Are you allergic to dust mites? Do you have asthmatic problems? If yes, you probably don’t want these annoying creatures in your home. Dust mites are microscopic creatures living in fabric couches, mattresses, bedding, curtains, rugs, carpets, and chairs. These microscopic creatures are the relatives of the spider family and usually feed on dead skin cells shed by humans and pets.
These organisms are often found in dark and moist places such as inside your pillow, mattresses, bedding, and more. You should know that eradicating dust mites is quite impossible, but you can reduce their presence significantly by taking several measures. And washing is one of those effective measures, which allows you to get rid of control of dust mites in your home.
Can Dust Mites Survive Washing?
Contents
Yes, there is some possibility that dust mites could survive washing unless you are cleaning your pillowcases, blankets, sheets, and bed covers in 130 F hot water or more to remove the allergens particles and kill dust mites.
However, if you can’t wash bedding in hot water, you can also put it in the dryer for more than 15 minutes at a temperature of 130 F or above to kill the mites.
After that, wash and dry the item to weed out allergens. You can even freeze the non-washable items for 24 hours to get rid of dust mites, but you must know that it won’t remove the allergen particles.
Can Dust Mites Live In Your Pillow?
Yes, dust mites are microscopic creatures that mean you cannot see them with naked eyes. Moreover, they are primarily found in dark and moist places, and pillows are the best place for them to create their habitat. These annoying creatures feed on dead skin cells naturally shed by humans & pets, and a pillow is a great place to get their food.
Does Washing Kill Dust Mites?
If you take several measures correctly, you can kill these microscopic creatures while washing. However, you should know that washing won’t completely eradicate the presence of dust mites, but it can end the growth and reproduction of these pests.
If you want to kill most of the dust mites while washing, it would be better for you to wash all bed covers, pillowcases, blankets, and sheets in 130 F hot water to eliminate most of the dust mites and remove their residue.
Does Washing In Cold Water Kill Dust Mites?
According to recent studies, washing the fabric or cloth in cold water has shown no effectiveness in killing dust mites. However, washing in cold water might remove their poop and leftovers, but it won’t kill dust mites. So it would be better for you to freeze the items continuously for 24 hours.
Lower temperature will kill the dust mites because these creatures live at average room temperature or in a humid environment. Or you can make the water cold enough to kill the dust mites and wash it thoroughly to remove their residue.
However, when you freeze the item for 24 hours, ensure that you wash them thoroughly because freezing them might kill dust mites, but it won’t remove their leftovers. In addition, you should know that even dead dust mites are lethal for an allergic person because they still contain protein, which can trigger allergic symptoms and cause asthma problems.
Does Washing a Pillow Kill Dust Mites?
As discussed above, washing pillows will surely kill dust mites, but it won’t completely eradicate the problem because these microscopic creatures can live inside your bedding, mattresses, and other fabrics. That means even if you have washed pillows, these can still spread out to your pillow again from your bedding and mattresses.
Washing pillows will reduce the number of dust mites, but it won’t end the reproduction process or prevent them from growing. So you have to consider several measures if you want to see effective results.
How To Wash For Killing Dust Mites
To kill dust mites in all your blankets, bedcovers, sheets, and pillowcases, you have to put them in hot water, which should be over 130 F, to remove allergen particles as well as kill dust mites. Here are several things that you need to remember when washing your fabric items to kill dust items.
- First, these creatures cannot bear too high or low temperatures, which means washing your clothes or other fabric items in hot water would kill dust mites effectively.
- Washing dust mites infected fabric in cold water would stop them from breeding and reproduction. It would be better for you to use too cold water; otherwise, it won’t kill the dust mites.
- Some fabrics are not suitable for washing in hot water; you can put them inside a dryer for over 15 minutes at a 130 F temperature or more if it is possible to get the best results. After that, you can wash and dry the item to remove allergen particles.
- Some items are non-washable, you can freeze them for 24 hours to eliminate the dust mites, but you should know that it won’t remove allergen particles.
Also Read: How to Kill Dust Mites With Tea Tree Oil
Using Washing To Prevent Dust Mites
If you want to keep these microscopic creatures at bay, you need to keep washing your clothes, bedding, bed sheets, and curtains in 130 F hot water or more. You can even check the wash care label to know more about hot water temperature.
If you prefer to wash your clothes, bedding, and other items, you should use powerful disinfectants and cleaning agents that are specially formulated for washing clothes. Here are some tips that you can use to prevent dust mites using washing as a measure.
- It would be better for you to clean your home surface thoroughly.
- You must use a vacuum cleaner to suck up every allergen particle to prevent triggering allergies.
- Using a steam cleaner is among the most effective methods for removing dust mites thoroughly. The heat produced by the vacuum will eliminate the dust mites and allow you to have a clean carpet or surface.
Final Words
Now you know how washing helps you get rid of dust mites and why you need to keep your home free from dust mites.
