House-dust mites

Many people with asthma are sensitive to the droppings of house-dust mites. These are tiny creatures that live in the dust that builds up around the house, in carpets, bedding, soft furnishings and soft toys.
house dust mite.

If you know house-dust mites trigger your asthma, you may be able to reduce some symptoms by following all the recommendations below. However, if your symptoms do not improve using these measures, there is no point in continuing them. 

  • Use complete barrier covering systems on your mattress, duvet and pillow.
  • Remove all carpets and replace with hard flooring.
  • Vacuum all areas frequently. Use a vacuum cleaner that has good suction and a filtered exhaust that does not scatter dust. Damp dust all surfaces or use an attachment on your vacuum cleaner.
  • Ask someone else to vacuum while you stay out of the room.
  • Remove all soft toys from beds. Put them into a bag in the freezer for a minimum of six hours every one to two weeks to kill house-dust mites.
  • Hot wash (at 60 degrees C) sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases once a week. Although some people are allergic to feathers, there is no conclusive evidence to show that synthetic, 'hypo-allergenic' pillows are any better.
  • Clean your soft furnishings with anti-house-dust mite chemicals.
  • Use a dehumidifier to dry the air, as this makes it more difficult for the house-dust mites to survive.

Other resources

  • The indoor environment and asthma pdf(68kb)
    What triggers are present in the indoor environment?
  • Solving housing problems pdf(611kb)
    If your living conditions are aggravating your asthma and you are unable to make the necessary improvements then it is important that you know who you can approach for assistance and what your rights and entitlements are.


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