Stop scratching, start sleeping.
How to stop dust mites irritating your allergies
Is your sleep often disturbed? Do you wake up with a runny nose or itchy eyes? Are you scratching in bed or coughing in your sleep? Allergies to dust can cause all of these symptoms, meaning you get an uncomfortable, interrupted night’s sleep. We’ve taken a look into dust mite allergy symptoms and how to stop dust mites ruining your sleep.
Dust mite allergy symptoms
So, where do dust mites live? The bad news for allergy sufferers is that dust mites are everywhere. They live in carpets, sofas, soft furnishings, pillows and beds – anywhere where there is a warm, humid environment. Unfortunately for sufferers, dust mites can feed on their chosen foodstuff – fungus which has been created from flakes of human skin.
Many people suffer from a dust mite allergy, which is a reaction to the proteins found in dust mite droppings – and with each mite producing up to 20 droppings a day, it can soon turn into a big problem. Common dust mite allergy symptoms include sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes and itchy skin at night with the allergy often associated with asthma or eczema.
For sufferers, the one place where they are most susceptible is the bed – as this is a favourite haunt of the dust mite. Your allergies to dust and the mites can lead to a disrupted night’s sleep as you scratch, sneeze and cough throughout the night. The question is – how to stop dust mites? We have good news. Follow our top tips below to help prevent dust mites in your home and you’ll be sleeping through the night in no time.
How to stop dust mites taking over your sleep
Dust mites like warm, moist environments. This is where they thrive, building colonies of tens of thousands. To reduce the amount of dust mites in your home, the key is to reduce the number of places where they can thrive. There are a number of steps you can take to do this, including:
While these measures will help with reducing dust mites in your home, you’ll never be able to eradicate them completely. The good news is that you can take steps to make your home less pleasant for them – and improve your dust mite allergy symptoms in the process.
How to stop dust mites getting comfy in your bed
If allergies at night are keeping you awake, then eliminating dust mites from your bedroom – and bedding – is the key to getting a better night’s sleep. If you’ve already taken the steps above and dealt with flooring and curtains, there are a few more things you can do to keep the mites away:
Take these steps to reduce allergies to dust, particularly at night – and sleep better.
Learn more about dust mites in your home. Watch our video with Dr. Christian Jessen and discover how you can overcome the little critters.
Dust mite allergy symptoms
So, where do dust mites live? The bad news for allergy sufferers is that dust mites are everywhere. They live in carpets, sofas, soft furnishings, pillows and beds – anywhere where there is a warm, humid environment. Unfortunately for sufferers, dust mites can feed on their chosen foodstuff – fungus which has been created from flakes of human skin.
Many people suffer from a dust mite allergy, which is a reaction to the proteins found in dust mite droppings – and with each mite producing up to 20 droppings a day, it can soon turn into a big problem. Common dust mite allergy symptoms include sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes and itchy skin at night with the allergy often associated with asthma or eczema.
For sufferers, the one place where they are most susceptible is the bed – as this is a favourite haunt of the dust mite. Your allergies to dust and the mites can lead to a disrupted night’s sleep as you scratch, sneeze and cough throughout the night. The question is – how to stop dust mites? We have good news. Follow our top tips below to help prevent dust mites in your home and you’ll be sleeping through the night in no time.
How to stop dust mites taking over your sleep
Dust mites like warm, moist environments. This is where they thrive, building colonies of tens of thousands. To reduce the amount of dust mites in your home, the key is to reduce the number of places where they can thrive. There are a number of steps you can take to do this, including:
- Opt for 100% wool carpets or hard floors over synthetic carpets: Wool maintains a drier environment and hard floors are a difficult space for dust mites to settle and have a lower opportunity to be a food source for dust mites.
- Choose venetian blinds over fabric drapes: Again, the hard surface is less inviting for mites.
- Reduce unnecessary soft furnishings: That doesn't have to mean ditching all the scatter cushions - but reducing the number will make your home less mite-friendly.
- Damp-wipe surfaces rather than dusting them: This traps the mites and removes them. Remember to pay extra attention to unseen surfaces too, such as pelmet tops, windowsills, and the tops of cupboards and doors. If there is dust, then there’s a good chance there are dust mites too.
