Last Updated on November 29, 2023 by Erik Sullivan
Dust mites are tiny creature that cause allergy and asthma problem to many people. This allergen usually live in low temperature (68 to 77 °F) and high humidity areas (70-80%). So, your home is the most suitable place for their growth.
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to completely eliminate them from your home. But, you can reduce their number significantly. Daily vacuuming can help remove a large chunk of dust mites, but, it is not always enough.
Some people have asked, can a clothes steamer kill dust mites? The answer is yes, a steamer can be a great tool to remove dust mites and their waste from the staffing of various upholstery and furniture.
But there are a few things you need to know before you start steaming your house.
Firstly, you should identify which areas of your home are most likely to have dust mites. Secondly, you need to make sure that the steamer is hot enough to kill the mites.
Also, you need to be very careful not to damage any furniture or fabrics with the steam.
Table of Contents
Identify The Hotspots of Dust Mites
Dust mites usually thrive in various fabrics and delicate stuff of your home. So, your mattress, upholstery, curtains, carpets etc. are the hotspots of these pests. In fact, most of the dust mites can be found in the mattress of your bedroom. Therefore, these allergen get into your body when sleeping.
How Do You Know If you Have Dust Mites?
If you have dust mites, you may not know it. These tiny creatures measure only about one-third of a millimeter. So, you can’t see them with naked eyes. But they can cause a lot of problems for people who are allergic to them.
If you think you might have dust mites, there are a few things you can look for:
- Do you have sneezing, coughing, or itchy eyes when you’re in your home?
- Do you have asthma or another respiratory condition that seems to get worse day by day?
- Have you found that your pets affected by allergies or respiratory problems
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have dust mites. The best way to confirm is to see an allergist or other medical professional for testing. They can give you specific advice on how to deal with dust mites and improve your symptoms.
You’ll take proper steps against this invisible guest in your home at the same time as you take proper treatment.
A clothes steamer can help you to remove those dust mites naturally in less effort and time.
How Can A Clothes Steamer Kill Dust Mites?
A clothes steamer uses high-temperature steam to kill dust mites from various surfaces. The steam penetrates deep into your mattress, carpet, and other staffed items, killing dust mites.
Because, dust mites can’t survive temperature of 130F or above. A clothes steamer can produce high temperature (up to 200F) of steam which is sufficient to remove dust mites and allergens.
How to Kill Dust Mites From Your Home with a Clothes Steamer?
Here’s the step by step guideline of using a clothes steamer to kill dust mites.
Step 1: Vacuum The Hotspots First
Before you apply steam in infested areas it’s important to vacuum thoroughly these areas to remove dirt, dust, and pet hair. This will reduce the number of dust mites in your home.
Dust mites usually love to grow in your carpets, rugs, and mattress because these are the areas where people shed their skin. Therefore, make sure to vacuum your carpet, mattress, upholstery etc.
Use special attachments when vacuuming those surfaces to get the best results.
We recommend to use a vacuum cleaner with Hepa filter that captures 99% of dust mites allergen. This filter is also efficient at eliminating viruses and bacteria from your carpet, beddings and sofa.
Step 2: Apply Steam with A Clothes Steamer
After a through vacuuming of your upholstery and mattress, you can apply steam on those items. You can use any standing clothes steamer that features large water tank for steaming longer time.
Steam Your Bedroom First
You can start applying steam on your beddings including the mattress, pillow covers etc. Select high heat setting of your clothes steamer. But, make sure to hold the steamer 2-3 inches away from the surface of the mattress. Apply steam across the mattress by slowly moving the nozzle. Don’t rush. Take your time so that the steam can penetrate deep into your mattress fiber and kill the dust mites and bed bugs.
Next, Steam Your Upholstery and Sofa
Before applying steam on your sofa, make sure to check the fabric label. If the manufacturer allow steam cleaning, then you can use steamer on it. Generally, sofas with SW sign can be steam cleaned. If the sofa or upholstery comes with X symbol, that means, you can not steam clean it. You may need to hire professionals to remove dust mites from the sofa.
After steam cleaning your mattress you should also apply steam on your sofa, cushion, and upholstery. You can steam the removable pillows and cushions first. Use swift strokes with the steam nozzle. Don’t apply too much steam in one area. It may damage the fabric.
Next, move on to the larger parts of your sofa. You should steam clean the cracks and crevices of the sofa. If your clothes steamer includes upholstery brush, you can use it to remove dust mites efficiently from the surface.
Steam Clean Your Carpet and Area Rugs
Finally, apply steam on your carpet and rugs. The steam will remove heavy dirt, disinfect and kills dust mites from the carpet fibers.
