Tips to help get rid of Dust Mites in the home

Date: 30 October 2023

The bedroom is the most allergic room in the house, with dust mites responsible for most of the problem.

The Research

National Charity Allergy UK says among those with an indoor allergy, 77% experience symptoms in the bedroom, while 41% report that their symptoms are actually made worse by that room.

Allergy UK wants to help people better manage the triggers associated with the main culprits for allergens: dust mites, moulds and pets.

Experts say that the dust mites cause most of the problems, with 92% of people reacting to them. Allergy UK says this comes as no surprise as the average person shares a bed with over 2 million dust mites.  When you consider that the average person spends 52.5 hours each week in the bedroom, the nation is literally sleeping with the enemy.

Dust mites feed on human skin scales and requires both warmth and humidity. Mattresses and pillows provide this ideal habitat.

Lindsey McManus, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Allergy UK says. "House dust mites, like us, need food, water and warmth. While we sleep, these microscopic creatures absorb moisture from our breath and sweat, feed on our dead skin and thrive in our warm beds".

Tips to Help

Allergy UK has a series of tips to help people make their bedrooms a less allergic place to be. These are:

• Throw your covers and duvets back every morning, as house dust mites can't stand light.
• Keep the room well ventilated, ensure window frames are free from mould.
• Choose an anti-allergy mattress and bedding or enclose the mattress, duvet and pillows with allergy barrier covers which prevent the escape of the house dust mite allergen.
• Replace curtains with roller blinds or wash curtains each month at temperatures of 60 degrees or above.
• Carpets harbour house dust mites, vacuum frequently using a cleaner that has good suction and a filtered exhaust that does not scatter dust.

A Beam Central Vacuum System can help get rid of harmful dust mites. Unlike conventional vacuums that recirculate dust, a Beam central vacuum is clinically proven to provide measurable relief for asthma and allergy sufferers within the home. This is because the system has been designed to removed all dust and dirt entirely from living areas, so there's no recirculated dust or dirty air to breathe. This will improve the indoor air quality for everyone, so you and your family can enjoy a cleaner, healthier home.

A Heat Recovery System from BEAM can also help to reduce dust mites and other allergens in the home. By providing adequate ventilation, humidity is reduced and indoor air quality is improved. Mechanical ventilation also means there is no need to open windows which allow allergens into the home - a BEAM system supplies clean, fresh, filtered air into the home and extracts stale, moist air.