To get rid of dust mites, I'd aim for fewer, not none, and follow the routine HealthLink BC, Health Canada and Asthma Canada give. The routine starts with a weekly bedding wash in water of at least 55°C (131°F) and indoor humidity under 50 percent. Covers on the mattress and pillows, and a vacuum with a HEPA filter, round it out. No step on HealthLink BC's list promises a home free of them.
A dust mite is a creature visible only under a microscope, and HealthLink BC says people react to its droppings rather than to the mite itself. The research adds a catch: a 2008 Cochrane review found mite-control measures didn't improve asthma.
Merit Home Furniture, the business I co-own, runs four stores on Vancouver Island, and my own days are spent on the Duncan floor. We sell mattresses and bedding, not allergy care. A damp Island winter makes the humidity step harder, as the airport figures further down show. If allergies or asthma are keeping you up at night, a doctor comes before anything you buy from us.
How can I get rid of dust mites?
Dust mites need damp air, soft fabric to live in and skin flakes to eat, going by Asthma Canada. Each step below takes one of those away, or washes out what the mites leave behind.
| Step | How often, and who says so |
|---|---|
| Wash sheets, pillowcases and mattress covers hot | Every week (HealthLink BC), in water of at least 55°C, per HealthLink BC's indoor air quality file |
| Keep indoor humidity down | Below 50%, per Asthma Canada; Health Canada's range for a home is between 30% and 50% |
| Cover the mattress and pillows | Tight-weave, dust-proof covers (HealthLink BC); zippered encasements on every bed in the room (Asthma Canada) |
| Vacuum carpet and fabric furniture | Once or twice a week, with a HEPA filter or a double-thickness bag (HealthLink BC) |
| Damp-mop hard floors | Once a day, says HealthLink BC; once a week, says Asthma Canada |
| Clear stuffed toys and clutter from the bedroom | Freeze toys that can't be washed for 24 hours (Asthma Canada, which rates this one only fair) |
| Steam-clean carpets | When possible; HealthLink BC says the heat of the steam kills dust mites |
Asthma Canada grades weekly washing, pulling up wall-to-wall carpet, weekly HEPA vacuuming, drier air and full encasements as very good. Those grades come from a fact sheet, though. Trials of covers came out less encouraging, and they get their own section below.
What dust mites are and where they live in a house
HealthLink BC says dust mite allergy is a year-round problem, and its page on indoor triggers says dust "contains most of the allergens in your home".
As for where they come from, Asthma Canada's answer is food and shelter. An average adult sheds two pounds of dead skin a year, it says, much of it while asleep. The mites live in the fibres of mattresses, pillows, bedding, carpet, plush furniture and curtains, and eat those flakes. That makes the soft places the common ones, and Asthma Canada calls the bedroom "a good first place" to start.
How do you know if you have them? With mites out of sight, the useful question is whether you react to them. Asthma Canada suggests asking an allergist about allergy testing. HealthLink BC says a doctor asks about symptoms, activities and your home, and may order allergy tests.
Dust mites and humidity on Vancouver Island
Humidity is the step Asthma Canada calls perhaps the most important for keeping mites down. HealthLink BC says dust mites do well where humidity is "greater than 50%" and poorly in dry air, though drying a house out may be hard in some climates.
Health Canada's guide on moisture and mould sets the range for a home between 30% and 50%. It says to run a dehumidifier above 50 percent, or when water condenses on windows. Asthma Canada suggests a hygrometer, a small humidity gauge, to know where a room sits. Here is the outside air the Island starts from, in Environment and Climate Change Canada's 1981 to 2010 normals.
| Nanaimo Airport | Average relative humidity, 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. |
|---|---|
| July | 78 and 53 percent |
| November | 91 and 78 percent |
| December | 92 and 83 percent |
That's outdoor air at an airport, not your bedroom. Warming air lowers its relative humidity, so a heated room usually reads lower, and the gauge in the room is the number that counts.
