eHow launches Android app: Get the best of eHow on the go.

How To

How to Kill Dust Mites With Steam

Contributor
By Margo Dill
eHow Contributing Writer
(2 Ratings)

Dust mites cause people who suffer from dust allergies much discomfort from runny noses to sneezing to coughing and itchy eyes. Dust mites live in clothing, pillows, bedspreads, couches and armchairs. Dust mites can be extremely hard to get rid of, and people will try everything from running their air conditioning to reduce the humidity in their houses to using dust mite covers on pillows and mattresses. One way people try to get rid of dust mites is by using steam. You can kill dust mites and their eggs with steam.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Vapor steam cleaner
  • Water
  • Dust mite test kit (optional)
  1. Step 1

    Purchase a steam vapor cleaner that has the right amount of pressure for your individual needs. Your vapor steam cleaner should have between 50 and 65 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure. (Steam cleaners for commercial use may have higher than 65 psi.)

  2. Step 2

    Put clean water into your vapor steam cleaner and add the correct attachment. The internal boiler temperature of the steam cleaner should be between 281 and 298 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, with a steam temperature of between 240 degrees and 270 degrees Fahrenheit at the nozzle tip. When the steam vapor cleaner is at this high temperature, it kills dust mites on contact. On average, cleaners with 50 psi will reach temperatures up to 281 degrees Fahrenheit. If there is 65 psi, then the internal boiler temperature will reach 298 degrees Fahrenheit.

  3. Step 3

    Use the vapor steam cleaner at least every eight weeks on the areas of your home where you want to kill dust mites. The eggs can lay dormant for months in your carpet, and the best way to prevent these eggs from hatching into dust mites is to kill them with steam.

  4. Step 4

    Clean your furniture and mattresses, too. Dust mites live in upholstery and cloth. To do a thorough cleaning of your house, you must use the vapor steam cleaner on items such as couches, armchairs, and beds as well as your carpet and tile.

  5. Step 5

    Check the areas of your house for dust mite activity with a dust mite test kit. Dust mite kits take about an hour to detect how much dust mite allergen is left in your home after cleaning. The kits are easy to use at home, and they do not have to be sent to a laboratory to read.

Tips & Warnings
  • Test a small portion of your furniture for any color or fabric damage before you steam clean the entire piece.

Post a Comment

Post a Comment
  • Have you done this? Click here to let us know.
I Did This

Related Ads

Home & Garden
Ruby Bayan,

Meet Ruby Bayan eHow's Home & Garden Expert.

Get Free Home & Garden Newsletters

Copyright © 1999-2009 eHow, Inc. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.   en-US Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.

eHow Home and Garden
eHow_eHow Home and Garden