Are you experiencing severely itchy skin for no obvious reason, or perhaps bug bites you can’t seem to identify?
You could have mites.
But what are mites? How do you know if you have them? And more importantly, how do you get rid of them if you do? We’re here to help answer all your questions.
If you think you might have mites, you need to act fast. Because they breed so quickly, failing to act immediately can cause years of excruciating physical and emotional pain. Not to mention a heavy financial cost.
WHAT ARE MITES?
Nearly microscopic in size, mites are tiny arachnids that usually can’t be seen with the naked eye. Thankfully, almost all mites are harmless and go unnoticed. Like the scavenger dust mite, for example, which can be found in every home, including yours, often numbering in the hundreds of thousands. However, parasitic mites—like bird, rodent, and itch mites—are a different story entirely.
The painful skin condition scabies, for instance, is caused by a burrowing mite called the itch mite, which tends to cause severe allergic reactions. Perhaps more common, rodent and bird mites are parasitic mites that feed on the blood of their hosts much like ticks. While that usually means small animals like mice and birds, if they happen to find their way into your home, you could find yourself a victim of these extremely irritating and painful pests.
DO I HAVE MITES?
Figuring out whether you have them or not is one of the most difficult aspects of parasitic mites. Not only are they essentially invisible, but they leave behind little to no evidence of their existence.
In other words, unless you’re able to capture a sample and have it tested, painful skin irritation and mysterious bites are usually the only sign that you have bird or rat mites.
WHERE DO MITES COME FROM?
When their chosen hosts of rodents or birds have left, parasitic mites begin searching for a new source of food—and unfortunately that sometimes means you. This tends to happen after a birds’ nest has been moved or destroyed, or perhaps when a rodent problem has been eliminated. While mites typically much prefer these hosts to humans, if your home has rats or mice or you have birds in your attic, you might also experience parasitic mite bites.
From there, mites can live in your home indefinitely. The experience varies greatly from person to person. For some, the issue clears up quickly with treatment. And for others who delay, the problem often persists for years, sometimes decades.
But one thing is certain: the longer you wait to address the problem, the more painful, expensive, and long-lasting your mite issue will become.
HOW DO I GET RID OF MITES SAFELY?
The approach for getting rid of mites is simple. All you need to do is thoroughly treat the sources of your mite problem and then repeat treatment as often as needed. This might mean just treating your home, furniture, flooring and yourself, or it could involve treating your lawn, pets, and trickier spaces like basements, attics, or crawl spaces, too. Each mite problem is unique and requires a slightly different approach.
While the severity of mite problems differs from person to person, fogging your home with a family-safe solution is almost always the most effective, safe, and cost-effective option. While simply spraying select locations can help significantly, doing so almost always leaves behind a few mites or eggs which ultimately enables the infestation to start all over again once treatments are stopped.
While the approach is simple, the reality is that getting rid of mites can take some time and patience. How quick and painless the process is depends on learning the exact steps required to successfully solve a mite problem. And we’re here to help you every step of the way. Below you’ll find a quick outline for how to get rid of your mites and how to prevent them from returning.
How to Prevent Mites
- Organization and cleanliness are the most important elements of pest prevention, including mites. Vacuuming your home and washing dirty bedding, clothing, and other fabrics at least weekly is especially crucial for mite control.
- Maintain a well-kept lawn free of unnecessary clutter and debris. Both of these attract nesting wildlife like birds and rodents which can introduce mites into your yard and home.
- Also avoid or remove bird and rodent attractants from your lawn, such as bird feeders, baths, birdhouses, and items that collect or leak moisture, such as planters, tree stumps, or unused equipment.
- Treat your entire yard monthly with family and pet-safe Natures Defender to both kill and repel mites and other harmful pests.
- Avoid bringing home second-hand items like used clothing or furniture without thoroughly washing and treating them for bugs with Ben's Evictor first. These items commonly harbor hidden pests like mites and bed bugs.
- To help prevent bugs from moving indoors, including mites, spray potential points of entry and known trouble areas like doorways, windows, fabrics, and furniture weekly with Ben’s Evictor.
- Because mites prefer warm, humid environments, use air conditioners and dehumidifiers throughout your home when needed.
- If you suspect your dog or cat has mites, including those that cause mange, we strongly suggest visiting a veterinarian asap.
- Before lawn work or outdoor excursions that might expose you to mites or biting bugs, apply Ben’s Evictor to yourself and clothing, and pets to prevent bites and avoid bringing bugs into your home.
How to Prevent Mite Bites
Preventing painful mite bites and the extreme irritation that follows is as easy as applying non-toxic bug spray Ben's Evictor to yourself and your clothing each day as part of your morning routine. Reapply as often as needed.
How to Fog Your Home For Mites
As mentioned above, mite problems almost always require fogging, which might sound intimidating at first, but it’s actually a much quicker, safer, and cheaper option than calling an exterminator.
First, you need to prepare for fogging. The more organized and less cluttered your home, the better. You’ll want to open or stair-step drawers and cabinets, switch off your AC, fans, pilot lights, gas-powered appliances and electronics, and cover TVs, paintings, and collectibles. Finally, you’ll want to remove or cover houseplants, remove or seal fish tanks, and make sure all pets and people are out of your home before fogging.
After filling your Fogger with Ben’s Evictor, put on your mask, and it’s time to fog. So you can leave easily once you’re done, start with the rooms farthest from your exit. Fog each room, including closets and cabinets, until they're completely full of fog, then simply close it up and move on to the next room. Make sure to fog furniture, carpeting, rugs, and other fabrics directly, as they’re all common hiding spots for mites.
Once you’re done fogging your entire home, leave the fog to do its work and return in no less than 3 hours. For the next few hours, exercise caution on hard floors, these areas may still be slippery. Usually no clean up is necessary after fogging, but if you notice any remaining residue, a little soap and water will do the trick. To target any mites or eggs you might have missed, we always suggest fogging at least one more time, 6 days after your initial treatment. After your second fogging, monitor the situation again and re-fog if necessary in another 6 days. From there, simply re-fog as needed.
Need Help Solving Your Roach Problem?
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PHONE: 210-599-0449
EMAIL: Bobamarine@cedaroilindustries.com