Every night, we go to our cozy bed hoping to have lots of lovely dreams and sleep like a baby. However for some, especially those with allergies, getting under your covers is like taking a bath of mites. These tiny organisms search for warmth and moisture and feed on our dead skin. This can happen even in the cleanest of homes! Here are our solutions to get rid of a dust mite infestation from your mattress!
1) Main tips to follow
- Air your rooms every day even if it is cold outside and keep on top of the cleaning.
- Don’t heat your house to much. The ideal temperature for your bedroom is about 18 to 19°C.
- .Keep on top of any dampness problems. (Unblock air vents, ventilate your rooms, organise your furniture to improve air circulation, fish bowls or humidifiers)
- Clean your bedspreads regularly at a minimum of 60°C. You can use boiling water for your sheets. Don’t forget your curtains and cuddly toys when you are doing a big clean. You should in theory clean your sheets once a week but every 2 to 3 weeks is easier to keep on top of. Your cushions and duvet should be washed every month
- Avoid using carpets and rugs as much as possible in your bedroom. You should also avoid piles of dirty clothing which can build up in the corner.
- Don’t think everything is alright if you see the label anti dust mite as sometimes this label can lie or be deceptive. Make sure you carry out the procedures above !
2) Bicarbonate of soda
Sometimes it is useless to use a thousand expensive products from the supermarket when all you need is this miracle ingredient which will do the job even better! After one hour, 80% of the mites are killed if you leave 4 teaspoons of bicarbonate per m2 and in two hours all the mites will be killed! Simply apply the powder, brush the mattress, leave a few hours and use the vacuum cleaner to clean. Do the same for pillows and bedding.
To treat fabrics, clothes and pillows, you can put a tablespoon of bicarbonate per litre of water and leave to soak.
3) The best essential oils for combating dust mites
Some have anti-mite and antibacterial properties! Here is a list of some of the best essential oils:
- Tea tree
- Lemon
- Eucalyptus globular
- Eucalyptus radiata
- True lavender
- Field mint
- Palmarosa
4) Anti dust mite washing liquid
Make your own anti-dust mite washing liquid by just adding a tablespoon of eucalyptus radiata or globular essential oil to your usual detergent. You should then mix it carefully together. You can even make your own washing detergent and perfume it with an anti-mite essential oil!
5) An anti-dust mite spray lotion
This mixture should be sprayed and left to dry well. It can keep for a few months and is very effective. All you need to do is to mix the juice of 2 lemons with 2 teaspoons of essential oil (You can choose from the list above) and then dilute it with 1.5 litres of water.
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