Dust mites are the most common indoor allergen. They are frequently the cause of sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes, stuffy noses, asthma, and more, which is why it’s so important to get rid of them. 

In an office, dust mites will hide in carpet, furniture, and curtains, while in healthcare or daycare settings they might also hide in bedding and linens. To help you get rid of dust mites and keep your associates healthy, we’ve outlined a number of ways to remove dust mites in a workplace. 

But first, let’s outline where dust mites come from.

Where Do Dust Mites Come From?

Dust mites are microscopic bugs related to spiders. They love to live in fiber surfaces like carpet, upholstery, and curtains. 

According to Healthline, the reason dust mites are so prevalent is that they feed off of dead skin cells. On an average day, one person may shed 1.5 grams of dead skin cells, which can feed up to one million dust mites at a time. This means an office can house a lot of dust mites. 

So, how can you prevent dust mites in your office?

How to Prevent Dust Mites In An Office

To help prevent dust mites in your office to begin with, follow these tips.

• Remove all carpet and rugs in your office. 
• Make sure all upholstery is leather or artificial leather.
• Replace all curtains with hard surface blinds.
• Clean your air ducts.
• Replace your air filter regularly. Use an allergen capturing filter to capture dust mites.
• Reduce the humidity in your office to 50%. 

How to Remove Dust Mites from Carpet 

In order to remove dust mites from carpet you need to be vigilant because dust mites can live in a lot of conditions. Follow these tips to remove dust mites from your office carpet:

• Vacuum carpet everyday. 
• Deep clean your carpet regularly. 
• Wash any area rugs as often as you can. 
• Use a dust mite spray on your carpet to kill dust mites.

How to Remove Dust Mites from Upholstery

The best way to keep dust mites from living in your office upholstery to make sure all upholstery is leather or faux leather. Dust mites are less likely to live on those surfaces. Also, follow these tips:

• Vacuum your upholstery regularly. This includes your office chairs, any couches, and even cubicle walls. Learn how to clean cubicle walls here. 
• If you have leather or artificial upholstery wipe your upholstery down using a leather cleaner.
• Deep clean your upholstery on a regular basis. We recommend using a commercial upholstery cleaning machine.
• Use a dust mite spray on your carpet to kill dust mites.

How to Remove Dust Mites from Curtains

The best way to keep dust mites out of your curtains is to not have them. Curtains collect dust and make a good home for dust mites. We recommend removing curtains altogether and replacing them with hard surface blinds. 

In addition to these tips, one of the best ways to keep dust mites at bay is to dust regularly. Encourage your associates to clean up clutter and dust around their desks often. Read How to Dust Your Desk in 4 Easy Ways.