Her Haus: A Spring Clean

As one of the lucky ones having been blessed with adult onset allergies, a thorough cleaning is needed more often at the house.

Dust mites might be small, in fact they are microscopic so you cannot see them with the naked eye, but they can cause major problems. 

They are a common cause of allergies in homes, both human and animal. If you are suffering from an allergy to dust mites you are going to want to try and get rid of them from your home.

One thing it’s important to point out up front is that, no matter how clean your home is, you will always have to share it with a certain number of dust mites. You will not eradicate them completely. That being said, there are ways in which you can control the number of dust mites present in your home.

Consult the experts

Even professional pest control companies cannot completely solve your dust mite problem but they can advise on how best to reduce the numbers of the unwelcome visitors in your home. Don’t forget they have a lot of experience of dust mite infestation so they are in the best position to provide you with information. They can also provide services such as treating carpets in your home with liquid nitrogen which helps to kill off the dust mites that are living there.

It’s a good idea to dispose of carpets

If you must have carpets in your home then you can get them professionally treated, but it’s often a good idea to get rid of them altogether in favor of wooden or laminate flooring. This deprives dust mites of one of their favorite homes. Drapes are also excellent hosts for dust mites so replacing them with blinds can also help to control your dust mite population.

A dehumidifier is a useful tool

Dust mites thrive in warm and humid conditions; it’s there optimum environment. Using a dehumidifier, or an air conditioning unit, to keep the humidity level at less than 50% is an excellent way of reducing the numbers of these pests.

Bedding should be protected and washed correctly

If you are having problems with dust mites, investing in dust proof covers for your mattresses and pillows is a great idea. You should also wash all bedding once a week in water at a temperature of at least 130 – 140°F; this level of temperature kills dust mites. Any items of bedding that cannot be washed can be frozen to kill off the mites, this is a service that some pest control professionals in Long Island offer.

It’s important to clean your home in the right way

You may think you are keeping your home clean; but are you cleaning it in the right way? Dust should never be removed with a dry cloth as this just spreads the dust and allergens. You should always use a damp rag to remove dust. When vacuuming you should make sure that you use a vacuum cleaner with either a double-layered micro filter bag or a HEPA filter.

You will never be able to completely eliminate dust mites from your home but you can seek advice from the professionals, and take measures to significantly reduce the numbers of these pests.