Mites can be harmless, but some species bite and feed on humans. Mites might seem too tiny for you to see them as a nuisance, but that’s far from the truth. Once they invade your house, these small arthropods bite and feed on you. We will look at how to get rid of mites.
Their bites often cause skin reactions like rash, swellings, and intense itching. Sometimes, mites like dust mites even cause allergies and breathing problems. When they begin to threaten your health, it’s high time you get rid of them.
How Do You Know If There Are Mites in Your House?
There are thousands of mite species, so it’s difficult to pinpoint which you are dealing with, but some mites leave traces. Clover mites will leave red marks on the floor when crushed. Dust mites often cause allergies, and clover and spider mites leave marks on leaves. On the other hand, scabies mites create tunnel-like burrows on the skin.
Identifying mites will depend on their species’ behavior, but mites may be in your house if you notice bites, itching, and swelling of an unknown cause. Once you suspect your home is mite infested, you must eliminate them. Below are 7 approaches on how to get rid of mites:
7 Ways to Get Rid of Mites from Your Home
Declutter Your Home
Decluttering the house is a great way to get rid of mites. Mites can live almost anywhere, especially in cluttered and dirty places. Removing unnecessary items in your house will get rid of mites.
Vacuum Regularly
Vacuuming helps wipe out dust mites, the most common household mite. Dust mites are well-known for clinging to dust in upholstery fabrics and rugs. Regular vacuuming with a HEPA vacuum eliminates dust, as well as mites. For best results, use a steam cleaner for furniture fabrics.
Eliminate Dust
Dust is the home of dust mites, so a surefire way to eliminate them is by removing dust. Ensure your house is as dust-free as possible. Look not only at the prominent places, like bookshelves, tables, sofas, and television.
Also, clean small household items like picture frames, jars, potted plants, and wall clocks. Dust them well; if needed, use a damp rag to wipe off the dust.
Wash Your Bedding
Some mites eat dead human cells, and your bed is one place to access you. Dust mites, in particular, blend in with dirty beddings. Thus, it’s necessary to wash bed sheets, pillowcases, blankets, and other bed fabrics regularly.
Wash household fabrics once a week or once in two weeks. The best way to kill the mites is to use hot water when washing (about 130°F). Hot water will kill off the mites and leave your bed mite-free.
Throw Away Infested Flour
Flour and grains can become infested with straw itch mites (grain mites). Once you notice mites in your grain, throw them out. After you’ve done so, remove all food items from the cupboard where you stored the flour or grain. Thoroughly clean the area with soap water to remove any mites left behind.
Get Rid of Rodents
Rodents are anything but pleasant, and having them in your house is a nuisance. Picture how more annoying it can be with rodent mites. The simplest way to get rid of rodent mites in your home is by getting rid of the rodents.
But this wouldn’t guarantee that they would leave. Rodent mites can survive for about six weeks after they separate from their host. That’s when they feed on humans. After getting rid of rodents, you can use insecticides to kill mites. Be careful when choosing insecticides, as some can be harmful to health.
Call an Exterminator
While you might want to eliminate these mites yourself, it might be more challenging than it sounds. Call a pest controller if you’ve tried and failed, especially when you can’t identify the species. A pest controller or exterminator will know the best way to get rid of those bitey mites.
How to Prevent Mite Re-infestation
Getting rid of mites once doesn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t be back. You might soon find yourself dealing with another mite attack if you don’t take intentional steps to prevent infestation. So, how can you avoid mite re-infestation?
Seal Cracks and Crevices
Outdoor mites usually get into the house through cracks in the wall or window. They’re very tiny, so that a little gap can let in an infestation of mites. So, to prevent this, seal all possible entry points. This should include removing bird nests that are close to the house. This will prevent bird mites from crawling in.
Reduce Fabrics and Carpet
If you find out that you are allergic to dust mites, it’s best not to take chances. Getting rid of old fabrics will prevent dust mite infestation. Also, reduce fabrics. Replace carpet flooring with wood or tile floors.
Replace your bedding and upholstery fabrics with synthetic materials. Also, take down curtains and drapes. After removing fabrics from your home, you can say goodbye to dirt mites.
Protect Bedding
Your bed is where you will mostly find mites, especially dust mites, which make their home in pillows and bedsheets. Prevent them from re-infesting your bed by protecting your mattresses and pillows with dust-proof covers. This will protect your bedding from dust and prevent bed mite infestation.
Check Your Home Humidity
Mites love warm and humid environments. Keeping humidity low is one way to drive them away. If your home has high humidity, use a dehumidifier to keep it at 50% or below. Always ensure your house doesn’t create the right atmosphere for mite survival.
How to Get Rid of Mites Conclusion
Mites can bite, feed on humans and cause skin reactions and allergies. Thus, they are not the friendliest arachnids, and you must get rid of them to regain your peace of mind. Depending on the species, there are several ways means of how to get rid of mites.
But you need to declutter your home and ensure it’s clean. Call an exterminator if you need help with how to handle a mite infestation. After you’ve rid your home of them, take proper measures to prevent another attack.
Miteinfestaion.com blog was started to help others deal with the problems of Mites, bed bugs, fleas, ticks and other small, often unseen critters that give us problems. We hope these articles are a help to you as you deal with these types of issues. Any product or service we provide on these pages have been proven to work. We are solely reader supported so we may receive a small percentage as an affiliate of Amazon and other companies.