Dust mites (Dermatophagoides farinae) are often called spider mites. These very small arachnids are off white in color, shaped like a globe and can have an average life span of a month and known to live up to 3 months!
Because dust mites are so small the human eye alone can not detect them; To see a dust mites, you’ll need a basic microscope. Females dust mites are larger than their male counterpart and can lay anywhere from 1 to three eggs per day.
* According to controversial article by William F. Lyon written for the Extension Service at Ohio State University, a typical used mattress may have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites inside!
It goes on to state that 10% of the weight in a pillow that is two years old can be composed of dead mites and their waste. One more disturbing finding was that when you open your shades and see that beam of light with a ton of floating objects, eighty percent of it are flakes from your skin!
In as little as a month, a dust mite can reach adulthood and thrive best in damp material, such as towels, clothes or a mattress.
Dust mites love dead skin and some of the best repositories of dead skin are bed covers, blankets, anything made of cloth, dust and more.
Higher then normal humidity levels can also contribute to dust mites.
Dust mites are commonly thought of as causing dermatitis, asthma and rhinitis. Small children are also said to run the risk of asthma if exposed to the feces of dust mites. For example, if you sleep on a mattress containing a large amount of dust mites, you’ll notice red itchy bumps. These bumps are a result of your skin reacting to the allergen of the dust mite.
Controlling Dust Mites
Dust mites can cause a variety of health problems and while there is no way to completely eliminate the dust mites, controlling them can reduce a person’s risk of suffering from the health problems associated with an infestation of dust mites. This article is an overview of measures you can take to control the dust mite population in your home.
While you sleep, dust mites are hiding in your bedding. There are several things that can be done to reduce the dust mites in your bedding. The simplest solution is to wash bedding such as bedcovers, blankets and sheets once per week in hot water.
For pillows, it is recommended that you replace feather and down pillows with ones that are have synthetic materials as a filling. Alternatively, you can your regular pillow covers with dust-proof zippered ones.
Dust Mite
As stated before, washing blankets and other bedding once a week will help control dust mites in your bed. Also, replace wool blankets with cotton or nylon.
One the more cost effective ways to control dust mites is to damp dust the plastic mattress cover on your bed. Alternative ways to prevent a dust mite infestation is to buy dust-proof zipped mattress covers. Research also shows that covering your mattress with fitted-sheets helps slow the accumulation of skin scales; this is a low-cost alternative to dust-proof mattress covers.
Carpeting is another breeding ground for dust mites, but there is help. Vacuuming carpeting areas regularly helps control dust mite populations. It is also recommended that a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter when vacuuming the carpet, because the filter will trap allergens. Replacing carpeting with vinyl flooring
Dust mites thrive in high humidity conditions, but this can be controlled through de-humidifiers and air conditioners. To remove dust mite allergen from the air, researchers suggest an air filtration system, but especially ones that use a HEPA filter.
Detecting Dust Mites
Dust mites could be a source of allergens in your home, and detecting dust mites is the first step to controlling them. There are several dust mite detection kits commercial available. We focus on commonly used detection methods for dust mites.
Several of the dust mite detection kits measure the presence of dust mite allergens inside of samples collected from the entire home. The combined collected samples, with indicator chemical agents, tell the user about the infestation levels in the home.
A person may also detect the presence of dust mites by putting a small amount of dust on the surface of water then examining it under 20 times magnification with a microscope. The reason a microscope is needed is because dust mites are too small to be seen with the naked eye.
Using this method requires sufficient technical knowledge and microscope with the required magnification.
I have been dealing with much of the same. I bought a magnifing glass with a light. Large bottle of hyrogen Peroxide and Ebson salt. When I felt itchy,Made sure my tub was 100% percent clean of any visual debre. I ran a bath with a full bottle of hydogen peroxide and over a cup of and laid underneath the water. I did not used shampoo or soap. Then actually shrub a bit, even my scalp with the salt, laid underneath the water.
After getting out, left the water in the tub, closed the door, turned the light out . When in an hour later in the dark with the magnifier light on and saw so many microscopic spiders. I also saw what appears to be slightly longer than an eye lash, many of them. Collected them in a glass and looked even closer. If you see this like I did, look at your toleit behind the lid. I had noticed these eye lash looking things the next day after just cleaning!??
Then, I poured rubbing alcohol on them and they curled and turned silver. I had looked for this before because it caught my attention. I actually was lead to a Morgellon site, and saw all this weird scary stuff and closed the page. No, that’s not what I am dealing with. But kept seeing all these different things. Without grossing you out, you may want to check for eggs floating in your toilet, and check same for your pets.
There is many symptoms in this thing I have noticed and read on this post. White floating out of your skin. The other thing I just read about fibers in a gentleman’s pocket. Just look at other symptoms of this because it has immune deficiency issues, weird lesions, I have have 2, Appendix problems, swollen glands, tired, achy, parasite cysts in stool, weight changes and the list goes on.
But those weird hair like things were compared, and they are not anything from our family. They have a profound dot at one end and narrow off at the opposite end.
Sorry for the terrible spelling, I am writing without glasses, but felt you should be made aware of my findings. I have been trying to get answers on this for over 5 years.
Hi,
this is to respond to different things people have experienced. Yes, you can see them on eyeglasses, black cell phone covers, or computer screens. Yes, they are dust mites but not the normal kind. I got these from Africa. And other people too have experience of this kind of aggressive dust mite coming from tropical areas.
They do not die if you leave your stuff for a year. They only die by constant cleaning of textiles and all surfaces and by treating yourself with ivermectin. (careful with dosage! don’t over do it).
Yes, they make thin black strings come from your skin pores. Or black tiny spots. Or white, or both. Yes, under the microscope it looks like a black thing surrounded by a cocoon of fibers.
This is not something lethal. You will get better if you clean the whole time and put hand sanitizer alcohol on EVERY TIME you feel a bite or movement. Take bleach baths (half a cup of bleach into the bath water). Iron every piece of clothing. Throw away clothing that you can’t iron, or freeze it and iron it regularly.
love
Dear all,
If you have mites that are inside the skin, you need to treat yourself with Ivermectin. If your doctor will not prescribe it (the trademark is Stromectol and you need 2 doses with 1 week in between), get Vectin horse paste.
The amount to take depends on your weight, use an amount as wide as your finger. Be careful not to take any more, since you could hurt your liver. Take it a second time a week later only if necessary. Vogel’s Milk Thistle helps protect the liver, you can take at the same time.