- Vacuum all upholstered furniture, such as sofas and chairs, regularly: To keep colonies at bay, keep dust levels as low as possible by vacuuming soft, upholstered furniture.
- Keep your home well ventilated: This will help reduce humidity.
While these measures will help with reducing dust mites in your home, you’ll never be able to eradicate them completely. The good news is that you can take steps to make your home less pleasant for them – and improve your dust mite allergy symptoms in the process.
How to stop dust mites getting comfy in your bed
If allergies at night are keeping you awake, then eliminating dust mites from your bedroom – and bedding – is the key to getting a better night’s sleep. If you’ve already taken the steps above and dealt with flooring and curtains, there are a few more things you can do to keep the mites away:
- Choose wool bedding: Wool is a natural fiber that wicks moisture away from the body and then desorbs (releases) it from the bedding, creating an environment too dry for dust mites to survive in. This makes it the ideal hypoallergenic bedding for helping with allergies at night. What’s more, unlike other materials, wool bedding doesn’t need to be washed at extremely high temperatures to stay allergy-friendly. Its natural anti-bacterial properties mean that it doesn’t really need to be washed at all, but if there is a spill it can be washed at 30°C, making it kind to the environment too.
- Hot wash teddies: Just like soft furnishings and cushions, toys can harbor dust mites too. Fortunately, dust mites don’t like hot water. So for children’s rooms, make sure that stuffed toys are washed frequently in water that is above 60°C.
- Freeze favourite toys: If a favourite bear is unlikely to withstand a hot wash, then place it in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer for 12 hours as dust mites don’t like the extreme cold either.
Take these steps to reduce allergies to dust, particularly at night – and sleep better.
Learn more about dust mites in your home. Watch our video with Dr. Christian Jessen and discover how you can overcome the little critters.
Comments
by anonymous
05 Nov 2024
"Mrs"
I have developed this awful itch and sores in scalp and an itch over most of my body leaving very tiny little spots would bed mites and I have this a long time ? I have just put a wool cover on my bed would this have anything living in it
Woolroom's Customer Care Team Hello,
I’m sorry to hear about the discomfort you’re experiencing. Itching and sores can be caused by various factors, including allergies, skin conditions, or even bed mites. While wool is naturally resistant to dust mites and other allergens, it’s important to ensure that any new bedding is clean and free from contaminants before use.
I hope this helps, and I wish you a speedy recovery.
Many thanks,
Woolroom
I’m sorry to hear about the discomfort you’re experiencing. Itching and sores can be caused by various factors, including allergies, skin conditions, or even bed mites. While wool is naturally resistant to dust mites and other allergens, it’s important to ensure that any new bedding is clean and free from contaminants before use.
I hope this helps, and I wish you a speedy recovery.
Many thanks,
Woolroom
by anonymous
12 Sep 2024
"Sleepless Nights"
I can’t see at night in my bed itching all night feeling like nats are all over me. Yet my husband is sleeping fine I’m frustrated and what to sleep peacefully. I have been sleeping on my couch for the past few days. Because every time I get in my bed I can’t sleep due feeling as if something is in bed with me. Having that feeling like nats are over me. Itching like crazy
Woolroom's Customer Care Team Hello,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We aretruly sorry to hear about the discomfort you’ve been experiencing. It sounds very frustrating, especially when you’re trying to get a good night’s sleep.
We take such concerns seriously and want to help resolve this issue. It might be helpful to check if there are any allergens or irritants in the bed linen used.
If the problem persists, please contact our customer service team so we can assist you further. We want to ensure you can sleep peacefully and comfortably.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Best regards,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We aretruly sorry to hear about the discomfort you’ve been experiencing. It sounds very frustrating, especially when you’re trying to get a good night’s sleep.
We take such concerns seriously and want to help resolve this issue. It might be helpful to check if there are any allergens or irritants in the bed linen used.
If the problem persists, please contact our customer service team so we can assist you further. We want to ensure you can sleep peacefully and comfortably.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Best regards,
by Alanna Satterwhite
23 Aug 2021
"Dust Mites In Hair."