Some habits push indoor humidity up. Health Canada names wet laundry hung indoors, a common sight in a wet Island week. HealthLink BC says plants and fish tanks belong outside the bedroom. Its indoor air quality file says not to use humidifiers that spray water if anyone in the house has asthma. The same 50 percent line turns up in what damp and dry air do to solid wood.
Washing bedding to get rid of dust mites in bed
Washing bedding in hot water every week is HealthLink BC's main step for the bed: sheets, pillowcases and mattress covers, dried on high heat if you can. Its indoor air quality file sets the wash at a minimum of 55°C and adds pillows and mattress pads. Not every fabric is labelled for that heat, so the care tag decides what goes in hot.
Blankets are the awkward part. HealthLink BC suggests avoiding wool blankets and down quilts, and Asthma Canada prefers ones that can be laundered every week.
A weekly wash is easier with a spare set of sheets. The Health Guard Luxury Microfiber set listed for our Duncan store is $59.00 in queen, before applicable taxes. Its listing makes no allergy claim. For the pillow itself, our notes on picking and replacing a pillow cover when one is past saving.
Stuffed toys are on HealthLink BC's list of bedroom dust collectors, with books and wall hangings. For a toy a child won't give up, Asthma Canada suggests the freezer for 24 hours, then a cool wash to rinse out the dead mites.
What can I put on my bed to kill dust mites?
Nothing sprayed on, going by the Canadian sources I read. Heat is the tool they lean on: the hot wash, a hot dryer and steam, which HealthLink BC says kills dust mites. HealthLink BC says mite-killing chemicals, called acaricides, are sold for carpets and furniture, but many experts don't find them worth the cost and trouble. What goes on the bed is a barrier, a dust-proof cover under the sheet.
Carpets, upholstered furniture and vacuuming for dust mites
Carpets and upholstered furniture hold dust mites, and HealthLink BC's advice is to avoid them, along with heavy drapes. It prefers wood, plastic, leather or vinyl that wipes clean. If carpet stays elsewhere, it suggests at least taking it out of the bedroom.
Vacuuming has limits. Asthma Canada says mites cling to fibres with sucking pads on their legs, so pulling the live ones out with a vacuum is close to impossible. HealthLink BC recommends a HEPA filter or a double-thickness bag, since a standard bag can let allergens back into the room. Its indoor air quality file says people with allergies should leave the room while it's done, and stay out for at least an hour after the dust settles.
On the furniture side, I'd let that advice steer the shopping. An upholstered headboard is fabric a few inches from your pillow, while a wood one wipes down with a damp cloth. Merit lists wood bed frames for anyone going that way. HealthLink BC also suggests keeping pets out of the bedroom, for their dander, a separate allergen from mites.
Do Lysol, vinegar or sunlight kill dust mites?
I couldn't find a Canadian health body that lists Lysol, vinegar, Febreze or another household spray as a way to get rid of dust mites. HealthLink BC relies on water, heat, dry air and covers, and Asthma Canada's fact sheet doesn't mention sprays. A spray that did kill mites would still leave their droppings in the fabric, and washing is what takes those away.
Sunlight isn't on either list. A 1994 paper by Tovey and Woolcock in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology is titled "Direct exposure of carpets to sunlight can kill all mites". I could only read the title, so I can't tell you how long the carpets sat out. The hot wash is the step with a temperature attached.
Do allergen-proof mattress covers work against dust mites?
Allergen-proof mattress covers are on every Canadian list I read, and the trials are where they fall short. Asthma Canada even suggests taping over the zippers.
The 2008 Cochrane review by Gøtzsche and Johansen pooled 55 randomised trials with 3,121 people who had asthma. Mattress encasings were used in 26 of them. It found no effect on lung function, symptoms or medicine use, and said these methods "cannot be recommended", while noting many trials were of poor quality.
A large trial by Woodcock and colleagues in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003, gave 1,122 adults with asthma allergen-proof covers or ordinary ones. Mite allergen in the mattress was lower with proof covers at 6 months, though not at 12. Breathing and steroid use came out about the same in both groups. A trial in the same issue, led by Terreehorst, gave covers to 279 patients with nasal allergies. Mite allergen fell, but symptoms didn't improve.