Take these just before bed so in case it hurts a bit where your liver is, you won’t feel it. Ivermectin is the most important thing to take if you are seething and being bitten on a daily basis. I have had this for a year, so I don’t know what is the final cure, but going to very hot sauna, ironing all your textiles, and cleaning with window-cleaning detergent help a lot.
When it is really bad, wash your hair and yourself with Chlorine straight. Be very careful not to get it in your eyes. When it is not so bad, just scrubbing with soap is best.
The mites look like gray dust underneath your sheets. Having these makes the skin of the face scaly. If you have a look at what birds experience with feather mites, that is called ‘scaly face’. I also have these bits like concrete coming out of my skin during the night.
Don’t despair, just clean and don’t make a big fuss of it otherwise it could affect family relationships. Just clean stoically, iron, dust all hard surfaces with window cleaning liquid. Mop the floors with it too. Scrub in the bath like a maniac and it will go away in the end.
Don’t spend any money on expensive pest control, it does not help. Only constant cleaning helps. Use mite control sprays for things like jackets and pullovers, shoes, etc that you can’t wash hot.
Blessings to all.
mtdewcougar, it seems so I’ve heard about doctors that don’t wash their hands give diseases to the other patients trying to get better from their own sickness/disease. our modern day society is not what it use to be(seems like its getting worse as well) but doctors need to professionalize it up more and take a little more time with patients to help better everyone’s health.
but that may take longer in the wait. as I’ve seen in hospitals people wait 8hours to see a doctor and I think that’s ridiculous. but i was able to get into the fast track line when i said i had a skin mite/scabies.
This comment is to Karen.
This may be a late reply about your comment on my behalf, but i noticed the doctors called u crazy? Wow that’s disappointing to me. i have contracted scabies and i know your pain. You are not crazy and u need to take that extra pro-caution to kill that infestation.
Ive been doing the same thing but not so healthy for my skin. I’ve been bathing in bleach washing with sulfur and using permethrin. On the side i use the sulfur ointment with hydrocortazone and I’ve been doing this about 2weeks straight everyday and recently washed my carpet with a shampooer (used bleach and Tide/with bleach alternative with very hot water.)
So if your crazy for what you think is right the help yourself get back to the awesome non-itching skin that we all love and want. then I’m just as crazy as you are. I wish everyone the best of luck if u have scabies/any type of mite problem, I truly do! Mites is not to be taken lightly u need go to extremes to rid yourself and home from them, and that’s what Karen and did and that’s what I am doing.
I have many of the same symptoms as the folks before me. I too see these white things that look like bits of paper–on the bathroom floor, sometimes on me. I had more than one species biting me for some reason. I contracted D. gallinae avian mites also. They burrowed into my skin. I feel them biting me (hurts) and I can pick them out and put them on tape. I can see other bugs–there is a little reddish one that also bites, but fewer of them lately. Fewer of the D. gallinae also.
My channeler friend told me to get concentrated oregano oil, called “oreganol” and put 3-4 drops sublingually 3 times/day. Since then, I have noticed a definite decrease in the bloody bites, but still have the creepy crawly sensations and white things on bedding, clothing, the bathroom floor, etc. Oreganol can be purchased from Tao of Herbs dot com. It is not cheap, but it works.
My pest control guy also identified fleas by visual inspection of premises, and body lice microscopically. I could not imagine why, all of a sudden, I had this massive infestation. I had my dryer vent cleaned today, but they didn’t find anything unusual. I live in a condo, and I am going to work to have the board get my bathroom exhaust vents cleaned. Our maintenance guys searched the building for a nest; found a nest site way on the other side of the building, and closed it up.
My pest control guy thought it was too far away to be contributory. I have never had an animal in my place in the 8 yrs I have lived here. I used to love going outdoors, but not anymore. We take our shoes off by the door and bag them. Mothballs with paradichlorobenzene in all clothing, shoes, towels, etc. Daily vacuuming, daily change of bedding. Twice a day bathing. I obtain some relief by bathing before bed with 2 cups Borax and 2 cups Epsom salts in the bathwater, and scrubbing with the business side of a Scotchbrite sponge.
After the bath, I coat myself head to toe in coconut oil. I surround my ears and eye area with either neem oil, eucalyptus oil, or tea tree oil, depending on how sensitive my skin is that day. I put Vaseline on my eyelashes because these things colonize my eyelashes and irritate my eyelids. When I rub my eyes, I can feel this gritty stuff fall off them, like sand. Vaseline definitely cuts this down. Borax goes into all laundry, and everything gets washed on hot.
Consulting with doctors basically got me labeled as crazy.
Even the medical lab technologist for some reason, could not see the bugs I gave to them as samples. I am going to try to find an entomologist at a university or at an agricultural extension office. I live with my S.O. and son. My son had 1 bug bite him 1X, but I dug the offending bug out of his shoulder, and he hasn’t been bitten since. My S.O. is oblivious to them. They do not bother him.
I found the pest control companies only slightly more helpful than doctors.
I got the most help by calling my channeler, Jasmine Contor Dawson, and talking to the entity she channels. The entity told me what was biting me, to bag the mattress, shoes off at the door, fumigate the home and car, and change my diet radically for a week. I cut out all high-hypoglycemic index foods (including all fruit) and greatly increased my intake of green leafy vegetables and raw vegetables. I was told to do that for 7 days. While I lost a lot of weight on it, I did not notice a decrease in mites. They did not bite me as frequently, however. Garlic just caused me to bleed too easily, so I had to back off of it.
These things colonized my keyboard and workspace at work. I had a lot of problems there because I am not allowed to spray anything. I think I am down to using alcohol wipes and diatomaceous earth at work. They called a (well-known national) pest control company in, but the guy had the I.Q. of a mushroom. Said he couldn’t see anything, so they did nothing to relieve the biting. This company’s business model is basically like insurance.
Their goal is to provide the least amount of service for the regular monthly payments my employer makes to them. So my boss swapped out my keyboard, but the bugs were back within 2 days–at lower numbers, but I’m sure they will quickly expand their numbers. They seem to multiply exponentially. I find eggs everywhere. They look like little paint spots and are like concrete. I have to scrape them off of things with a putty knife before I can clean with orange oil, or Spray N’ Wash, or Lysol.
