Refresh your bedding in frosty weather: A surprising solution to tackle dust mites

Regular change of sheets and bedding forms the basis of our hygiene, and it should be done as frequently as possible. Alongside washing, it's also crucial to air your duvet outside. This method will help to quickly refresh it and eliminate the health-damaging dust mites.

During the winter season, we tend to tightly close windows and poorly ventilate rooms, and often crank up the heaters. Consequently, the house becomes stuffy, and the air humidity increases significantly, creating an ideal environment for the proliferation of dust mites. These mites are frequently found in dust, irrespective of regular house cleaning, and our skin is their primary source of nourishment.

Dust mites find their most abundant food source in blankets, pillows, bedding, and sheets because we spend roughly 8 hours in bed daily. Sleep is a period of regeneration for us, not only mentally but also physically. During sleep, we often shed dead skin cells which enable these tiny creatures to invade the bedding and have a negative effect on us. For health implications, the excrement of dust mites, which are harmful proteins left on the bedding, are particularly dangerous.

If you've noticed recently that you've developed an allergy, or there's itching or outbreaks on your skin, or maybe you've had a cold and a sore throat, it's plausible that harmful dust mites have infiltrated your bedding. Battling them is not easy, but there exist straightforward home remedies to eradicate them. All you need to do is to maintain your bedroom, especially your bed and bedding.

These tiny parasites blend in under the influence of high temperatures, but few are aware that low temperatures are just as effective at eradicating them. Simply take the bedding and place it out in the frost, and within few hours it will dispel all the dust mites and other pollutants. Statistically, these pests will vanish from the bedding after 6 hours when exposed to a temperature of -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit).

Another excellent practice is to shake out the bedding regularly, iron it and clean it with steam. The key to attaining better health is consistency in combating dust mites, which constantly find their way back to our beds and bedding. Hence, air your bedding outside in winter, and you'll promptly notice a general health improvement, as well as better sleep quality.