For nasal allergies, a Cochrane review by Sheikh and colleagues looked at nine trials with 501 people. It judged covers used alone unlikely to help, and found acaricides and wide bedroom programmes might help some people, though the trials were small. So research suggests a cover alone won't settle symptoms, and how far to go is a question for your doctor or allergist.
Health Guard mattress protectors for dust mites, with prices
Merit lists 7 Health Guard mattress protectors for our Duncan store. Every listing carries the line "Protects against spills, allergens and dust mites". That's Health Guard's claim on its own product, and none of the trials above tested Health Guard.
| Health Guard protector | Queen, before applicable taxes |
|---|---|
| Premium Terry | $69.00 |
| Cotton Touch | $109.00 |
| Tencel Dream | $129.00 |
| Active Charcoal | $189.00 |
| Organic Bamboo | $189.00 |
| Bamboo Plus | $249.00 |
| Cool Ice | $249.00 |
Prices were read from Merit's listings on November 1, 2026, and the twin Premium Terry starts at $49.00. Health Guard's own FAQ says protectors typically have five sides and fit over the mattress like a fitted sheet, while an encasement fully encloses it, usually with a zipper. Asthma Canada's advice is the zippered kind, and Merit has none listed right now. Our guide to protectors and encasements covers the difference and the depth fit, and the full set is under mattress pads and protectors.
Latex mattresses and dust mite allergies: what we can and can't say
None of the trials above compared mattress types, and I haven't seen research showing that a latex, foam or coil bed eases a dust mite allergy. So I won't sell one to you on that.
The all-latex bed on our Duncan list is the Natura Majestic, 11 inches with no springs. Under the cover sit a 2.3 lb wool layer and quilting foam, then two 2-inch latex layers over a 6-inch latex core. It's $3,849.00 in queen, $2,499.00 in twin and $4,849.00 in king, before applicable taxes, and Natura makes each one to order.
One thing to weigh: HealthLink BC suggests avoiding wool blankets. The Majestic's wool sits under the cover rather than on top of you, and whether that matters for your allergy is a question for your allergist. Merit's latex mattress listings also include Restwell and Restonic coil beds with a latex comfort layer.
Setting up a bedroom for someone with a dust allergy, I'd plan the bedding around HealthLink BC's weekly hot wash. That means pieces that can take it, such as a protector, pillow covers and a second set of sheets. A new mattress can wait until the old one is actually worn out.
Dust mite allergy symptoms, treatment and when to call 8-1-1 or 9-1-1
Dust mite allergy usually shows in the nose and eyes. HealthLink BC's allergic rhinitis page describes sneezing over and over, often after waking. It also lists a runny or stuffy nose, itchy and watery eyes, and a cough from post-nasal drip. Asthma Canada says over 50% of all allergic asthmatics are sensitive to house dust mites.
For treatment, HealthLink BC pairs avoiding the allergen with medicine, such as over-the-counter corticosteroid nasal sprays or antihistamine pills, and says to ask your doctor. When medicine isn't enough, it describes immunotherapy, as shots or tablets under the tongue, and names pollens, animal dander and dust mites as the allergies shots suit. A course may run 3 to 5 years, with some risk of a severe whole-body reaction called anaphylaxis.
HealthLink BC's advice on when to get help comes ahead of anything in this guide.
| What to do | When, per HealthLink BC |
|---|---|
| Call 9-1-1 | Severe trouble breathing, such as breathing very fast or being too short of breath to speak smoothly. Other signs are skin between the ribs sinking in with each breath, or lips, tongue or nail beds that stay pale, grey or bluish. |
| Call 9-1-1 | Signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as new or worse swelling of the throat, tongue, lips or mouth, or new trouble breathing, wheezing or chest tightness. Use an epinephrine shot while you wait, if you have one. |
| Call your doctor now or get care right away | Asthma symptoms aren't better after following your asthma action plan, trouble breathing is new or worse, or coughing and wheezing get worse. |
| Call your doctor | Allergy symptoms get worse for no clear reason, allergy medicine isn't helping, a cough or cold lasts longer than 1 to 2 weeks, or the allergy disturbs your life. |
| Book a check | Mild asthma symptoms in someone who hasn't been diagnosed with asthma. |
Anywhere in BC, 8-1-1 reaches HealthLink BC, which can put you through to a registered nurse or a pharmacist. Deaf and hard of hearing callers can use 7-1-1 instead.