I also have had some relief from the “crawlies” by spraying myself with Arid Extra Dry. It has a high concentration of aluminum chlorhydrate, which is lethal to the mites. It really gets in the air, though, and I don’t use that often because of it.
When the mites were really biting me at night, the only way I could sleep was by taking 25 mg Benadryl (or generic equivalent) and sometimes had to combine it with a shot of alcohol. Sometimes I used 20 mg of the hydroxazine my doctor prescribed, but really prefer no drugs or alcohol.
Lately, since getting the oreganol, I don’t need the drugs to sleep. Best of luck to all on this site.
Do i HAVE to take showers in the mornings after waking up? Is it a problem if i don’t shower right after waking up but during the middle of the day or at night? Or if i shower the night before and not shower the morning after? PLease help!
I have the little mites all over in my apt., what is the cure or how do you get rid of them? What do I buy to rid the little devils from my whole apt. an cpu’s? Please tell me, anyone, Help! What kills them?
I just moved into a new place a couple of months ago, and I have started to notice an intense itching that just about covers my entire body. I looked in the itchy places, but was unable to find any indication of bites or anything. After a week or so, I mentioned it to my son, who showed me his feet. They were absolutely COVERED in huge red bites.
I think his are inflamed from scratching. He also has bites on the rest of his body. I thought at first that the carpet in the house was flea-infested, but after bombing and spraying, the bites still happen. I never see any fleas or any other kind of bug crawling anywhere, and am very confused as to what exactly is biting us. As I said, the bites are all over, with the majority of my bites being on the back of my legs and my bottom.
I will occasionally get one or two on my arms. They itch intensely. I have looked at photos of flea bites, bedbug bites, mite bites, scabies, etc, but none of the pictures I saw resemble these bites, which are normally not visible. Only a few become red and can be seen, except in my son’s case because he scratches them like a crazy person. After spraying and fogging repeatedly, I don’t know what else to do.
Anyone have any advice?
My husband has been suffering from constant itching but we think its from the new he laundry detergent we have to use for our new high efficiency washer. I wasn’t having much of a problem until recently. Now I find I get itchy around lower legs and back of thighs with tiny bumps which eventually go away. Looking at these posts and other possible causes, neither sound particularly desirable. Think ill try the steaming method and oils for dry skin…
If you are experiencing red marks, or strange bumps first go see a dermatologist. Make sure it’s not scabies or some other affliction like that. I am experiencing what I expect to be dust mites, or some other form of mite.
What i feel is a sting-like sensation after i feel a creepycrawly sensation, which is me being allergic to them ( I imagine) I do not have any marks other then the scratch marks i leave behind (which go away fast) Also not feeling the sensations in the same area all the time, mostly on the top of my head, legs and sometimes the groin area.
What I have heard that works is using an *ozone generator*, sorry don’t know too much about it but i hear it works amazingly. I’m hoping its just the dog catching fleas and that’s the reason i can’t see em and i’m itching. I’ve had this feeling before and it was because of fill dirt my dad got from somewhere and it probably wasn’t treated and the house was infested with fleas.
for quite a while i couldn’t find the cause (amazingly) and it sure enough turned out to be that, but this time it’s different, almost same scenario as last time tho he was doing something crazy in the yard, tearing it up and all of a sudden creepycrawlers,or floaters w/e, they are back, don’t see any fleas its been a week
Hi everybody,
Yes – so many similarities with everyone.
I rescued a little dog off the street 1 1/2 years ago. I took him to the groomer who told me he had fleas, but after she groomed him (bathed) said he was good to go. Not ever experiencing fleas before, I brought the little fella home to my 10 cats and two other dogs. Since the groomer did not wash him with a flea shampoo, and did not tell me to use frontline on him, within 10 days, my house was infested with fleas!!!! It was awful, but eventually after I had an exterminator come in 3 xs and began to use frontline, life seemed to get back to normal after about 10 months, except…..
I experienced the little black furry bugs (looks like lint) in my sheets. I think those are fleas stuck in lint?….they have mostly disappeared as I use a lint roller on my sheets. However, the one problem I can’t seem to remedy is the little white bugs in some of my clothing. The appear when I take dark clothing out of the dryer or when exposed to light. I thought for sure they were flea larva, but they are too little. They do excrete a little silk line like flea larva to when they are trying to turn into a pupae. The problem is when I wear the clothing they crawl and bite. I know they are in other clothing (light colored) because the same thing happens. I have dried clothing for three cycles on high heat and the little bugs are still in them. I know there are canine and feline lice, but the frontline kills these. The animals are free of fleas, eggs and larva. Just this problem in my clothing.
I thought about trying the rubbing alcohol 50% to water in a spray bottle, but a friend of mine said it could be dangerouse to spray around…any input on that? Because it is flammable. I have tried borax, pinesol, the peppermint solution in my wash – these little bugs will not die – and they contaminate other clothing that was not previously buggy…..
I think I have seen these bugs in the clothing at stores too, so I believe they could come home from the store. They are not month larva (I think) because I believe these would die in the dryer. I bought a steamer and thought about steaming my clothing. Maybe that is the last solution.
Any input anyone about this little white bugs?
Linda
To everyone out there I have similar problems but I also have eczema and very dry skin too. I know when I lived in Florida on top of the mosquitoes there were pesky “gnats”, I have always heard the term no see ums. I know for a fact you feel the bite but you never see them. Just something to think about for those of you that are at wits end. See if there is anything out there for gnats and try those remedies. Just a thought, I hope it helps someone out.
I just stumbled on this site/thread looking for something else. I hope this helps: I get the same itching, especially at night, and little red spots from tiny bites– but only after visiting my long term storage space. What works, almost instantly, for me is sealing off my storage space and setting off cheap, common bug bombs you can get from Home Depot, Walmart or any hardware store.
If you’ve taken the bugs into your car crack the windows slightly and put a bug bomb in there as well. It states don’t use it in an area less than so many square feet, that’s OK, just crack the windows. As soon as you get in the door at home put all your clothes in the washer on hot, Lysol your shoes, etc. Next take a hot shower. Problem solved. You can also bug bomb your bare mattress, room, house or apartment. But be sure to thoroughly clean the surfaces of your car and home after the bug bomb, as the bug bomb is of course poison; do this especially if you have a dog like me.
