Discover how I successfully got rid of dust mites with microfiber sheets and pillowcases. I'll explain why they avoid allergies and where to buy them.
Not everyone has problems with dust mite allergies. They are harmless, but some people have an allergic reaction to them.
When exposed to dust mites (or other allergens), our bodies produce an antibody called Immunoglobulin E (IgE). Some people have an overproduction of IgE, which causes allergic reactions such as sneezing, coughing, or a rash. 1
Dust mites tend to live in mattresses, pillows, and even the box springs of your bed.
They are always there. Humans and all animals continually shed flakes of skin cells. Dust mites feed on these skin cells found in the bedding.
Having a small number of dust mites may not be a problem. However, anyone experiencing allergic reactions should keep them under control by encasing the mattress, box spring, and pillows with microfiber bedding.
Dust mites cause symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes and a runny or stuffy nose. If you have any of these conditions, you might have dust mites in your sheets.
Bedding is a breeding ground for dust mites. I successfully got rid of them with a set of quality microfiber sheets and pillowcases. I'll explain where I bought them and why they work so effectively to avoid allergies.
You can always hire a pest control service to do a microscopic evaluation. But rather than spending money on pest control, microfiber bedding is a more permanent solution. It keeps the mites out of the mattress and pillows where they tend to breed.
Microfiber sheets and pillowcases help avoid allergic reactions to dust mites because they are impervious to these microscopic insects. The mites are blocked and eventually die since they can't get any more food from your flaked-off dead skin cells. Therefore, successful allergy avoidance is achieved.
Microfiber bedding and linens can be used to encase all parts of your bedding. And comfort can still be maintained with the right brand.
You need to encase all parts of the bed where dust mites might live. The pillows can be covered with a pillow casing, and the mattress can be completely sealed with a fitted mattress casing. It's also helpful to encase the boxspring. There is a microfiber product for all of that.
If you like using a mattress pad, you can put that over the mattress encasing or get a microfiber mattress pad.
You can buy various brands of microfiber sheets at JCPenney, Walmart, Sears, and Target. You can also buy them online from Amazon.
Various brands are:
I had a stuffy nose many times when I was in bed, so my sister told me about her experience with trying various brands of microfiber sheets. She said most were uncomfortable to sleep on, or just didn't work.
She had a terrible allergy problem, but when she finally tried Mission Allergy brand mattress and pillow encasings, she had no more problems.
Since I had allergy problems too, I decided to try it. I started by ordering Mission Allergy pillow encasings from Amazon 
to check out how well they work.
My stuffy nose stopped happening. It definitely resolved my allergy problems. And my sleep improved without waking up stuffy in the middle of the night.
The microfiber encasing blocks any entry or exit of mites, and I put my regular pillowcase right over it.
| Size | Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Travel Size | 12" x 18" |
| Standard | 20" x 27" |
| Queen | 20" x 31" |
| King | 20" x 38" |
| Euro Square | 26" x 26" |
| Body Pillow | 20" x 60" |
If you only have mild allergies at night, you might only need to cover your pillows. Otherwise, consider encasing your mattress too.
The casings are the most important since they completely enclose the mattress, box spring, and pillows. Dust mites can't survive in that closed environment.
Most shredded skin flakes get into the mattress through regular bed sheets. Therefore, encasing the entire mattress is the only way to eliminate the mites.
When I found out how much better I slept with the Mission Allergy pillow encasing, I ordered their mattress encasing on Amazon for my entire bed.
If you prefer using your regular sheets and pillowcases, you can put them over the microfiber sheets. That's how I do it.
A quilted mattress pad may be used instead of a mattress encasing. It's constructed like a fitted sheet and also blocks the mites.
| Size | Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Twin | 39" x 75" |
| Long-Twin | 39" x 80" |
| Full | 54" x 75" |
| Queen | 60" x 80" |
| King | 78" x 80" |
| California King | 72" x 84" |
I have a platform bed, as shown in the above image. But if your mattress is over a box spring, consider encasing that, too.
For a complete barrier to avoid dust mite allergies, you need to cover the pillows, mattress, and box spring.
Mission Allergy makes a box spring encasing that's nine inches deep to fit the latest style box springs.
If the weave isn't tight enough, mites will get through. Mission Allergy sells 100% woven polyester microfiber with a mean pore size of two microns. That's small enough to block dust mites.
Since it is air-permeable, it is entirely comfortable to sleep on. Fabrics made with membranes get hot and sweaty. The tightly woven fabric prevents new dust mites from colonizing.2
However, new dust mites may colonize in non-woven fabric or terry cloth microfiber. But Mission Allergy brand linens avoid those problems.
All the seams are bound with a seam binding. Zippers have an interior flap to prevent mites already in there from escaping. They will eventually die.
Linens made from microfiber can be washed along with your other laundry. However, do not use fabric softeners. And dry with low heat or a permanent-press setting.
Proper maintenance will help keep your microfiber bedding effective over time by eliminating dust mites and helping you breathe easier.
I never even realized I had dust mites until I noticed how much better I felt after I covered everything with Mission Allergy encasings.
I decided to do some research to understand it better. I learned that everyone has dust mites. I even read that a two-year-old pillow can be 10% full of dead dust mites and their feces.3
Mission Allergy does research studies on dust mites and allergen avoidance. And they will not sell anything that does not pass stringent testing.
It's incredible how we overlook the obvious when dealing with allergies. I'm so glad my sister made me aware of this. I'll never go back to regular bed sheets again.
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