Where dust mite advice and allergy bedding fall short
- A cover on its own. Two large trials found covers alone didn't improve asthma or nasal allergy symptoms, and two Cochrane reviews reached similar conclusions.
- A protector bought as an encasement. Health Guard describes a protector as five-sided, and Asthma Canada's advice is a zippered cover over the whole mattress.
- A water-spray humidifier where someone has asthma, or vacuuming with the allergic person still in the room.
- A new mattress as the fix. No trial in this guide tested a mattress type, and every mattress needs the same weekly wash on top.
Where the dust mite facts come from
- HealthLink BC, Controlling Dust, Dust Mites, and Other Allergens in Your Home (current as of February 27, 2023), checked November 2026.
- HealthLink BC, HealthLinkBC File 65b, Indoor air quality: Mould and other biological contaminants (last updated October 29, 2024), checked November 2026.
- HealthLink BC, Allergies: Avoiding Indoor Triggers (current as of February 27, 2023), checked November 2026.
- HealthLink BC, Allergic Rhinitis, symptoms, treatment and when to call a doctor (current as of February 27, 2023), checked November 2026.
- HealthLink BC, Asthma in Teenagers and Adults, when to call 9-1-1 or a doctor, checked November 2026.
- HealthLink BC, Allergic Reaction, when to call 9-1-1 during self-care (adapted June 14, 2023), checked November 2026.
- Health Guard, Barrier Plus Encasement page and its protector and encasement FAQ, checked November 2026.
- Asthma Canada (Asthma Society of Canada), Dust mite control in the home, fact sheet, checked November 2026.
- Health Canada, Guide to addressing moisture and mould indoors, checked November 2026.
- Cochrane, Gøtzsche PC and Johansen HK, House dust mite control measures for asthma, CD001187 (2008), 55 trials, 3,121 people, checked November 2026.
- Cochrane, Sheikh A and others, House dust mite avoidance measures for perennial allergic rhinitis, CD001563 (current version 2021, trials searched to December 2009), 9 trials, 501 people, checked November 2026.
- New England Journal of Medicine, Woodcock A and others, allergen-impermeable bed covers for adults with asthma, 349:225-236 (2003), 1,122 adults, checked November 2026.
- New England Journal of Medicine, Terreehorst I and others, impermeable covers for bedding in patients with allergic rhinitis, 349:237-246 (2003), 279 patients, checked November 2026.
- Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Tovey ER and Woolcock AJ, Direct exposure of carpets to sunlight can kill all mites, 93:1072-1074 (1994), title only, checked November 2026.
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1981 to 2010 climate normals for Nanaimo A, relative humidity at 6 a.m. and 3 p.m., checked November 2026.
- Merit Home Furniture's live listings for the Health Guard protectors and sheets and the Natura Majestic, prices and descriptions read November 1, 2026, and the Duncan store's pickup and delivery terms.
Getting Health Guard bedding through Merit's Duncan store
Health Guard protectors, pillows and sheets count as small items, so we don't ship them. They're picked up free at our Duncan store at 107 Ingram St, usually about 2 business days after the item reaches Duncan, or added to a mattress delivery. A mattress from Duncan is delivered across the Island for $150, setup included.
The store opens Monday to Saturday, 9 to 5, and most of what's there are display models, so a call first tells you which beds are set up. Bring your mattress depth and we'll check a protector fits it. The rest of Merit's guides to mattresses and sleep for Island homes cover size and feel, and Health Guard's bedding is listed in one place.