Best luck,
Jim
Hi Everyone,
About three years ago my son took in a stray dog off the street.I let him keep it in his room for a few hours but told him that he could not keep it. A week or so after this happened my son started getting rashes all over his body and itching really bad. My other son and daughter started getting the rashes
and the itching as well. Well then it was my turn, I started feeling tiny insects crawling and biting me all over my body, especially after 6pm. I was given scabie killer which didn’t work. I tried lotions and potions and even eating healthier but nothing worked. So I prayed and asked God what to use and the thought came to me “Use Olive Oil” So I took a bath and put olive oil on my skin and all of these tiny tiny insects started to come out of my skin. I panicked because I thought that it wasn’t possible for this to be happening, but I kept using the olive oil after every shower and they are completely gone. I used it on my children too and they to are free.
It took about 4 months for me and my daughter to get rid of them,but my sons went away sooner. Thank God!! It was a nightmare while we were going through it but the nightmare is over.
Don’t use lotions with the olive oil just use olive oil. To check and see if you have the same mite that Me and my children had , just take a hot shower and right when you come out the shower dry off and then put the olive oil on your skin,if you see these tiny black/grey insects on your skin then you have them. Put the oil all over your skin and rub it in like a lotion and leave it on. put on your clothing. Do that each time you bath,Which should be daily even 2 times a day and they will go away.
Like most of the posters on here I have the insane itching and sharp stings also. I have had this going on 3 years now. I am surprised not to see posts with mention of Morgellons diseas4e. If it is a real disease or not who knows, CDC has an investigation going on but have yet to release results (almost 2 years late releasing them so far).
I tend to agree with the dust mite being the problem because I have noticed that when I get into something like the closet, or somewhere dusty I am guaranteed at least 2 days of really bad itching. A married couple I am friends with say they have Morgellons disease going on 7 years now, they also get lesions though (thank God I don’t…..yet).
What I have found helps the best for me is using a forced steam cleaner (like the shark steamer) and steaming everything possible, bagging dirty clothes, get rid of carpet if poss, cover mattress with plastic, spraying rubbing alcohol seems to help, peroxide seems to help. Once you get your environment as clean as possible and bag everything for awhile it will start to get better.
I’ve also noticed that on most affected area of body if you wipe it with rubbing alcohol little white super thin hairs will come out of your pores, and if you wipe the area with peroxide little Black super thin hairs will come out of your pores. Only they are much too small to be hairs and without a magnifying mirror you wont even see them (that a bright flashlight). also little flat red things will come out that usually are kind of Texas shaped (basically a square shape with one corner having for lack of better words a tail. maybe same shape as a lot of nematodes.
Another really interesting thing that I would like to see if anyone else is the same is if you have a black light and look at the areas on your body most affected (mine is my shins and my scalp and my nose) the black light will make the areas glow a yellowish green color, also your eyes, especially the pupils will glow the same yellowish/green color.
my friends with morgellons both had the greenish/yellow in their eyes and skin also. Friends without any problems their skin and eyes do not do this. In medical testing they use something called a woods lamp (black light) to check for fungal infections, depending on the colot affected areas glow tells them what kind of fungus it is. Going by these color standards it seems to be the same color ringworm fungus glows, only their is no circles or raised lookin thing like ringworm does. I think that its a strain of ringworm fungus and seeings how fungus compromises our immune systems, we then become vulnerable to other types of parasites such as dust mites,scabies,lice… whatever. I know I sound crazy and I’m OK with that, it took a long time to convince my family i wasn’t regarding this and finally i found a DR that actually examined me and didn’t just prescribe me a poisnous lice med. he saw the fibers i was talking about and believes its fungal related ie fusarium/candida.
Its basically impossible to get a DR to listen to you and actually do an examination of skin, they immediately seem to go to the delusional parasitosis diagnosis and dismiss you after that. Im sure alot of you have noticed this trend with Docs also? Whatever you all do to treat this remember dont harm yourself with chemicals/toxins trying to get rid of this. I know its maddening and you feel willing to try anything, but maybe it will help for a day or two, but really all you are doing is weakening your immune system more and giving the “bugs” a pass to infest you more.
I know what you all are going through, I really do. There was a time the itching and stings were so bad and so relentless I was suicidal and was going to kill myself.
But i didnt, I started a routine of being ocd with cleaning my environment and bagging everything cloth i could and steaming everything and its gotten a lot better. I still have it, but symptoms only maybe 2 days a month now, unless of course i get into something dusty and then almost instantly i start to itch and it takes 2-3 days to get it to go away.
Last thing in this ridiculously long post. Has anyone noticed any odd behaviors with their pets related to this? My aunt one day pointed out to me that every time I come over to her house one of her dogs starts pawing her eyes like something is bothering her. Once she pointed that out to me i took notice and sure as heck, every time I go over thee immediately the dog starts rubbing her eyes, I then noticed one of my dogs does the same thing. not all dogs i come across do this, so I’m thinking the ones that do are also infected and when i come around them our “guests” switch hosts or something… Oh Btw, not long after noticing this my dog got sick and diagnosed with diabetes. Had him on insulin but he dies a month later, whats freaky is my aunts dog also has just been diagnosed with diabetes.. coincidence? God I hope so!
Good luck to you all.
I have suffered with same problem as everyone, I had bagged all my clothes in plastic bags, put all my nick nacks under extreme hot water & soaked them, vaccumed, shampood carpets and hired 3 exterminaters that didn’t help at all. I kept seeing this yellow grundge on my floors and kitchen cabinets that are white and so are my kitchen floors. After 8 months of cleaning I began to lift up all my carpets and spray this foam sealant called Dap purchased at Home Depot or Lowes, went all around flooring, baseboards, anywhere I could caulk including all the gaps around any windows, then started cleaning, it got alot better but wasn’t enough. I then caulked all my kitchen cabinets and sprayed bleach in everyone, finally the gaps were all closed and it was then the yellowish was starting to disappear. I still couldn’t get those yellowish stains out of my kitchen linoleum, and still seeing black spots on floors. I also was still seeing white things on clothing.. I bought a shark steam cleaner for kitchen floor and started using all around house and finally after 8 months seen an improvement in house.. wasn’t getting bites or feeling them in my head or anything.. Could finally walk around house with ease. After that worked I bought a wagner steam cleaner from wal mart for 95.00 and began steaming everywhere, garage, bathrooms, and slowly but surely the biting has decreased by over 80 % .. thank God.
