What is a dust mite and how do you get them in your home?

Dust mites are microscopic, spider-like creatures that feed on human and animal skin flakes. They thrive in warm, humid environments such as mattresses, pillows, and upholstered furniture. Dust mites primarily enter your home via clothing, pets, and air currents. Regular cleaning and special tools like the MiteMaster® can help reduce their population.

Table of Contents

• What are dust mites?
• How do dust mites enter your home?
• Where do dust mites live in your home?
• How can you combat dust mites?
• More about the MiteMaster®

What are dust mites?

Dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) are minuscule organisms belonging to the arachnid family. They are not visible to the naked eye and mainly feed on skin flakes from humans and pets. Dust mites themselves are not dangerous, but their faeces and body parts can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems in sensitive individuals.

How do dust mites enter your home?

Dust mites enter your home in various ways, including:

• Clothing and shoes: Mites can hitch a ride on textiles and garments.
• Pets: Animals can easily carry skin flakes and mites via their fur and paws.
• Air currents: They can be blown in with dust particles through ventilation or windows.

Once inside, they quickly find a suitable habitat in warm, humid parts of the house.

Where do dust mites live in your home?

Dust mites love dark, warm, and humid places with plenty of organic matter. These include:

• Mattresses and pillows
• Upholstery of sofas and chairs
• Carpets and rugs
• Stuffed animals and curtains

In these environments, they can reproduce rapidly and build up a large population, increasing the risk of allergies.

How can you combat dust mites?

While it is almost impossible to completely eradicate dust mites, there are ways to significantly reduce their population:

• Regularly wash your bedding at 60°C
• Use allergy-proof covers for mattresses and pillows
• Maintain indoor humidity below 50%
• Regularly deep clean fabric surfaces such as sofas and carpets
• Use a special anti-dust mite vacuum cleaner

More about the MiteMaster®

The MiteMaster® from KLEINN & co.® has been specially developed to effectively reduce dust mites. Thanks to a combination of a vibrating plate, powerful suction, and an H13 HEPA filter, the mites and allergenic particles (faeces and remnants) are loosened, sucked away, and retained. An integrated UV-C lamp provides additional hygiene to the surface. The device is suitable for mattresses, upholstered furniture, and other surfaces where mites hide.