Dust Mite Facts & Information
Protect your home or business from dust mites by learning techniques for identification and control.
Treatment
How do I get rid of dust mites?
What You Can Do
Seeking the assistance of a professional who has experience and success in dust mite control is always the best bet. However, in an effort to reduce dust mite populations, homeowners are encouraged to:
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Reduce and keep the relative humidity in your house below 60-70 percent and the interior temperature as cool as possible. Dust mites are very susceptible to the environmental factors of low humidity and cool temperatures.
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Encase mattresses, box springs, and upholstered furniture in mite proof coverings. Also, it might be helpful to remove carpets and replace with wood or tile flooring.
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Use drapes and other household fabrics that can be washed frequently.
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Ensure your household vacuum has a HEPA filter.
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Use HEPA filters in the home’s ventilation system.
What Orkin Does
Your local Orkin Pro is trained to help manage dust mites and similar pests. Since every building or home is different, your Orkin Pro will design a unique mite treatment program for your situation.
Orkin can provide the right solution to keep dust mites in their place…out of your home, or business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Behavior, Diet & Habits
Understanding Dust Mites
Appearance
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Body: Their body is globular shaped and has a light or whitish color.
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Legs: Dust mites have eight legs.
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Size: House dust mite adults are about 500 microns long, the immature stages are even smaller, which means they can be seen only by using a microscope.
Diet
House dust mites are very different than many species of mites that are blood feeders. Since these mites are microscopic they don’t eat much. The sources of foods needed to energize them and sustain life include:
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Animal dander shed by pets
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Pollen particles
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Skin shed by people during their sleep or everyday activities
Habitat
The common habitat for house dust mites is dust that occurs throughout the home found in:
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Beds
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Carpeting
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Curtains
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Fabric covered furniture
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Pillows
Life Cycle
The life cycle consists of four developmental stages:
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Egg
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Larva
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Nymph
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Adult
Lifespan
While the time needed to complete their life cycle varies depending upon temperature and humidity, it generally takes about three to four months. Depending upon the favorability of their habitat, adult mites will live about one month.