I swear in steaming it is the one thing that helped my home, it is still not 100 % but I don’t feel those things crawling all over me, in my head and on my skin. I used sprays, vinegar, bleach, etc.. but I think the key is to close off all possible entries to home by cauling aND THE DAP IS LIKE 3.99 AND DOES ALOT OF SQUARW FOOTAGE, . My home is 3200. sq. ft, I used over 6 cans, and was worth every penny evenused it utside and caulded all around siding, underneath. I was seeing a great difference in my laundry room where I felt them the most,, try it a 100.00 investment is better than all those chemicals in the air,And I was allergic to all the spraying inhouse, kept going to dermatoligist. to get eurax creme and prednisone, using off everyday.. I no longer use that and steam cleaned car and garage and what a difference it has made, all chemical free..Nancy
IMPORTANT! Please read this before you use DE (Diatomaceous Earth)…If you have ANY breathing disorder, please be VERY careful. I have COPD, and my daughter has asthma…we can not use this product inside our home, or any closed in place where it’s dust might get kicked up.
This is from Wikipedia, and it explains it better than I can…
The absorbent qualities of diatomite can result in a significant drying of the hands if handled without gloves. The flux-calcined form contains a highly crystalline form of silica, resulting in sharp edges. The sharpness of this version of the material makes it dangerous to breathe and a dust mask is recommended when working with it.
The type of hazard posed by inhalation depends on the form of the silica. Crystalline silica poses a serious inhalation hazard because it can cause silicosis. Amorphous silica can cause dusty lungs, but does not carry the same degree of risk as crystalline silica. Natural or dried diatomite generally contains very low percentages of crystalline silica. Diatomite produced for pool filters is treated with high heat (calcining) and a fluxing agent (soda ash), causing the formerly amorphous silicon dioxide to assume its crystalline form.
The crystalline silica content of the dust’s particulate is regulated in the United States by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and there are guidelines for the maximum amounts allowable in the product and in the air near the breathing zone of workers.
Just don’t want anyone to get hurt…
Hi. I have been suffering with this itching for the last few months. It is especially bad at night. I have just recently left my apartment complex where i believe i received them. I threw out 80% of my belonging including clothes…Now, ..I haven’t seen anyone post anything of this nature yet but – I have also seen many many many threads in my clothing come out. I believe whatever I have is also infesting my clothing and pulling threads out. Before I left my old apartment I put a fresh clean pair of pants in the area that I knew was infested and left it there for 3 days. I came back and it was destroyed. Threads were coming out everywhere, when I reached in the pocket I almost threw up. TONS of threads had been eaten and pulled out. Just disgusting… Now I am living somewhere else and I itch constantly ..especially at night. I believe my clothes are still being ruined from the entity that is on me…..I am not crazy…just suffering right now…If anyone know about this or has any feedback , let me know..thanks!
Wow, I thought I was crazy until finding this site. I thought i was the only person in the world getting bit and feeling like I had some kind of bug crawling on me. I looked and looked for the bug but could not find it. Everyone that i cam in contact with thought i was either crazy or had scabies or didn’t want to be bothered by my “imaginary bug problem”.
I have two residences, both in Florida, and only one was infested. Now I fear the other home is being infested. I am doing everything I can to stop the infestation.
Just like most of the other folks in this column, I feel microscoptic bugs (cant see them), crawling on me, and occasionally biting me. I never see them, and most of the time never see any bites. They seem to be worse late in the day, and night. HERE IS THE WEIRD PART THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN MOST OF THE OTHER FOLKS IN THIS ARTICLE—–> Although I do feel them in bed, and in the house, THEY are worst OUTSIDE!!! I cant wear shorts or go outside without being FULLY clothed.
I just don’t know what to do. I am not rich, matter of a fact I am one of the LOWEST paid fire fighters in the state of Florida (my neighbor delivers pizza and makes close to 100 dollars more a week than me) . Therefore, I cant afford pest control services, expensive and gimmicky insect killers, and most of all losing sleep and missing work because of these DANG bugs!!! IF ANYONE HAS A REMEDY THAT WILL WORK FOR SURE LET ME KNOW. I have considered (but not yet tried) everything from bleaching the entire house inside and out, Burning my entire yard like a mini control burn, Closing the house and turning the heat as high as it will go for a day or vice versa- getting it as cold as possible for a day or so… Again if you have a suggestion please let me know.
Good Luck to all of you with the same problem. I wonder if there is a similarity between all of us that could be found and used to make a remedy or preventive measure????
Don’t forget spiders — I’ve been bitten by fleas, mosquitoes, and flies (horse-, deer-) on occasion but the bites I get the most often indoors are from bed bugs (bites are usually in threes, and in a row) and wolf spiders (whenever I touch dusty textiles or upholstery — I get contact dermatitis from the dust mite feces, but actual bites from the spiders that also flourish in a dusty environment).
Bed bugs are visible to the human eye, about the size and shape of an apple seed. When you squish them (or their poop), it’s mostly your blood coming out. Wolf spiders are tiny, but visible to the human eye. They do not spin webs, they just jump about. They mostly infest my shoes so I no longer let my shoes get dusty and I keep all footwear off the floor. Keeping all bedding from touching the floor helps as well, and so does putting cedar balls/blocks/shavings in the pockets and plastic covers on top of all clothes I don’t wear often. Diatomaceous earth works, but isn’t cheap in the long run (and won’t kill bed bug eggs). I bought a second-hand steamer at the Salvation Army, which has made it possible for me to kill bed bug egg cheaply, the eggs look like rice grains. Professional fogging, etc. will kill the adult bed bugs, but the eggs survive all chemical warfare and hatch 12 days after a spraying, so two spraying have to be done within 2 weeks to kill entire populations. The eggs are only killed by heat — hot air or hot water. Now that I have a steamer, I don’t have to use chemicals to clean my home, just electricity and water. It’s safer for my cats, too, who used to look at the occasional bed bug with curiosity a bug that didn’t bite cats, but loved humans. My cats don’t like eucalyptus, so I stopped using it.
