Why You Need Dust Mite Pillow Covers if You Suffer from Allergies

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Achoo! Does that sound like you? If so, then you may be struggling with allergies at home. If you're waking up with swollen eyes, irritated skin, a runny nose, or other signs of allergies or asthma, you need to start looking at what could be the cause.

For many, an irritation regularly found in the home includes dust mites. Dust mites are microscopic, so you won't know they're in your home just by looking for them. Unfortunately, these little creatures can cause big problems for those who are allergic to them, which is why they have to be addressed as soon as possible.

What Are Dust Mites?

Dust mites are small creatures that live in homes all over the world. They can be a cause of year-round allergy issues for people, and they have the potential to cause asthma, too.

Dust mites thrive in places where they can eat the tiny flakes of skin that people shed, which makes your bed a prime target. Additionally, they may munch on dander or other kinds of allergens and debris found in your home, helping them multiply exponentially.

In fact, a million dust mites can be fed on one average adult's shed skin each day. That's bad news for anyone with allergies since it's hard to eliminate dust mites completely.

Dust mites are hard to kill because they're small and unable to be seen with your eyes alone. They are well-adapted to living within the temperatures of an average home. Most dust mites thrive in temperatures between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

If you have a dust mite allergy, then your goal for your own general comfort should be to reduce dust mites in your home. To do that, you will need to regularly wash bed clothing and develop a sleep defense system to keep mites away from your bed.

If you have the option, reducing the humidity in your home could kill dust mites (or at least reduce their numbers), but remember that you could still have an allergic reaction to their dead bodies and waste.

How Can Dust Mites Affect Your Health?

Dust mites cause all kinds of health issues, but perhaps the two most common are allergies and asthma. If you're sleeping on a pillowcase with dust mites, you may have an itchy nose, itchy skin, or signs and symptoms of asthma, like wheezing and difficulty breathing.

People with asthma or severe allergies are particularly at risk of life-threatening issues due to an allergic response to dust mites, which is why you have to keep them under control. Whether you're noticing watery eyes or sneezing, coughing or swelling of the face after you wake, it's time to address the possibility that dust mites could be in your home.

Dust mites and adults

Dust mites cause a number of symptoms for adults who have allergies, such as:

• Sneezing
• Itchy eyes
• Runny nose
• Postnasal drip
• Cough
• Stuffy nose
• Itchy mouth and throat

Many of these can be resolved with the right dust-mite-resistant allergy bedding, like silk pillow encasements and mattress covers.

For adults with asthma, remember that there may be additional symptoms, such as wheezing, coughing, or an increased need for rescue medications. Changing your pillows and looking for silk pillow covers is a good first step to address these concerns after speaking with your medical provider.

Dust mites and children

Children may have similar symptoms when exposed to dust mites as adults if they have a dust mite allergy. They may complain or show symptoms of:

• Nasal congestion
• Postnasal drop
• Itchy eyes, noses, or mouths
• Watery eyes
• Cough
• Facial pressure and pain
• Frequent rubbing of the nose

If the dust mite allergy causes asthma, then symptoms may include:

• Wheezing or whistling when breathing
• Coughing and wheezing fits
• Tightness or pain in the chest
• Trouble breathing

Children can't always explain that they're having these symptoms, so parents have to watch closely. If their allergies seem to be increasing or you are noticing that your child is wheezing, get them to a doctor and look into changing your pillow covers to other brands that use silk, like Blissy.

Addressing Dust Mite Allergies in Adults and Children

While it might be difficult to eliminate a dust mite allergy, there are many things you can do to minimize the number of dust mites in your home.

First, it's time to put together a dust mite elimination plan.

To reduce and eliminate dust mites, start by looking around your home for all the furniture or items that contain or are made of natural fibers. Upholstered furniture, a standard pillow, your mattress, the carpet in a bedroom, and other parts of the home may hold dead skin and, unfortunately, dust mites.

You should tackle the problem of dust mites by reducing the humidity in your home first. During the winter months, the air tends to be dryer, so you may have fewer issues with allergies. In the summer months, especially if your region is rainy, you could see an uptick in allergy symptoms.

• Allergy protection for allergy sufferers includes using tools like:
• A hypoallergenic pillow
• A new pillow every few months
• Hot water to wash (non-silk) pillows and pillowcases
• Hypoallergenic pillow covers
• Pillowcases with zippers

Waterproof mattress covers to prevent mold and humid areas that draw in dust mites

Plastic covers for mattresses (consider those with zippers). If a crinkling noise is a concern, consider brands with a soft, allergen-proof design on the outer layer.