What’s the Best Steamer For Dust Mites?
You can use a quality steam cleaner with powerful steam output. I personally recommend to use the McCulloch MC1275 Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner. It’s highly efficient and can produce large volume of steam which is ideal for killing dust mites and other allergens.
On top of that, it comes with multiple attachments for steaming your mattress, upholstery, sofa etc.
What Kills Dust Mites Naturally?
As I’ve said earlier that, you can’t eliminate dust mites completely, but you can reduce their population without using any chemicals. There are a few effective ways that can kill dust mites naturally.
Increase Room Temperature And Reduce Humidity
Dust mites usually grow in high humidity and low temperature areas of your home. So, increasing the temperature or reducing the humidity can help to kill them in a large scale. Using a dehumidifier also help to kill dust mites by reducing the humidity level of your room air.
Wash Your Beddings in Hot Water Cycle Every Week
This is another effective ways of eliminating dust mites from your home without using any chemicals. Since, dust mites love to thrive in your beddings, therefore you can wash them in hot water cycle (130 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) in your washing machine.
Use Essential Oils
Essential oils are natural plant oil that help to repel dust mites. According to the National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine clove, rosemary, and eucalyptus oil are highly effective against house dust mites. Simply spray the oil over your mattress, sofa, drapes etc.
UV Rays of Sunlight
Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is also effective at killing dust mites. So, dry your sheets, blanket, and pillows in sunlight once in a week.
How to Prevent Dust Mites in Your Home?
You can reduce dust mites infestation in your home by following some routine task.
- Dust Your House regularly: This is the first thing that you can do to prevent dust mites in your house. Pay attention to dust hard to reach areas of your room including the corners, ceilings, and cobweb etc. You should also dust your ceiling fans, light fixtures etc. These are the areas that people often forget to dust.
- Vacuum your house thoroughly: After dusting, you should vacuum your house thoroughly to remove the dust particles. Use a special vacuum cleaner that comes with HEPA filter system. Because, these filters can efficiently remove dust mites, allergens, and other air born particles and improve the air quality. I also prefer bagged vacuum when using it for dust mites. Because, a bagged vacuum will lock the dust mites more securely than a bagless vacuum so that you can safely dispose the bag after vacuuming.
- Store clothes in an airtight container: It’s also recommended to store all of your special/unused/seasonal dresses in an airtight container to prevent dust mites infestation.
- Use allergen-proof mattress and pillow covers: You can use allergen and bacteria proof cover in your beddings. This covers block allergens, mold, mildew, dust mites etc. from entering your mattress and pillows. We recommend this mattress protector for your mattress.
- Wash your stuffed items regularly: You can reduce the dust mites infestation by washing different stuffed items in your home like- toys, animals etc. Dust mites can live on these items. Use hot water (above 130 degrees F) for the best result.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does steam take to kill bacteria?
Steam can kill bacteria within just 3-4 minutes. But, the temperature of the steam must be at least 180F.
What temperature kills dust mites?
Dust mites get killed at 130F.
Can a steam cleaner kill dust mites?
Definitely, a steam cleaner is highly effective at killing dust mites. It can produce high temperature of steam (200F) that eliminate dust mites within a few minutes.
How frequently should fabrics be steamed to control dust mites?
Steaming fabrics every few weeks, especially items like bedding and curtains, can help control dust mite populations and minimize allergens. Consistency is key to maintaining a dust-mite-free environment.
Can steaming with a clothes steamer reduce allergy symptoms caused by dust mites?
Yes, regular steaming of fabrics can help reduce dust mite allergens, potentially alleviating allergy symptoms like sneezing or itching for individuals sensitive to dust mites.
Can a clothes steamer alone completely eliminate dust mites from a home?
While a clothes steamer can be an effective tool, complete elimination of dust mites may require a comprehensive approach that includes regular cleaning, vacuuming, and potentially professional treatments.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while clothes steamers can effectively reduce dust mites on fabrics by applying high-temperature steam, their impact on eradicating mites from the home environment is limited. Steamers, when used on bedding, upholstery, or curtains, can help mitigate dust mites by exposing them to high heat, which can potentially kill them on contact.
However, eradicating dust mites throughout the home demands comprehensive cleaning strategies, including vacuuming, laundering bedding at high temperatures, and using allergen-proof covers on mattresses and pillows. Steamers may aid in reducing mite populations on specific surfaces, but a multi-faceted approach to cleaning and maintaining a low-humidity environment is essential for effective dust mite control in the home.
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