How To Get Rid Of Dust Mites On Cats

Need to know how to become rid of dust mites in your home? You've come to the right place.

Dust mites are bad news for allergy sufferers and can exist responsible for other common problems such as skin acne. And – these tiny insects are everywhere, including your sofa and your bed.

Not certain you're dealing with this particular critter? Consult our how to place bugs guide to observe the 1 creeping y'all out.

Lynsey Crombie, a.k.a Queen of Clean explains more:

'Mattresses are covered in mites. These mites feed on dead skin that we naturally shed in our sleep. This means that you lot are rolling around and inhaling all kinds of nasty particles which could include fungal spores, leaner, plasticisers and flame retardants.'

While non a problem for near people, dust mites can wreak havoc with the health of those who are sensitive; if that's y'all, y'all'll want to get rid of them asap.

How do you kill dust mites? You tin can't get rid of them completely, merely you can limit their prolific convenance and its effects if y'all follow these tips.

Makes you want to clean your mattress properly, eh? Follow our how to clean your mattress guide.

How to get rid of dust mites - person dusting - GettyImages-523835605

The all-time ways to get rid of dust mites

Desire to learn how to get rid of grit mites? Let us count the ways.

During its lifetime, a grit mite tin can produce upwardly to 200 times its own body weight in faeces and cast skin shells, and its these that trigger allergic reactions in some of united states of america.

Grit mites brood prolifically, meaning there are millions of them living and feeding on the clothing fabrics, bedding, soft effects and carpets in your dwelling – in fact, anywhere that grit gathers.

Martha Stewart explains: 'Dust mites, microscopic insects that alive off man and animal skin scales, reside in near all bedding materials, including pillows, mattresses, and comforters-no affair how clean or immaculate the home.'

So, limiting dust – and other conditions that dust mites honey – plus getting into a regular cleaning bike can limit their numbers, and whatever allergic reaction to them.

how to get rid of bed bugs - a vacuum cleaner in a bedroom - Getty

1. Tackle the dust mites in your bedroom (and your mattress)

Regular vacuuming, dusting, airing the room past opening windows and laundering curtains are general steps you tin take to kill dust mites.

More specifically, airing your bedding every day – pushing back the covers instead of making the bed – volition reduce the humidity that encourages dust mites. Washing bedding, pillows and duvet once a week on a hot wash will likewise kill them since they tin can't survive temperatures of 60ºC; if you have a tumble dryer, putting the bedding through a hot cycle will cease off any that have survived the wash.

Martha Stewart shares her acme tip for cleaning pillows:

'Set the machine to the gentlest bike, using warm water; add a minor amount of a mild liquid detergent (powder detergent may go out a residue), then fill the tub loosely with your pillows. Repeat the rinse cycle to remove detergent completely.'

If your allergy is very bad, it may be worth investing in mite-proof duvet covers, pillow cases and bed sheets. This hypo-allergenic bedding has a tightly woven fabric that makes it nearly impossible for grit mites to penetrate into the duvets, pillows and mattress; it as well prevents your body'due south wet and dead skin from doing the aforementioned, cutting off their food source.

A skilful mattress protector will provide a bulwark to help foreclose dust mites breeding in your mattress, but if you lot're thinking of replacing your mattress, buying one – and a pillow to match – that's hypo-allergenic will discourage dust mites from living and breeding in your bed.

Looking for new bedlinen? Acquit in mind that wool and silk are both fabrics that are inhospitable to dust mites.

Finally, go on your pets off the bed and, ideally, out of the bedroom – dust mites consume pet dander, also.

See our reviews of the best mattresses for allergy sufferers to find the right one for you lot.

2. Getting rid of dust mites in children'due south rooms

Follow all the tips in the point above, simply don't forget to add their soft toys to the list, too. If washable on a hot wash, launder soft toys in one case a week at 60ºC.

Dust mites besides can't survive below 16ºC, then freezing your child'south favourite soft toy (that also seems to make them sneeze) in one case a week in a plastic bag in the freezer volition kill any dust mites.

Then, but remove them from the freezer and shake them well outside to remove the dead mites and their faeces.

3. Cleaning upwardly dust mites in living spaces

Dusting by wiping surfaces down with a damp textile or microfibre cloth volition stop y'all launching dust mites into the air. Dispose of the dust by putting it on a hot wash later cleaning.

