One of the simple things you can do today, as soon as you finish reading this, is wash your bedding. Eliminating dust mites and their allergens from sheets, blankets, mattress pads and comforters is easy and effective.

Just wash all these items in hot water (140°) water. Washing in hot water will kill the mites and remove the allergens. If you can’t wash in hot water there are laundry products available that allow you to wash in warm and cold water. If you have a dryer that has the sanitizing setting you can use it for blankets and comforters.

Don’t forget the decorative bedspreads or pillow covers. They collect dust and allergens as well. Since you don’t want to wash them because they will fade you should put them in the dryer every 2 weeks on air full for about 15-20 minutes. The dust that has collected on top will get shaken loose and vented outside.

Please keep,in mind if you have low quality blankets and comforters they will not hold up to repeated washes so you may want to pop them in the dryer as well. A good quality blanket will normally hold up to 40-50 washes before they start to show wear.

Last but not least. Dust mites are common to most households and have little to do with general housekeeping.