Bed bugs love paper clutter, so I’ve gotten rid of a lot of cardboard boxes and paper (I got a fabulous scanner from the same Salvation Army store so I’m digitizing whatever paper I can). As for my being a source of yummy dead skin cells for the dust mites (and bed bugs), in addition to physical exfoliation (loofah time) I use a chemical exfoliant (a fruit acid called betahydroxy acid, or salicylic acid — available without a prescription online from Paula’s Choice and not the least harmful to anything or anyone) to dissolve the dead skin cells inside my pores — and FINALLY the bugs don’t touch me any more (and my acne is a lot better). Thanks for the tip re hyperthyroidism and itchiness — I have so many skin problems perhaps hormones are a factor as well — I’ll call an endocrinologist to get checked. Thanks for reading and good luck with the bug battles, folks!
My problem started with our dog first every time I touch him I felt things crawling on me not my husband or kids. Then I had my bath rooms remodeled and the works pack them in I didn’t know they would come in my house on any thing. I have been fighting these thing for 6 years the took over my house in 05 and we shampoo washed walls and would close a room off the next day they would be back So I went to to skin doctor he said I was crazy the next one said I was alert to dust mites he want to put me on pretazone I said no cause of the side effects then I went my m.d. doctor she sent me to a psychiatrist and he want to put me on a mine alert drug the side effect scared me.
So I decided to just keep clean and be careful where I go no animals are around and we live on a ranch so that pretty hard to do. We had a beef butcher on processed and my husband brought it home I put in the freezer and I loaded the freeze with something that bits me. We taped the room off cleaned the freezer with the hottest water we had and washed it real good and locked for a week with on little clean box in it and I took the box out and that attacked me. So I know they can not be frozen to kill them. We gave the freeze to my son they don’t have a problem nothing bothers them or my husband. We had a pellet stove and every time my husband brought pellets in I got bit . We gave the pellet stove away put gas stove thing was the greatest but it was better then in July this year a bear came in and torn the door off the saddle shed and spilled grain all over my husband repaired the door and the next night he come back torn the door off and my husband said to hell with it put the cans for grain in the hey loaf and just left the door open . So he took my garden hose and wash the saddle down and brought the hose back to the yard and I went to water my flowers and the hose was loaded with these thing that bit me not him me . My porch and patio and the side of the house is loaded and I open my kitchen and they come in the screen and loaded the inside I can”t open the windows I have to run out the door and close it real fast and still get him on me.
Now I vacuum ever day some times three times a day I mop every they wash clothes at least three to four times a day . I use borox and bleach my hot water tank is as high as it can go. Now I notice that my clothes still have them in them my panties and my bras I have to power them with baby power so I can wear them. I been fighting these things for over 6 years and I am losing the battle. I am 66 and I tired some times I take three showers a day and I scared to move for fear I will stir a mess them up. I bought some mite spray and almost killed me not warnings all natural it said and I spent 114.oo dollars on it and I had to take antibic for two weeks and I am still coughing in the morning and night my putt ten gallons of windex in three weeks and all that does is chase them another place. To be every truthful I think we stuck with these things for the rest of our lives. I even went so far as to boil my panties on the stove for a hour and there still in in the crouch of the panties . I got so sore in my couch I had to go to a female doctor and she took a swob and we to the miropsope and she said not bacteria so she told me to use a &d ointment and that did not help so I bought wraps you on babies and it took a week and a half to get all right now i use panty liners to stay away from the crouch touching me I can not get my mail cause my mail is loaded with them the mail man has a dog and he bring them to the boxs.
People thing your crazy when you tell they do not believe you I lost friends over this they say its sll in my head. this is going to help any one but it does help to know I am not alone having the problems. IF ANY KNOW A CURE PLEASE EMAIL ME AT tokar1963 [at] hotmail.com
My problem started with my dog. Every time I got close to him things started crawling on me. Well got rid of the dog but my problem is still here my house and yard is loaded with these things. Th e bigger the animal the worse it is this is every animal dogs birds cows I have to stay in my house and vacuum every day and mop to stay ahead of them I wash clothes at least 3 or 4 times a day. First they just crawled on me for six years. Now a bear come to the barn and my husband use my garden hose to wash the barn down and clean up where the bear was and when he brought my hose back things that came with it they bit and bit bad I open my kitchen and they come thought the screen and my house be came a war zone . I shower some times 3 or more time a day.
I bought 10 gallons of Windex and my husband spray the porch and patio but we still have them it help ed but it no cure all it does is make them move or mad . I cried, pray thought of killing my self . And I truly believe that’s the only way they will ever leave a lone. They don’t bother my husband or my daughter in law or my boys they think its all in my head. I don’t have any marks yet . I put some meat we had butcher and I had to buy a new freezer because the paper the meat is wrapped in is loaded with my son and daughter in-law has the freezer. They are find.with it. I order a mite spray out of a homes trenda catalog and spray it and I almost killed my self I was on a antibiotic for 2 week and I am still coughing in the morning and at night when I first go to bed.
So be careful what you spray or use . This said on the bottle all natural and when the nurse called the company to see what was in it she said she could not give that information out on the phone I am in Colorado am I suppose to fly to where it was made to find out whats in it ? And the worse part ITS DID NOT WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don’t there is a cure I been to Doctors skin and M.D. and the M.D. sent me to see a psychiatrist he give me a drug to alert my brain didn’t take it cause of the side effects. Don’t know where to turn. Its been going on seven years and I am 66 so I will die with a vacuum in my hand or a mop or washing clothes. I know life is pretty hard right now. I would not wish this on my worse enemy. Hope and pray some ones reads this that can help me.
I noticed a lot of comments on bug bites, bumps, rashes and other situations folks were dealing with.I’ve done research on my own and have found out that all these problems the readers are dealing with could and most likely are from either two sources. First the terrible “bed bug”. These tiny creatures don’t come out till it’s dark and have a way of finding their source of food, blood, that’s right! they love blood. They wait till their victim is sleeping and they crawl up and locate a place to inject their numbing solution and draw the blood from their victim till they are satisfied and repeat it all over again the next night. They will leave a reddish spot on the skin or may leave a rash or bump. The next little varmin is the “dust mite”.
This little creature is so small that 500 of them can fit on the end of a pen. It has been documented that there can be as many as 5 million or more at any given time deeply impeded in your mattress. The female can lay up to 300 eggs in her lifetime. The problem really isn’t the mite itself but what they leave behind. It’s the dead mites themselves and their fecal matter that causes the problem. Anyone with sinus problems, allergies to mold spores, dust and any of the various types of viruses can be affected by these little creatures.