A thorough vacuuming once a week – rather than a light vacuuming every few days – with a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner will remove dust mites and their faeces (HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air, and these vacuums work past trapping small particles in a fine mesh). See our pick of the best vacuum cleaners for 1 that can do the task for yous.

Steam cleaning carpets, rugs, and piece of furniture can kill dust mites; practice this once a calendar week if your allergy is peculiarly bad, then vacuum the surfaces afterwards to remove them and their faeces. And, when you're cleaning, wearing a mask tin can stop you lot inhaling the dust that volition aggravate your reactions.

Discover out how to make clean a carpet properly with our step-by-step guide.

how to get rid of flying insects - kitchen diner open window - GettyImages

4. Keep oestrus and humidity down

Dust mites love living in an environment that'south similar to what nosotros bask – room temperatures between 24°C and 27°C, and humidity at effectually 70 per cent to fourscore per cent suits them just fine, making breeding atmospheric condition perfect.

Martha Stewart agrees: 'Dust mites love bedrooms (and beds) because they tend to be especially warm and humid. Bring in a dehumidifier during the summer, or turn on your Air conditioning -- common cold air is inherently drying'

So, keep heating at no higher than 21°C, which is comfy for most of the states, only not so much for dust mites. Airing rooms to keep humidity levels depression will also discourage breeding – if your rooms suffer badly from condensation or it's not practical to air rooms (perchance your bedroom is on the basis floor), putting a dehumidifier on a timer and setting it to run for an 60 minutes or so every morning later you've left for piece of work will do the trick.

Find out about dehumidifiers in our feature, or take a wait at our ranking of the best dehumidifiers to purchase.

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5. Use Diatomaceous globe to kill grit mites

This is one of our favourite methods for killing grit mites, even if information technology sounds a bit out in that location. Diatomaceous globe is a natural fine powder made from silica stone that yous can sprinkle on surfaces where grit mites alive (beds, pet beds, article of furniture, carpets...) to kill them. It works by piercing their exoskeleton equally they pass through information technology, which volition impale them instantly.

Leave the pulverisation for as long as possible – all day while you're out of bed is a good choice – then vacuum it upwardly (simply ensure you're using a vacuum without a filter so that the powder doesn't clog information technology upward).

This product is safe for us and for our pets, and tin can also be used to kill fleas and bed bugs.

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6. Endeavour a natural remedy

Tea tree oil is a natural antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal oil that is said to kill dust mites, and is definitely worth a try if your allergies are bad.

Here's how to use it at dwelling house:

Mix ii cups of distilled water with 2 tablespoons of tea tree oil and 2 tablespoons of eucalyptus oil in a dark spray bottle (so yous tin can store it away without light spoiling the oils).
Spray it liberally onto bedding, furniture and carpets at least once a week – bonus, it will make your dwelling house smell nice, too.

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vii. Swap carpets for hard flooring

Dust mites honey to alive in carpets considering carpets are the perfect surround for trapping dead pare and pet dander.

If the measures above aren't working for you, it will be worth swapping carpets for hard floor.

eight. Cut down on soft effects

Love a throw cushion but constantly sneezing on the sofa or in your chamber? Cutting down on soft furnishings (the home of dust mites) is another option for allergy sufferers.

The fabric captures the dust and wet in the air that dust mites love. Every time you disturb or plump these cushions, the dust volition be thrown up into the air and on to other surfaces, and you lot'll get an allergic reaction.

Don't want to cut downwards on them? Steam clean them and shake them out in the garden one time a calendar week.

Not got a steam cleaner yet? Have a expect at our tried-and-tested guide to the best steam cleaners .

nine. Keep your pets (and their bedding) clean, also

As we said, dust mites love pet dander, so hot washing their bedding in one case a week and regularly grooming your pets will keep dust mites at bay.

If you lot accept a true cat or dog that sheds a lot, you'll need to footstep upwards the vacuuming, too. If your vacuum's packed information technology in, have a look at our tried-and-tested guide to the best vacuums for pet hair. This won't simply help you – some pets suffer from grit mite allergies, too.

Find out more than about the best ways to cleaning up later on dogs and after cats for more tips.

x. Get an air purifier

Fortunately, dust mites are tiny enough to be removed via a HEPA filter in a powerful air purifier. Although it's all-time to combine all the methods outlined above in combating grit mites, an air purifier will provide much-needed instant relief if you're an allergy sufferer. To help yous make up one's mind, have a wait at our guide to the best air purifiers.