Mattress mites: how they appear, what they cause and 7 ways to get rid of them!
Dust mites are tiny organisms (invisible to the naked eye) that live in all homes. Their highest concentrations are found in mattresses, pillows, sofas, carpets, curtains, wallpapers and stuffed toys! The most common symptoms caused by their presence are: stuffy nose, sneezing, runny nose and itchy nose and eyes, especially when waking up in the morning.
How they develop
They usually contain 100 to 500 mites per gram of dust but sometimes they can reach 20,000/gr. They live about 30 days and females give birth to 25 to 30 new mites in their lifetime. Their presence is not related to how clean a house is, but to the particular conditions of temperature and humidity that prevail in the environment of the house.
Mites feed on dead skin cells and hair that naturally falls from humans, so they only live and grow near humans. They do not bite and are not harmful, except for the category of people who are allergic to them. For their survival and reproduction, food is necessary as well as the appropriate conditions of relative humidity and temperature.
The ideal conditions for their growth and multiplication are a relative humidity of 75% and a temperature of 25-30o C. Their greatest concentrations are found in mattresses, pillows, sofas, carpets, curtains, tapestries and soft toys.
How you can fight them
Is it possible to fight mites in the mattress? Yes, in the following ways:
How you can fight them
Is it possible to fight mites in the mattress? Yes, in the following ways:
- Mattress replacement every 6-8 years
- Frequent and good ventilation in the mattress. He left the bedroom window open every morning for half an hour and aired the mattress. Sunlight and fresh air act as natural disinfectants
- Suitable humidity levels (around 50%) in the room. The climate should be neither too wet, nor too dry
- Regular washing of sheets, with good drying
- Use a natural disinfectant to spray very small amounts on the mattress. Place half a cup of pure alcohol, half a cup of distilled water and 2-3 drops of essential oils (lavender) in a bottle. Mites avoid places with strong odors. We repeat the process every 2 months.
- Quality waterproof removable covers (to be washed often)
- Use a vacuum cleaner, provided it is very clean and we cover it like a filter with a clean cloth