I have located a company that can come in and clean and sanitize not only furniture but the main area where we spend one-third of our life in, the bed. The company is Hygienitec. They do a great job in cleaning and getting rid of the mites. They do a 10 to 15 minute allergen test free of charge to reveal the level of infestation in the mattress and what it reveals is shocking! Check them out. I think you’ll be happy to use them. Good luck and wish you all good health.
SKIN TURNS WHITE WHERE I EXPERIENCE THE ‘BITE’, when I apply peroxide.
It’s an interesting answer to the problem. But it has raised some interesting questions.
First, as to the answer: I hear that dust mites don’t bite, and I know my problem is neither scabies nor delusional parasitosis, but … lately, whenever I feel that particular sharp ‘bite’ I’ve learned to associate with ‘the bug’ (whatever it may be), I immediately splash peroxide on the area and scratch.
Whether or not I break the skin is immaterial; the area where the bite had been felt–and ONLY that exact location–turns an almost-pure white! Other areas of the skin (again, whether or not the skin is broken) do NOT turn white. The white spot is just under the skin, and sometimes makes a little bit of a bump (depending on how big it is–spots vary from 1mm to say 3mm in diameter, depending on long it is before I ‘recognize’ the symptom as ‘the bug’.) The white spot gradually goes away, and by the next day, there is something like a scab EVEN IF the skin had NOT been broken!
So, the answer is: peroxide. The question, naturally enough, is: What exactly is ‘the bug’? And: Why does its ‘bite’ sting so sharply [I have even observed my skin at the exact time I was experiencing the ‘biting’ with a strong magnifying glass, and seen nothing doing the biting, which made me wonder if I am sane!] But then, applying the peroxide confirms the experience. Incidentally, peroxide applied elsewhere or even on an area prone to these ‘bites’ (shoulder, upper arm) at times when I haven’t felt the ‘bite’ produces no effect whatsoever. Only where and when I experience the ‘bite’ does the skin turn white.
Nothing new here…
I’ve been waking up the last couple of weeks with swollen (mosquito-like) bumps that itch like crazy throughout the day. They appear on both arms around the biceps, a couple on the legs, and I got one on my foot and one on my face today as well as my lower back. There’s no chance it’s mosquitoes, I wash all bedding regularly, vacuum regularly, and so on. Looking to get a new bed soon (along with all new bedding) and planning on cleaning the carpet when making the transition to see if that helps keep the new bed fresh.
This is a recent development and nothing has really changed in my living situation, so I’m not sure what brought it on.
I think these comments answers everything except if anyone has had their 1 1/2 year old babies wake up w/swollen areas on their head, like bumps, as if he hit his head but never did. It is so weird. My son has been waking up every other day or so with lumps or small swollen spots and then as the day comes up they go down and away….This is freaking me out. I am going to try everything mentioned here and see if we cant get a grip on this. Thanks to all comments.
I was once informed by reading an article on-line that before you have a bath or shower that you should take a dry long handled bristle bath brush and brush your entire body to get rid of most of your dead skin cells before you take a bath or shower. I do this and right away after brushing your skin you experience a sense of your skin tingling and the skin turns just a very pale pink. This would signify that you have removed a great many of your dead skin cells.
This could also be done even if you don’t have a bath or shower, but just anytime that you feel that you would like to have a healthy glow of skin and a feeling of skin tingling that indicates a healthy skin feeling!
I can see, but something is biting me. I think it is dust mites. I have purchased dust mite spray, purchased a new mattress put a cover on it, through out the cushions in my soda, and I am still feel like something is crawling on me and biting me. Please help. This is driving me crazy. I will try some of what I have read.
Do not use “no pest strips” these contain a cancer causing agent! Go to your health food store and
get “THIEVES OIL” It was used to kill “PLAGUE” so it should work. Vacuum your mattress once a week and spray with the oil . Works for me!!!!
I had always been bitten by dust mites since I was a child. Now it is worse. I am living in Florida ad I can’t seat near the windows or the sliding glass doors because I get bitten all over my body.
I wash my bed linens every week, in hot water and use clorox. I have tile floors, vacuum the floors almost every day. I can’t use perfumes or wash my body with perfumed soaps, my hair spray doesn’t have any fragrance and I still get bitten by the Dust mites. I was taking care of my nephews in their home and they do not vacuum that often and had lots of drapes and dust in the house. I was suffering for the entire week and could not get near the windows or doors. This is being happening more in the summer time and when I moved to Florida.
I am desperate, I can’t enjoy the outdoors either. I only wear light color clothing, since dark color attracts mosquitoes, etc.
My problem is not only in the bed, it is all over the house. I get bites all the time, anywhere I am in the house and worse near the doors and windows. I am going to try all the remedies listed in this forum and see if I can survive without moving from Florida.
I have suffered for 5 + years with mites in my bed! I’m not sure if it’s dust mites or book lice/book mites but they DO bite! It is not bed bugs. My mites are only active from May- Oct when the humidity in the house gets above 50%. ( we do not have central air conditioning)
My new method is working and it isn’t toxic! I had previously bombed the house with professional insecticides. I had used pyrethium based sprays for army clothing on my bed. I had tried using Cedar Oil + water sprays and Peppermint Oil + Water sprays also. I had sprayed my bed with Avon’s Skin So Soft and that didn’t do a thing either:) I spritzed my bed with lemon juice sprays and that didn’t slow them down.
Nothing worked till I read about using vodka to kill mites. You fill a spray bottle up with vodka and put in a few drops of eucalyptus oil and spray away! You can use it every day and it can’t hurt you:) I’ve used it without the eucalyptus oil and that works just as well.
I’ve read you can use rubbing alcohol 50% in a spray bottle with water too but I haven’t tested it to see if it works as well as the vodka does.
I hope this helps you! It’s terrible to lie in your bed and get that creepy-crawly feeling every night. It makes going to sleep a nightmare:(
We recommend using DE (Diatomaceous Earth). This is NOT a chemical. You can google it if you like and read. You can purchase on line or at a lawn garden/hardware store.
This natural white fine powder (it is fossil soil) you just sprinkle anywhere. On the floor, furniture, bedding, etc…
We purchase DE and as a proactive measure use a spreader and dust our yard (for grubs, feas, ants, mites, and other pests), sidewalk (to kill ants in cracks), and dust shubs (for insects like mites and bag worms) using either my hands or an old sifter, and sprinkle just outside all our doors. We do this when the weather indicates that there will be 2-3 days of not rain to give the powder additional time for the bugs to touch it.
