Just thinking of these dust mites living in your pillow by the millions, eating your dead skin and hair is enough to make you sick (literally and figuratively). The are a major cause of asthma and allergies; especially in vulnerable individuals, such as children and the elderly. According to the American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology, approximately 10 percent of Americans exhibit allergic sensitivity to dust mites. The American Lung Associations tells us “Dust mites are not parasites; they don’t bite, sting or burrow into our bodies.

The harmful allergen they create comes from their fecal pellets and body fragments. Dust mites are nearly everywhere; roughly four out of five homes in the United States have detectable levels of dust mite allergen in at least one bed.” Don’t you feel better now, know they don’t bite or sting; and your allergic reaction is only due to burying your face in a pillow full of their feces? And you may feel better knowing, according to WebMD, that “Dust mites like to eat dead skin from pets and humans. You probably shed enough skin a day to feed a million dust mites.”

In the spring, pollen aggravates allergies, and dustmite infestations make it worse. The Fall and Winter months are a particular problem, as we close up our houses and the concentrations of dust mites and their feces increases inside. And with dustmites at their multiplying peak during warm, wet weather, read on to find out what you can do about dust mites!