periodically. The dust mites can’t be completely eliminated, regardless of how clean your home is. However, there are several good ways to reduce their number, keeping your bed mite-free and preventing all unpleasant issues that might happen.

Checking for mites

Dust mites are not visible to the naked eye. Therefore, you need to use the mite detection kit (or the magnifying glass). Mites are so tiny that they are hard to spot, even with the magnifier and if you notice something else on the mattress (with the naked eye), be sure that it’s not a dust mite. Detection kit is easy to use: you collect the dust sample from bed or carpet, perform the test and read the results. The test consists of reagents that are sensitive to high level of allergens. Never skip doing this test if you experience sudden symptoms such as rash and itching when you go to bed.

Cleaning the bed

Even if you don’t detect the mites, there are several things that need to be done occasionally. From time to time, strip the bedding and mattress covers and wash them in hot water (over 130 F). You can also use a mite-killing detergent. Mattress cleaning should be done occasionally, even if the test doesn’t detect a presence of mites. However, if you do detect them, or if the risk of having them is high (humid air), all these actions should be done more frequently. There’s one more thing you can do: sprinkling baking soda on the mattress and vacuuming it after 15 minutes – this will remove most of the dust mites.

Killing the mites

Boiling and vacuuming are just two ways of removing the mites. The other methods include freezing, poisoning and putting them in a hot tumble dryer. Beating them out of the mattress is another good way of killing them. If the mattress is already used it should be carefully vacuumed and sprayed with a mite killing spray. It would be good to do all this before you move into the new apartment (especially if you will be sleeping on used mattress). If this sounds too tiring for you, you can always call the professionals to help you and make your bedroom safe and clean.

Keeping the bedroom mite free – prevention

Regular cleaning and weekly washing of the bedding is half of the prevention. Since dust mites love humid areas, get rid of the excess humidity with the help of the air conditioner and keep the room temperature below 70 degrees. Also, don’t make your bed immediately after getting up –bed needs to be aired during the day so that all moisture can evaporate. Use pure cotton mattress covers and anti-mite pillows that will soak all the sweat and shed skin. If possible, get rid of the bedroom carpets, and don’t forget to dust the whole room and vacuum the floors on a regular basis.