To a bug DE is like touching glass. It cuts them and they loose all their fluids and die within 24 hours.
I’d recommend using DE in combination with some of the other methods suggested. Like vac everything you can, run anything you can through the washer and dryer, add vinyl zipper covers to mattresses/pillows, if febreez works use it, shower each night, and dust furniture, bedding, carpet with DE and leave the DE.
DE is a white powder so you will see it. Either work it in so it is not visible or just live with it as it works in. Be sure to get under the furniture cushions, mattress, and on carpet where it can set forever. Any bug that touches it will die, no matter how big or small. So if you kill whatever is attacking you and little ones hatch the babies will touch the powder, die and not lay more eggs. DE will just set waiting for whatever comes next into your home.
If you see any insect pest coming into your home (ants, roaches, etc…) dust DE along the trail, or entry point. Check later and doubt you see them there anymore. But check around to see if they have simply found another path. This is why as a proactive methods we sprinkle DE along the baseboards, windows and window sills, and entry ways into our home.
We do our yard in mid May, June, July and August. Using a spreader it just takes minutes and DE is not expensive. Best it is not a chemical but natural.
We have use it directly on our pets. We have dusted our home (baseboards, cloth furniture, around windows, or anywhere in the home. Have placed it directly on our dog. This does NOT cut humans, animals, etc… and as long as you get pure DE we’ve been told is consumed by you, kids, or pets it is not harmful as it is not a chemical or poison.
We live in the Midwest and many farmers use DE directly in feed as a way to worm livestock. Some vets will have you add DE to dog or cat food as a natural wormier or to get rid of other internal pests. Sometimes we have had to ask or suggest it to our vet. It is as if they are so programed to recommend chemicals and meds. Usually once we bring it up the vet will agree that it will work or will state he will call K-State Vet school and get back with us. We have friends that use it in and outside their daycare to get rid of bugs because it works and is safe around children.
Many humans consume DE if they suspect worms or other internal parasites. You are on your own to research that aspect.
We’d just recommend you add this to your tool chest and see if it doesn’t make a significant improvement or rid you of whatever is “bugging” you. Give it 3-10 days. It should kill whatever is getting you so you can stop worrying about what it is and just treat it and move on.
Hope this helps.
Almost two years ago I went through insane itching, weird bug like bumps, washing everything, throwing stuff out, bug bombing, constant visit to dermatologists. It was driving me insane and I was obsessed with the fact that there were bugs invading my skin and house. I even wrote the CDC. I lived like this for almost a year. I was also going through hyperthyroidism. Hormones can make you itchy and mental. I promise you all there is nothing there and all the scratching, creams, and cures are making it worse. I know you won’t believe me because it’s really hard to stop obsessing but really, truly there’s nothing there.
I read about rat mites somewhere. They for some reason will usually attack the adult female of the house. If the rats are eliminated, they lose their food source and go for the adult female. Said it would last a couple of months or so. Might be a good reason why only one person is being bitten.
I’ve suffered with dust mite for years, Thinking it was lice, scabies the hold nine yards. What I have been doing is I use to use a spray that they no longer make, so there is no point to mentioning the name. Now what I do for my bed is spray it every day after I get out of it with febreze allergen reducer. I give it a light mist. Some times I make it right up some times I leave the covers pulled back so it can air out, and if you have any mites on your skin some sleeping on the sprayed sheets it helps. I also put what ever I’m going to wear in the dryer for 10 to 15 mins before I put it on,that helps a lot also. Fluticasone proportionate nasal spray helps too with all the other things I do. Now I’m having a problem with fleas biting my body garlic pills here I come. I hope everyone who reads the message tries this. Believe me this works.
Hope this helps some of you…
I too have been plagued with these invisible bugs. Did all the bed bug tests, definitely not bed bugs.
They are surely mites of some sort. I don’t know if is a particular strain of some sort, coincidentally began almost a month after a trip to Key West, Fl. Would hope an entomologist reads this and is studying this strange phenomenon.
When I laid down, I could feel them march like an army up over my forehead and began the attack.
The absolute horror. They bite hard for being bugs you can’t even see for how small they are! They love my thighs at work, guess cause they are still while under my desk. After a lot of reading sites like this one, I have tried everything, even poisonous pesticides and boric acid all on my skin, head to toe…so dangerous! Now I have discovered a way to keep mine at bay. First if they get out of hand, I have to bomb the bedroom 3 times then I am dealing with a smaller army. I cleaned up all the junk in my room, no nic nacks, unnecessary furniture and the bed pieces I had under my bed, cleaned and dusted everything, and I run the vacuum every other day….and put on a safe protective barrier on myself, Gold Bond Lotion with Aloe…OMG, it worked! Sometimes I will feel them try to bite but they just can’t. When it gets humid, they are harder to deal with because I guess I can sweat off the lotion but I just get up, re-lotion up (hear to toe to pubic areas) and go back to sleep.
I also have spent a lot of money trying to get rid of the critters, and I don’t have any more money right now but on my list of items to add to my fight are a bedbug/dust mite mattress case, a steamer because I do have carpeting and want it, a negative ions ionic air cleaner, and a dehumidifier for the summer….I think these will keep my nights restful and able to deal with what seems to be an issue that will not go away. I am at almost a year with them now.
Hey I’ve read all the stories n I have a similar one.., on Friday at4am I felt like there was stuff crawling all over my body n in n out of my ears.. Turns out I had a bug in each ear.. Got rid of those n nothing changed.. I realized I was having an allergic reaction to some thing but I had no clue what it was.. My face had red bumps n was swollen.. I went to the emergency room n the doc didn’t see anything and she asked if I was using drugs…
My mom didn’t know what was wrong with me so she threaten to put me in a mental hospital… Tuesday I felt the same so I went back to the hospital.. The doc said I had eggs in my hair n most likely it was lice or scabies so she treated me for both.. But I feel no difference… And today I feel like there are webbing on my body and I can see little white specks… Scared and clueless of what it is… My room is in the basement.. I threw out my original bed.. We washed everything in extra hot water n dried them in the hottest my dryer could go n still I feel no difference.. I don’t only feel this at night I feel it all day…6 people in my house n I’m the only one that feels this… Can someone please help me n tell me what this is or what they think it is n how I can solve my problem…please n thank u