To get rid of dust mites, wash your bedding weekly, keep indoor humidity low, and clean the carpets and soft furnishings where they gather. If you often wake up with a stuffy nose or itchy eyes, mites may be the reason. This guide on how to get rid of dust mites covers nine methods, where mites hide, and the signs to watch for.
How to Get Rid of Dust Mites: Core Strategy
When figuring out how to get rid of dust mites in bed, it's all about controlling their environment. These pests thrive where warmth, humidity, and skin flakes combine, so your best defense is creating conditions they can't survive in. Here are different ways to get rid of dust mites:
1. Wash Bedding Weekly in Hot Water
Wash your bed linens in hot water at least once a week. This includes your bed sheets, pillowcases, and blankets. Set your washer to at least 130°F to kill mites and remove allergens like their waste and eggs. If your washer can't heat water that high, a warm or even cold wash with detergent still removes most mite allergens. After washing, make sure to dry them thoroughly in the sun or in a hot dryer.
2. Use Allergen-Proof Covers
Encase your pillows, mattresses, and duvets in allergen-proof or dust-mite-resistant covers to create a strong barrier between you and the mites. These tightly woven covers prevent mites from settling into your bedding and feeding on skin flakes. Choose covers made from breathable materials to maintain comfort while you’re sleeping.
3. Keep Humidity Low
Dust mites thrive in humid air, which is why maintaining indoor humidity below 50 percent is essential. You can use a dehumidifier or air conditioner to control moisture levels, especially in bedrooms and basements. Proper ventilation can also help keep the air fresh and dry. The drier your home, the harder it becomes for mites to reproduce and survive.
4. Vacuum and Dust the Right Way
Dust mites and their waste settle into carpets, rugs, and upholstery, so vacuum these soft surfaces at least once a week. Vacuuming helps remove dust from surfaces. Always use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter so allergens don’t get blown back into the air. You can also consider robot vacuums with deep-cleaning features for regular cleaning of your carpets, rugs, or upholstered furniture. In homes with allergies, the challenge is reaching mites deep in the carpet pile on a regular schedule.
For mites buried deep in the pile, the Anker eufy Omni S2 Pro uses 40,000 Pa suction to pull them out, with a carpet mite elimination rate of 99.999% or higher, certified by TÜV SÜD. Homes with allergy-prone family members, babies, or pets also need a vacuum that won't blow allergens back into the room, where they can trigger symptoms and settle onto floors where babies crawl and pets lie down. The S2 Pro's AeroTurbo™ 3.0 multi-cyclone filtration keeps what it picks up from escaping back into the air. If your carpets are thicker than 1.38 in, the S2 Pro automatically skips them, while the Anker eufy Robot Vacuum Omni S2 climbs onto carpets up to 1.97 in thick and still removes dust mites with 30,000 Pa suction and AirClean 5-layer filtration.
Note: Vacuuming alone won't clear every mite, so keep it alongside the other steps in this guide.
5. Try Steam Cleaning for Deep Sanitization
Some large fabric items can't go in the washer, such as mattresses, upholstered furniture, and carpets. Steam cleaning brings heat to them instead, because high heat kills mites in the fabrics it reaches. On carpets, steam is also part of deep carpet cleaning for allergies, which is worth doing every few months alongside regular vacuuming. Use a handheld or upright steam cleaner on heat-safe fabrics, then allow them to dry fully to prevent moisture buildup.
6. Freeze or Sun-Dry Non-Washable Items
Some household items, such as stuffed animals or decorative pillows, can't be washed easily. You can place them in a sealed plastic bag and freeze them for 24 hours. Extreme cold kills mites and their eggs. On a hot, dry day, you can also leave them in direct sunlight for several hours. Either way, the dead mites and their waste stay in the fabric, so shake out or vacuum the items when you're done.
7. Reduce Clutter and Fabric Decor
Dust mites thrive where dust collects, so cluttered rooms provide them more hiding spots. Store unused items in closed containers and avoid excessively stuffed toys or fabric decor. Replace heavy drapes with washable curtains or blinds. The fewer fabric surfaces mites can cling to, the easier it is to keep your home clean and allergen-free.