How can I get relief from itchy scalp. Really itches bad. When I wash my hair It helps for a few hours then starts itching again. I just can't take it.
Woolroom's Customer Care Team Hello, there could be a number of reasons why you get an itchy scalp, one could be excessive sweating from your scalp which then causes the itching, wool will really help this as it absorbs excess moisture.
Kind regards
The Woolroom
Kind regards
The Woolroom
by Susan
27 Dec 2020
"I’M Allergic To Dust Mites, Wool, Hemp, Bamboo, Feathers, Mohair And Many Other Things"
I recently bought a new home and I cannot afford to replace my mattress that is only two years old. It’s a California king and I love it… Except for my constant itching now. As mentioned in the title for this blog, I’m allergic to almost all of your solutions. I just steam cleaned my mattress and all of my bedding. I’m letting the mattress dry for a night or two and I have damp rid in my bedroom to try to remove the moisture from there. I used Oxyclean and Woolight as a solution for the steam cleaner. Do you think this will help? Let me know what your solution would be avoiding my allergies. Thank you, Merry Christmas and happy new year! Let’s pray for a better 2021!
Woolroom's Customer Care Team Hi,
Wool bedding doesnt attrack dust mites as there is no source of food for them due to the bedding returning to a dry state once you are out of bed. The washing of the bedding with the woolite will be fine if you have the machine washable range but the reastion could be from something else that attracts dust mites like a rug, curtains, carpets. Could it be any of those instead?
Woolroom
Wool bedding doesnt attrack dust mites as there is no source of food for them due to the bedding returning to a dry state once you are out of bed. The washing of the bedding with the woolite will be fine if you have the machine washable range but the reastion could be from something else that attracts dust mites like a rug, curtains, carpets. Could it be any of those instead?
Woolroom
by anonymous
23 Oct 2020
"Sheepskin Collects Dust Mite?"
I thought wool and sheepskins were repellant to dust mites? But i found this online that says it actually accumulates dust mites? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9830431/Can you confirm?
Woolroom's Customer Care Team HI,
Dust mites are not attracted to wool in a dry state as there is no food source for them so as long as the wool is dry then there wont be any dustmites.
Thank you,
Woolroom
Dust mites are not attracted to wool in a dry state as there is no food source for them so as long as the wool is dry then there wont be any dustmites.
Thank you,
Woolroom
by Joanne Loxton
10 Jul 2020
"Dust Mite Allergy"
Hi, I have just been diagnosed with a dust mite allergy, my bedding is all feather, should I change all of this to wool, it's been a nightmare for me as I developed Rhinitis and it gets worse when I go to bed. Help!!
Woolroom's Customer Care Team Definitely. Our wool bedding all holds the Allergy UK Seal of Approval and has been proven to eliminate house dust mites almost completely due to wool being able to maintain a dry sate (not food source or drink for dust mites). I would recommend one of our bedding sets so that you have a layer under the body, head and on top of you...you will notice a massive change!
kind regards
Chris
kind regards
Chris
by Tan
30 May 2020
"Always Itchy"
Everytime I lay down, I itch and feel like a million bugs are crawling on me, but nothing is there not even a tiny mark. Id shower and wash everything and I even bought a new bed and within a week i am back to itching and feeling like something is crawling on me. I've sprayed down my bedding with Eucalyptus and tea tree and it only lasts for so long before I am back to itching. Please help
Woolroom's Customer Care Team Thank you Tan for your message. It sounds like you may have a bed bug issue. This would need to be treated professionally and potentially forcing you to replace all your bedding and mattress affected. If this isn't done then the problem may continue.
Kind regards,
Woolroom
Kind regards,
Woolroom
by anonymous
26 Aug 2019
"Mrs"
Can dust mits get through a silk pillow case. I sleep on a silk pillow case but my scalp is always itchy and also my ears. Could this be a dust mites situation?Thanks!
Woolroom's Customer Care Team Dust mites should be less attaracted to Silk bedding, it may be the pillow rather than the case as dust mites can collonise in synthetic bedding quite quickly so where possible go for a natural fill and covers to prevent this.
Woorloom
Woorloom
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