Dust mites eat your dead skin, leave behind microscopic fecal pellets loaded with allergens, and those allergens have a half-life upward of ten years. They are in mattresses, curtains, and carpets. 84% of American homes have detectable levels.
The Dust Mite Guide lays out the biology and the fix: Dust mites can't drink water. Instead, they absorb moisture directly from the air, so higher humidity means more mites. One study found that keeping indoor humidity below 50% — using nothing more than a dehumidifier and normal cleaning — reduced mite allergens by 90% over 17 months.
The guide recommends aiming for 40% relative humidity and scattering a few cheap hygrometers around the house to monitor it.
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