Homeowners confuse dust mites and bed bugs. If you suspect you are having mites’ infestation and can’t tell what exactly they are, well, this is the right place for you.
- So, what do dust mites look like? – Dust mites are microscopic creatures and very hard to see with our bare eyes. They commonly feed on dead human and animal skin cells.
- From a microscopic view, they are tiny oval-shaped insects. They have 8 legs and they do not have wings. They are greyish-black in color with some stripes and they move from one place to another through crawling.
Dust mites cannot be categorized as parasites because they don’t sting, or bite and neither do they burrow into the human body.
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Details: What Do Dust Mites Look Like?
Though they are generally harmless to most people, to others they cause allergic reactions like asthma among others.
- They like hiding under pillows, mattresses, furniture, and carpeted areas.
- How do I know I have dust mites? Because of their invisible nature, the best way to tell the infestation of the dust mites is through the symptoms seen.
Such symptoms may include:
- Running nose
- Asthma-in extreme cases
- Breathing problems
- Stuffy ears
- Sneezing
- Eczema
- Bug bites
- Nasal stiffness
- Watery and itching eyes
If you have such symptoms, it is already an alarm that something needs to be done.
Why Are Dust Mites In My Room?
As earlier stated dust mites mostly feed on dead skin. In your room, that is where you are more likely to spend a lot of time.
- As you rub your body against the bed and pillow, you leave a lot of dead skin on it which is good food for the mites.
It is in our bedroom and living room that is there is a lot of dead skin and that is why most mites will hang around.
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Do Dust Mites Stay In Me?
Most probably not. There is absolutely nothing to scare you about dust mites’ attaching to you. Dust mites don’t have wings and barely move a lot.
Another thing is that they also don’t burrow into humans so it will also be hard for them to hang around you all the time.
- Where you leave the dead skin is just where they want to be.
Next time you experience some bites when in your bed, chances are that this is not a dust mite but either a bed bug or a mosquito.
What Are Dust Mites Eating?
Dust mites have no interest in living things. Their main source of food is dead skin, dandruff, dead hair, and other dead micro stuff from the human body.
Human beings shed about 10 grams of dead skin a week creating a rightful environment for these mites.
- But it is the animal pets like dogs and cats that are good carriers of these mites.
Dust mites have a life span of about two months and therefore, these dead body parts serve as enough food for these mites.
Dust Mites Or Bed Bugs?
If you have been having itchy bites from your bed, what is the first thing that comes into your mind?
Whereas the bed bugs and the dust mites like to hide in the same place under your bed and beddings, it is bed bugs that bite.
- Unlike mites, the bugs are big and visible. The bugs are also parasitic and also suck blood from your body.
- The bed bugs will also stay with you wherever you are hiding in clothes as well as the bedding and other dark places within your home.
These signs and symptoms will give you a proper guide on whether you are controlling dust mites or bed bugs in your home.
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Getting Rid Of Dust Mites
Now that you know you are treating dust mites, here is are some steps to achieve maximum results.
The first and the most important step to take is to do a thorough cleaning of the bedding and the house at large.
- These only come after establishing through the symptoms that indeed there is a dust mite’s infestation.
- Like earlier noted it is hard to see them and will only work with the probability of their hideouts.
Secondly, as you wash the bedding, pillowcases let the water be heated to temperatures of not less than 60 °F. This temperature will go a long way in killing and eliminating both the mites and their eggs.
- Another alternative is replacing the sheets, pillowcases, and mattresses with new ones. This way you can help reduce their population and also infestation.
- Thirdly, flipping your mattress regularly helps keep the mites population low and also avoids too much accumulation of the mites in one location.
- Dust mites thrive in humid and warm areas, and keeping the room well ventilated minimizes their chances of survival in your room.
Once in a while, you can also do some vacuum cleaning of your room to remove all manner of the dead skin and anything that allows this pest to thrive,
- In another scenario, using an electric blanket could also be a good way to minimizing their infestation. Electric blanket creates an atmosphere where this mite cannot thrive.
- Lastly, clean your pets and toys. Pests are good carriers of dust mites and keeping them clean at all times keeps off the mites.
As for the toys, keeping them in the freezer temporarily could help kill any mites that could be hiding in that warm fur.
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Other Dust Mite Home Remedies
If you are able to establish that indeed you have the dust mites, you can employ the tactics illustrated above.
However, it is almost impossible to tell the extent of their infestation in your home.
- Dust mites have a very short life span and it is possible that they have multiplied into millions before you can start seeing the signs.
- There are various pesticides that a formulated to kill them either by contact or through the systemic mode of action.
I recommend the use of this pesticide to help reduce their population. These pest control products are available in most stores.
Conclusion
What do dust mites look like? Well, it is hard to see these mites with your eyes but can also tell about their existence through the symptoms caused on your bodies.
- They don’t bite, or sting but can cause allergic reactions like asthma and others.
That said and done, it is good to regularly clean your room and apply all the necessary measures to keep off this dust mites.