Dust mites in your mattress: does steam or vacuuming work better?

Where dust mites live

Dust mites are too small to see. They live inside mattresses, pillows, sofas and carpets and feed on the skin flakes everyone sheds every day. Warm, humid rooms suit them, which is why they are common in Malaysian homes all year round.

What a vacuum does, and what it misses

A good vacuum lifts dust and loose skin flakes from the surface, and that is worth doing every week or two. But dust mites hold on to fibres deep inside the filling, so a quick pass over the top leaves most of them where they are. A mattress that looks clean on top can still need a deep clean.

What heat does

Dust mites do not survive high heat. That is why bedding is usually washed in hot water where the fabric allows, and why the last of our 4 steps is 100°C+ steam on the mattress or sofa, applied at your home. The steps before it (a cleaning solution, deep brushing and wet-dry extraction) lift the dirt the heat leaves behind.

A simple routine

• Every week: wash sheets and pillowcases, in hot water if the fabric allows.
• Every week or two: vacuum the mattress and sofa slowly, seams included.
• Every day: keep the bedroom aired and dry; open the window or run the fan.
• Every 3 to 6 months: have the mattress and sofa deep-cleaned, more often with small children or pets.

Dust mite removal → · Mattress cleaning →