Dust mites are microscopic pests that are found everywhere. How do you know if your clothes are covered in dust mites? Many of us might experience itching and irritation when we enter a new place full of dust. This is due to the dust mites that might end up on our clothes and make us uncomfortable.
Dust mites seek out dark, warm, and rich areas in their preferred food, like the shed human skin cells. As a result, they pick fiber surfaces. Dust mites can hide in fibers as they collect their food and trap moisture. Fiber surfaces are challenging to clean. As a result, dust mite allergens accumulate in fibers over time. Dust mite removal from fabric surfaces necessitates a multi-pronged approach discussed in this article.
It is hard to detect these pests and eliminate them. This is because they are invisible and spread everywhere. After months of trouble, I have found out how to eliminate these pests. In this article, I will share how I helped deal with these pests.
Table of Contents
Where Do Dust Mites Come From And What Do They Eat?
Dust mites are microscopic arthropods that belong to the spider family. They form dust with the help of their web. They are found everywhere, especially in the corners of houses.
Dust mites typically enter our homes by attaching themselves to us, our clothes, and our luggage when we visit other indoor places rather than entering from the outside. Places with soft furniture such as sofas, carpets, the fabric are the right environment for dust mites to thrive.
Dust mites are tiny, insect-like pests that live in household dust. These pests usually feed on flakes of dead skin, known as dander, shed by humans and pets. These tiny creatures are a significant allergen source and can aggravate allergies and asthma.
How Do You Know If You Have Them?
Unfortunately, no part of the house is immune to dust mites. These creatures can make their way into your closet and feed on your clothes and other personal belongings. If you have dust mites in your clothes, you might experience rashes and itching on your body.
In addition to them, you might also experience allergic reactions like a runny nose, watery eyes, cough, and sneezing. If you experience these allergic symptoms on wearing your clothes, you can confirm that dust mites are on your clothes.
What Does Dead Skin Have To Do With All This?
Dead skin plays an essential role in this issue. Dust mites feed on dead skin that is present in the air. The dead skin might come from humans, pets, etc. The danger of the pets also contributes to the dust mites’ food. Thus, it is challenging to eliminate dust mites.
How Can Dust Mites Affect My Health?
Many of us must be allergic to dust mites. Dust mites generally cause allergic reactions such as sneezing, coughing, and colds. Dust mites feed on dead skin cells, which are always available in the environment.
These reactions are due to the allergens that dust mites carry with them. The effect of dust mites is not a significant health issue as it is common worldwide.
How To Keep the Dust Mites Away From Clothes?
1: Clean your closet properly
Remove all clothing and other items from the closet and thoroughly clean the inside. You can take the help of a vacuum cleaner to remove traces of dust or dirt from the surface, or you can manually wipe it down. Pay special attention to the closet’s corners to ensure no dust bunnies are present or huddled up in the corner.
2: Organize your closet
This means you should get rid of any out-of-date clothing or clothing that you no longer wear. Reduce the number of items of clothing that will simply collect dust to reduce the risk of dust mites thriving in the closet or space.
To avoid dust mites, it is also advisable to store special occasions or seasonal clothing in an airtight container.
3: Steam Clean
This procedure will eliminate any allergens and dust mites that may still be lurking in your closet. Steam cleaning your clothes will not only make them smell better, but it will also kill any dust mites or other insects that have made your clothes their home.
4: Clean your pillows, blankets, curtains, and rugs
Before storing your clothes, ensure that they are clean. Segregate worn clothes by placing them in a laundry hamper. To eliminate allergens, use effective detergent and other cleaning materials to clean your pillows, blankets, curtains, and rugs.
However, if you have known allergies, choose a detergent that will not harm both your skin and the fabric of your clothes.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Dust Mite Allergy?
Your body produces antihistamines in response to the dust mite allergens. These antihistamines are produced when sneezing, stuffy nose, itchy nose, nasal congestion, and throat infection.
The first stage might seem like a common allergy, but eventually, it leads to other diseases. In worst cases, asthma triggers and makes it even more dangerous.
How To Prevent Dust Mites Infestation?
A dust mite infestation can develop if the room or apartment is left empty for several days. Dust mites do not need any living sources as their food. They feed on the dust and the high-efficiency particulate air.
To avoid dust mite infestation, use an air filter and dehumidifier. These two tools have a greater chance of eliminating dust mites from the surrounding air.
How Can Dust Mites Be Eliminated?
You can eliminate dust mites by maintaining a clean environment around you. You need to make sure that the furniture and clothes you wear are clean and dry. The following are some of the useful ways you can eliminate dust mites
- Wash Your Clothes In Hot Water
- Treat Your Clothes With detergents Containing Natural Insecticides
- Freeze Your Clothes In Zippered Plastic Bags
- Wash Your Mattress With Special Cleaning Solutions
- Vacuum Your Mattress While Wearing A Mask
- Let Clothes Dry Naturally
How do you know if your clothes are covered in dust mites?
If your clothes are covered in dust mites, you would instantly experience allergic symptoms due to the allergens that these dust mites carry. These allergy symptoms are due to the production of histamine in your body that eventually leads to sneezing, cough, and asthma.
To eliminate dust mites and remove allergens, wash all sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and bedcovers in hot water at 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54.4 degrees Celsius). If the bedding cannot be washed hot, dry it for at least 15 minutes at a temperature above 130 F (54.4 C) to kill the mites.
The bedding is washed and dried to remove allergens. Although freezing nonwashable items for 24 hours can kill dust mites, it will not remove allergens.
Final thoughts
Eliminating dust mites is practically impossible as that is found everywhere. The dead skin is continuously present in the environment, and dust mites feed on it. It is important to control their infestation rather than eliminate them.
Dust mites have a high reproductive capacity, and You can try reducing humidity or using a filter to get rid of them. These dust mites can be found everywhere, including toys and blankets. The activities of the dust mites are similar to the bed bugs.
