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Dust mites can literally turn your life upside down, as they wreak havoc on your health. If you’ve had enough of these microscopic pests, rummaging your home may lead you to some household products that kill dust mites.
1. Vinegar
There’s a whole range of use for vinegar, including making salads and removing stubborn stains. If you have a bottle of vinegar to spare, you could start putting an end to the symptoms of dust mites allergies.
Vinegar is acidic and it usually contains 5% to 20% of acetic acid. This common household product can destroy dust mites allergen, which is a form of protein found in the mite’s carcass and fecal pellet. The protein is responsible for triggering allergic symptoms in the human body.
There are two options when using vinegar. You can pour vinegar into a spray bottle and target dust-mites infested areas, or add a cup of vinegar into the laundry. Some vinegar with additive may stain fabrics. To be safe, stick to white vinegar or apple cider and dilute with water to reduce the acidity.
2. Baking Soda
Baking soda does more than giving the dough a decent rise. The familiar white powdery compound is also used by housewives for cleaning or as a natural freshener. Also known as sodium bicarbonate, baking soda is a promising candidate in killing dust mites.
There are various opinions that suggest the effectiveness of baking soda in eliminating dust mites, but scientific studies have not been conclusive. Baking soda is known to exhibit antibacterial properties and this may be linked to its ability to kill dust mites.
You can sprinkle baking soda on items like carpet or mix it with vinegar for an enhanced effect. Besides neutralizing dust mites, the presence of baking soda also neutralizes the unpleasant odor that permeates your home.
3. Essential Oil
You may want to spare some of the essential oils in your aromatherapy collection. Of course, not all types of essential oil are capable of busting dust mites. Clove oil is found to be most effective in killing dust mites, while eucalyptus is a popular choice for the same purpose.
Essential oils that have a high amount of acaricides proved to be lethal for dust mites. There are a few ways to apply essential oils to kill dust mites. Adding a few drops of essential oils into laundry helps to get rid of dust mites hiding in the clothes.
You could also dilute essential oils in a spray and use it on mattress, upholsteries and other areas that are teeming with the hideous pests.
4. Febreeze Freshener Spray
Febreeze is a common household brand worldwide and you probably have a few air fresheners in hand. Regular Febreeze sprays may or may not be effective in killing dust mites. Instead, you’ll need to get the Allergen Reducer series by the popular brand.
Both Febreeze Fabric Allergen Reducer and Febreeze Air Effects Allergen Reducer are certified as allergen-friendly by the AAFA (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America). It is claimed that using these sprays can drastically reduce dust mites allergen.
Like any Febreeze sprays, the allergen-reducer doubles up as air freshener and leaves a mild scent after being sprayed. As effective as it is, both products have been discontinued but can still be purchased via Amazon.
5. Bleach
When you try to whiten the bathtub to no avail, pouring bleach over it always does wonder. However, bleach does more than turning your bathware sparkling white. Made of sodium hypochlorite, bleach is first and foremost a disinfectant.
Bleach is a lethal compound that kills dust mites. Adding bleach into laundry is an effective way to get rid of dust mites on clothing or bed linens. However, bleach is a strong chemical and you need to be cautious when using it. It can also discolor some fabrics with prolonged exposure.
You’ll need to avoid mixing bleach with other compounds as it is strongly reactive. For example, mixing bleach with vinegar will produce chlorine gas which is toxic when inhaled. If you have a bottle of Clorox, you’re ready to start getting rid of dust mites.
6. Laundry Detergent
If you’re already doing laundry, you’re already busting tons of dust mites. Of course, that’s assuming that you’re not skipping the detergent. Detergents are formulated to clean and sanitize laundry, which kills dust mites in the process.
Of course, not all laundry detergents are equal in the formula. Some detergents are specially developed for the sake of killing dust mites. These anti-dust mites detergents also neutralize other forms of allergens.
To maximize the mortality rate of dust mites during laundry, you could increase the washing temperature or use a tumble dryer. Heating the laundry up to 55 °C will reduce the chances of surviving dust mites.
7. Vacuum Cleaner
You’ve heard that vacuuming your home regularly helps to reduce dust mites’ growth. A vacuum cleaner removes dust mites from the floor or upholsteries and traps it within its dust canister. It is important that you use a vacuum that is equipped with a HEPA filter to prevent the dust mites from escaping back into the air.
Typical vacuum cleaners may work well on floors and carpets, but may not be as effective for the mattress. Since mattresses are known to be highly-concentrated with dust mites, it helps to use a special UV vacuum cleaner that is designed to kill dust mites.
Designed as handheld units, UV vacuum cleaners are usually equipped with a motorized shaker, which brings deeply entrenched dust mites to the surface. The vacuum cleaner also generates heat to kill the dust mites that it is removing from the mattress.
Check out the best UV vacuum cleaners to kill dust mites.
8. Steam Cleaner
It’s frustrating when you have large carpeted areas that are suspiciously teeming with dust mites. In such cases, you’ll need a combination of heat and water to kill the tiny pests. Rather than splashing hot water over the carpet, you could bring forth the handy steam cleaner.
A steam cleaner with deep carpet cleaning capability will cover the carpet with hot vapor that terminates the dust mites instantly. Dry vapor steam cleaners leave no damp spots as they use considerably less amount of water to create the heated mist.
The efficacy of steam cleaning is backed by studies. If you have a steam cleaner, you’ll be surprised by how quickly dust mites are reduced in your home. Of course, you can’t visibly spot dust mites in the carpet, but the reduction in allergy symptoms will tell you so.
Final Thoughts
Instead of scrambling to purchase new equipment or products to kill dust mites, search around in your home and you may find some handy solutions. Battling dust mites is a long-term affair and I hope this guide helps you to start striking hard on the microscopic pests.
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