You can also try using a steamer to steam your mattress. Make sure it is hot, because this steam may help kill dust mites on the spot. Additionally, by cleaning your mattress and other upholstered furniture with a steamer, you may be able to kill the eggs of other irritating pests, like bed bugs.

Doing these things will help, but allergy sufferers and those with asthma may still need to take allergy medications and preventative or rescue treatments to avoid complications of their medical conditions.

How Can You Dust Mite Proof Your Home?

Dust mite-proofing your home starts by generally allergy-proofing your home. Between mold, pet allergens, and pollen, there are a number of issues that could lead to you having a rough night's sleep. But taking just a few steps to clean up and make the environment less hospitable to bed bugs and dust mites is key.

Clean your bedding

Step one is to regularly clean your bedding. Consider washing all of your blankets and pillow covers at least weekly at 130 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter, if the fabric allows. Hot temperatures like this quickly kill dust mites and help sanitize your sheets and comforters. You can also replace your bed sheets and comforters, pillow covers, and other sleep items with silk since silk makes the bedroom less hospitable to dust mites.

If you use silk bedding, always use cool water instead of hot water to wash. Because silk is hypoallergenic, it does not need hot water to rid it of allergens. 

Vacuum your flooring

The next thing to do is to sweep up your home. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter, since this helps keep the allergens swept up inside the vacuum instead of shooting them back out into the air. If you can, opt for washable area rugs instead of carpet, and mop hardwood and linoleum with sanitizing solutions.       

If you do have carpet, shampoo it regularly to kill and eliminate the allergens that may be making you uncomfortable in your home.

Steam your furniture

If you have furniture upholstered in fabric rather than leather or PVC, consider steaming the material. When you use a handheld steamer, get close enough to make the fabric hot to the touch, since this will help kill any potential dust mites and sterilize the material.

It's a good idea to steam your furniture every month or so because doing so is going to help reduce the dust and dander in your home. If you can take the cases off your pillows or sofa, wash them in hot water (make sure this is suitable for the fabric). If not, steaming is the way to go.

Focus on pest control

Where there is one pest, there may be more. It's not a bad idea to call in a pest-control expert if you've noticed that you have more spiders, bugs, or other insects showing up in your home. You may need to seal doors or windows, or you may need to have a full extermination.

Once you get the pests under control, you should check for pests regularly and continue vacuuming and washing hard surfaces on a weekly schedule whenever possible.

Watch the humidity level

Finally, watch the humidity level in your home. You'd be surprised at how humidity can quickly lead to mold and dust mites wreaking havoc in your home.

Keep the temperature in your house between 68 degrees and 72 degrees Fahrenheit, and run a dehumidifier if the humidity soars over 50%.

Why Switch to a Blissy Hypoallergic Silk Pillowcase?

It's a good idea to choose a hypoallergic pillow cover if you've been having trouble with allergies or asthma. At Blissy, we offer silk pillowcases that help prevent dust mites from bothering you.

What makes dust mites avoid silk? Silk is naturally hypoallergenic and creates an environment that is inhospitable to mites. In fact, the tightly woven threads make it hard for dust, debris, or any other irritants or allergens to remain on the pillow covers, so you could see a real impact on the quality of your sleep in just one night.

Getting a pillow protector that is made of silk is like putting up a shield for dust mite protection. In "mission allergy," having silk on your side is an excellent option.

Naturally hypoallergenic 100% mulberry silk

The best dust mite pillow covers resist and repel dust and debris that can make you ill from asthma, allergies, or other issues.

Blissy uses 100% mulberry silk, so it repels dust mites and other allergens. Keeping them away from your face at night means you can have a more restful night's sleep.

Beneficially, we offer dozens of different colors of pillow covers as well as different sizes. Choose a pillow cover for your toddler's favorite pillow, or get some for your own bed. In any case, we think you're going to see a real difference in the quality of your sleep thanks to these silken pillow protectors.

Read More: The Best Luxury Hypoallergenic Pillow Cases to Stop Your Allergies

Make the Switch to Blissy

Switching to Blissy just makes sense. You can find the perfect pillow cover in a color your love, and our pillow protectors make it simple to prevent things like dust mites from affecting you in your sleep. Additionally, these hypoallergenic pillow covers are non-irritating and soothing to your skin.

Originally, Blissy pillow covers came in just white, but today you can get additional products, like silk sleep masks, in over 40 colors and patterns. If you're struggling with allergies, consider changing your sheets' fabric to silk. With over 80,000 5-star reviews, we know you're going to love your Blissy.