How to Get Rid of Dust Mites, Fleas & Their Friends: 5 Easy Ways

Good things come in small packages, but that doesn't mean all small things are good.

We're talking about fleas, dust mites and their cousins. These little troublemakers are practically invisible yet incredibly annoying. You can't see them with the naked eye, but they can impact your health and the health of your loved ones – especially if you have dust mite allergies.

You might be wondering – where do they come from, and how do you eliminate them? Well, we've listed five ways to remove these tiny creatures. These include natural methods, products and machines.

So, without further ado, let's discuss how to kill dust mites and fleas, as well as how to reduce dust in the house to prevent these creepy crawlies from taking over your home.

What are house dust mites?

House dust mites are microscopic insects that feed on dust, which is mainly made of dead skin cells from humans. Bedding, carpets, clothes, and upholstered furniture – dust mites live anywhere that might collect dust. Because they can cause an allergic reaction in many people, it's best to kill dust mites as soon as possible or prevent their growth entirely.

What causes a dust mite allergy?

Waste material expelled from house dust mites contains proteins that can cause allergic reactions in humans. These reactions include a runny nose, nasal congestion, asthma-like symptoms and sneezing.

Dust mite proteins create dust allergy symptoms because your immune system induces inflammatory responses to foreign proteins. Allergic rhinitis (hay fever), asthma, and chronic skin diseases are all connected to dust mite particles. While you can control symptoms with allergy medications and nasal sprays, addressing the problem at its source makes a significant difference if you are allergic to dust mites.

What about fleas?

Fleas are another small yet pesky problem that can quickly take over your home if left unchecked. These tiny parasites hitch a ride on pets, people and even clothing, making themselves comfortable in carpets, bedding and furniture. To get rid of fleas, a three-step approach works wonders.

Start with a flea bomb to treat individual rooms or the entire house to target the adult fleas. Then, clean your carpets with a Rug Doctor to remove lingering flea eggs and larvae. Finally, follow up with a second flea bomb to catch any newly hatched fleas. With persistence, you'll send these jumpy invaders packing!

Effective methods to treat and kill fleas and dust mites

To truly tackle the problem of fleas and dust mites, it's essential to use targeted treatments that address both pests effectively. Let’s explore proven methods and practical solutions to eliminate these unwelcome visitors from your home.

1. Turn down the heat - they don’t like cold temperatures

Room temperatures get high during the hot New Zealand summer, which is great news for dust mites and fleas. Dust mites thrive between 24°C and 27°C. Fleas also tend to flourish in a warm, humid environment. Decreasing the temperature of your room won't necessarily kill them, but it will stunt their breeding.

That doesn't mean you have to convert your home into a refrigerator, though! So, what's the right temperature? Well, temperatures no higher than 21°C are ideal, especially during the summer, to make your home less welcoming to both pests. In winter, the cooler climate naturally helps.

For humid environments, a dehumidifier or air conditioner is your best friend—keeping relative humidity under 50% makes it harder for dust mites and fleas to thrive.

2. Dust is no good; you might want to clean it up

As the name suggests, the house dust mite thrives in dusty environments, and fleas aren’t far behind when it comes to hiding in dusty, undisturbed corners. Removing dust mites and fleas becomes much easier if you're proactive and know how to prevent them from appearing in the first place.

Pay special attention to dust-collecting areas like wardrobes, upholstered furniture, pet beds, and soft toys where mites and fleas can hide. When dusting, make sure you remove the dust completely rather than just moving it around.

A vacuum cleaner with a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter is ideal. Still, since most vacuums can’t fully remove dust mites and fleas from certain surfaces, following up with a cleaning spray and damp cloth on hard surfaces like TV cabinets and drawers is a good idea.

An air purifier can improve air quality and reduce airborne particles such as skin flakes and fungal spores. These particles support the growth of dust mites and make your home more inviting for fleas.

3. Wash fabrics in hot water

Although they love warm weather, fleas and dust mites can't handle too much heat. Did you notice how warm and comfortable your bed sheets were when you woke up this morning? Your bedding forms the perfect breeding ground for household dust mites and fleas.

That's why it's recommended that you wash your bedding at least every two weeks – or every week if you can – and if you do it correctly, you can say goodbye to unwanted visitors.

Tips for weekly cleaning

Wash sheets, pillow covers, duvets and clothes in the washing machine, setting the temperature high enough to eliminate dust mites but not so high that you risk shrinking the fabric.

For example, you could wash whites and dirty clothes at 55°C-60°C. However, delicate fabrics might need a lower temperature. If you can only wash your fabrics in cold water, use cleaning products containing tea tree or eucalyptus oil, which can help kill dust mites and fleas.

It is also a good idea to air your mattress outside in the sunshine every four weeks or use a steam cleaner to eliminate dust mites and fleas. Alternatively, you can deep clean your mattress with the Rug Doctor, using the Hand Tool connection and the Upholstery Cleaner solution.

4.  Use the freezer to freeze the dust mites and fleas

Do you have a cute stuffed teddy bear or other soft toys? These can collect dust and become prime breeding grounds for house dust mites and fleas, especially when they’re too delicate to clean in the washing machine.

While it might be tempting, don’t put these items in the washer, as hand-washing can be problematic too—fabrics stuffed with filling may take longer to dry, leading to potential mould and mildew issues.

So, what's the alternative?

It's simple: place the stuffed toy or similarly difficult-to-wash item in a plastic bag and pop it in the freezer for 6-8 hours. Just be sure to clear some room in the freezer — it’s a great excuse for eating that leftover ice cream! Freezing effectively eradicates these pests, making your items much cleaner and safer.

5.  Clean your carpets deep down

Hands down, this is the best option to keep your carpets clean and your room free of anything that could trigger dust mite allergy. Unlike hard surface floors, carpets are soft and warm, and when you walk on them with your shoes on, dust gets trapped amongst the fibres. Although you can benefit from taking your shoes off inside, it doesn't prevent dust from gathering – and flea or dust mite populations from growing.

Tackle pesky dust mites and fleas with Rug Doctor

Deep cleaning is simply the best, most cost-effective way to clean your carpet thoroughly.

You don't even have to buy a carpet cleaning machine because you can hire one from a supermarket or hardware store in your local area! You can hire the Rug Doctor Carpet Cleaner for as little as $39.99. Not a bad price for clean carpets and peace of mind, right?

Now that you know how to stop dust in your home, you can effectively eliminate your dust mite population! If you have wool carpets, you'll absolutely love these 4 tips on how to keep your wool carpets clean.

Did you also know that there are different cleaning methods for every type of stain? That means cleaning oil stains and coffee stains requires various treatments. Read Rug Doctor's Ultimate Stain Removal Guide, which covers the cleaning method for almost every type of stain and what product to use. Download and print out the 2-page PDF and keep it handy; it’s filled with all the information you need to remove any type of stain.

Author: Gina Gibbs

Gina is the Business Manager at Rug Doctor NZ. With over 20 years at Rug Doctor, she's dedicated to helping New Zealanders keep their homes clean and healthy. Outside of work, Gina enjoys hiking, reading, and enjoying Vietnamese and Asian fusion cuisine. Oh, and let's not forget her expertise in cleaning up after everyone, especially her two kids!