Dust Mites in the Home: Pest Control Problem or Not?

Many bugs and mites present a legitimate concern as pests in the home. Why do some people see dust mites differently? Should they be viewed as a pest control problem, or can they be ignored? They are microscopic, after all, and if they don’t pose a real danger, it would take so much less effort to leave them alone.

Take a moment to evaluate the information we present below. It should become abundantly clear whether these mites are a serious problem or not.

Identifying Dust Mites

You’re likely not going to see a dust mite moving around. They only get as large as 1/3 millimeters long, which means you cannot see them without a microscope. Most people don’t have microscopes lying around their homes, which is why they never see dust mites in action.

Females live longer than their male counterparts, as the former can live for up to 90 days, while the latter has a life expectancy of just about a month.

Why Dust Mites Stay in Proximity to Humans

A dust mite’s apparent attraction to human beings is nothing more than a survival activity. You see, these mites are attracted to dead cells, which meet their nutritional needs. Human beings are in a constant state of dead cell shedding. When you shower, for example, you scrub away many dead skin cells at a time.

The question is how much satisfaction a single human can realistically give to a dust mite. In total, the average person sheds about 1.5 grams of dead skin daily. That’s enough to adequately feed up to 1,000,000 dust mites concurrently. Each human in the home makes one additional all-you-can-eat buffet for the insects.

Where Dust Mites Live

Dust mites tend to choose places conducive to getting their helpings of dead skin when they need them. The beneficial thing for the insects is that many of these skin cells tend to fall off at high concentrations in certain areas.

Therefore, the mites tend to make themselves at home in furniture, carpeting, and bedding. They may also opt to live in stuffed animals or rugs. All these places are hubs for dead skin cells, making them the perfect dwelling places for the mites.

They’re found almost universally worldwide, but hot and humid climates are the preferred locales. If you thought you could get away from them by moving to a new house, you would be very wrong.

Dust mites can deeply borrow themselves into cloth fibers. Therefore, they can accompany you wherever you may go.

The Dust Mite Problem

Unlike many other insects that can be the bane of human existence, a dust mite is never going to bite you. That’s the reason why some persons don’t see them as much of a threat. In fact, many people are living with dust mites who have never encountered a problem.

All the mites want are the dead skin cells that are going to fall off and be scrubbed away anyways. So, if the mites don’t bite, why are we even here discussing them at all? Well, dust mites create a problem in another huge way.

While many people don’t have any adverse effects from dust mite activity, that’s not the case for everyone. These insects are incredibly allergenic. So, if you’ve ever had random allergic reactions that you can’t pinpoint, it’s possible that dust mites are making you sick.

Unlike other allergies, the way dust mites operate makes dealing with theirs that much more challenging. For example, imagine that you are allergic to nuts. If you were to eat nuts three times for the year, you would have three distinct allergic reactions that would last for a short time.

With dust mite allergies, you are going to be suffering year-round. Why is that? Well, you have a colony of insects with reproductive capabilities. They live in your home in areas that you frequent, and you are allergic to them. In other words, they are not going anywhere, which means that they are going to bring out your allergic reaction consistently.

The Symptoms

So, when you have a dust mite allergy, what does that look like for you? The most common symptom that presents itself is a rash that is red and very itchy. Allergic reactions are widespread and typically occur from inhalation of skin and fecal matter from the insects. Again, not everyone has a dust mite allergy, but many people do, which creates a dangerous situation.

Based on temperature preferences, the hot and humid summer months are when dust mite allergies peak. Some common signs of such a rash include an itchy throat, itchy and watery eyes, red and itchy skin, sneezing, or coughing.

If you are asthmatic, the dust mite allergy can also set off your asthma. Of course, the longer and more frequently you’re inside, the more susceptible you are to the allergy.

Treatment Options

Note that the treatments that you can get here are for comfort purposes. The idea behind them is to give you immediate relief from the symptoms you are experiencing.

Decongestants may be prescribed if you’re experiencing sinus headaches, a postnasal drip, or a stuffy nose. The objective is usually to break up whatever mucus is causing your problem.

Nasal corticosteroids and oral leukotriene receptor antagonists are often administered as prescription allergy medications to manage your symptoms.

Allergy shots may also be used two help you build immunity. The course of treatment here can last for months or even years.

Finally, over-the-counter antihistamines are often used.

Call in the Professionals

The most effective way to deal with your dust mite problem is sanitation and prevention.  Frequent vacuuming and washing of bedding in hot water may help reduce dust mites in the home.  Mattress covers specific for dust mite prevention can also be effective.

If you’re looking for the right team to handle the issue for you, Synergy² is here to help. We provide trusted services throughout the area, so contact us for the best pest control services around.