8. Use a HEPA Air Purifier
Mite allergens can float into the air when you make the bed or vacuum. Use air purifiers with HEPA filters to trap airborne dust mite waste and other particles. Change filters regularly according to manufacturer recommendations to keep the device effective.
9. Replace Old Bedding and Carpets
Old bedding and carpets can become long-term breeding grounds for dust mites because they trap years of skin flakes, moisture, and allergens deep within their fibers. Over time, even regular washing or vacuuming may not remove these built-up contaminants. If your mattress or pillows are 7 to 10 years old or more, or your carpets feel musty and worn, it's best to replace them.
Where Dust Mites Live in Your Home
Dust mites live where their food is, so knowing what they eat tells you where to focus. Human skin flakes are the primary food source of dust mites. Therefore, they thrive in warm, humid environments where human skin flakes easily accumulate. They are most common in beds and mattresses, pillows and upholstery, carpets and rugs, stuffed toys, and curtains and blinds.
Dust mites love to live in fabric-heavy areas because the dense weave of fabric offers protection from sunlight and air movement, creating a sheltered environment that helps mites multiply.
Signs You Might Have a Dust Mite Problem
You'll rarely see mites in your bedding, carpets, or upholstery, so their symptoms are usually the first clue that you need to know how to get rid of dust mites. Dust mite allergy symptoms often mimic seasonal allergies. Watch for these signs:
- Frequent sneezing and nasal stuffiness
- Runny or itchy nose upon waking up
- Watery, irritated, or red eyes
- Persistent coughing or wheezing indoors
- Allergy symptoms that worsen at home
- Itchy skin or mild rash after sleeping
- Interrupted or poor sleep quality
- Worsening asthma or breathing difficulties at night
If you notice itchy skin or a rash after sleeping, it isn't from dust mite bites. Dust mites don't bite, sting, or burrow into skin, so the itch is more likely an allergic reaction to dust mite allergens, the proteins in mite waste and decaying mites.
Note: These signs can overlap with other allergies or health conditions. Always consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to get rid of dust mites, remember that no single step clears them for good. Most exposure happens while you sleep, so start with the bedroom and keep the routine going week after week. If carpets are the hardest part to keep up with, a robot vacuum with strong suction and filtration that holds in allergens can take that job off your list.
FAQs
How do I permanently get rid of dust mites?
Permanently eliminating dust mites is nearly impossible because they are microscopic and ubiquitous, but you can drastically reduce their numbers. Mites come back whenever skin flakes and humidity build up again, so treat the steps above as a year-round routine rather than a one-time clean.
How do you know if you have dust mites?
You can't see dust mites, so you usually find out from your symptoms. If sneezing, a stuffy nose, or itchy eyes get worse at home, especially after waking, and ease when you're away, mites are a likely cause. To confirm it, ask an allergist about a skin prick test or a specific IgE blood test.
Can Lysol kill dust mites?
Only some, and not reliably. Lysol Disinfectant Spray is made for viruses and bacteria, not dust mites, and it may kill only the mites it touches directly. However, while it may kill mites, it doesn’t remove their allergens, which remain a major trigger for allergies. Relying solely on Lysol is not enough to control dust mites effectively. Hot-water washing and regular vacuuming do more to remove both mites and their allergens.
What smell kills dust mites?
Certain strong scents, such as eucalyptus, tea tree, or peppermint oils, can help repel dust mites but do not kill them instantly. Adding a few drops of these essential oils to laundry or sprays can create an environment that mites find uncomfortable. Scents alone are not a permanent solution, but can enhance a dust-mite prevention routine.
What do dust mites hate the most?
Dust mites hate dry air the most. They don't drink water and absorb moisture from the air instead, so when indoor humidity stays low, they dry out and struggle to survive or breed. They also can't survive high heat and avoid light, which is why they hide deep inside mattresses, box springs, and carpet pads.
Do dust mites live in pillows?
Yes, dust mites commonly live in pillows because they provide warmth, humidity, and a steady supply of skin flakes, which are their primary food source. Wash pillowcases weekly and use allergen-proof pillow covers to keep their numbers down.
