Dust mite allergy treatment has two parts. Medicines from your GP or pharmacist calm the symptoms. Cutting how much mite allergen you lie in every night deals with the cause, and your bed is where most of that exposure happens. Most people get the best results by doing both, in the order below.
What bothers you most?
Tap your main symptom to see where to start.
Itchy skin or a rash
Skin is the most common symptom people tell us about: 64% in our quiz. Start with a daily emollient to calm the skin, then cut how much allergen you lie in at night, because the bed is where most exposure happens.
Skin adviceFix the bed firstSneezing, blocked nose or itchy eyes
Pharmacy antihistamines, a steroid nasal spray or allergy eye drops calm these quickly. They do not change the cause, so pair them with the home steps.
Nose and eye adviceThe home stepsWorse when I wake up, or bad nights
34% of people in our quiz say symptoms are worst on waking. That usually points to the bed, so start with step 1: encase the mattress on all six sides.
Start with the bedI've tried medicines and still suffer
Ask your GP about immunotherapy, and cut your exposure at the same time, because immunotherapy takes months to build.
ImmunotherapyThe home stepsNot sure? Call Richard on 0330 122 1646.
The 3 dust mite allergy treatments at a glance
Every dust allergy treatment works on one of three things: your symptoms, your immune system, or how much allergen you are exposed to. This table shows what each one does, how quickly, and where to get it.
| Treatment | What it works on | How fast | How long you need it | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicines | Symptoms: itch, sneezing, blocked nose, sore eyes | Antihistamines within hours; steroid nasal sprays over a few days | As long as you are exposed | Pharmacy or GP |
| Immunotherapy | How your immune system reacts to mite allergen | Builds over months | About 3 years | Allergy specialist, via GP referral |
| Cutting exposure at home | The cause: mite allergen in your bed and bedroom | Exposure drops from the first night your mattress is sealed | Ongoing, with a simple weekly routine | Your bedroom: protectors, washing, humidity |
1. Medicines to calm the symptoms
Dust allergy medicine is the quickest way to calm symptoms, and you can buy most of it from a pharmacy without a prescription. Which one helps depends on where your symptoms show up.
Nose and eyes
- Non-drowsy antihistamine tablets such as cetirizine, loratadine or fexofenadine ease sneezing, itching and a runny nose.
- Steroid nasal sprays such as beclometasone or fluticasone reduce swelling in a blocked nose. They work best when used every day.
- Allergy eye drops containing sodium cromoglicate soothe itchy, watery eyes.
Speak to your pharmacist or GP first, especially for children, in pregnancy or if you take other medicines. If pharmacy treatments are not helping, see your GP.
Skin: dust mite rash and eczema flares
Skin is the symptom people tell us about most. 64% of the 119 people who took our quiz named itchy skin or rashes, more than sneezing (54%). Dust mite rash treatment starts with looking after the skin barrier:
- Emollients every day, even when your skin looks clear. Apply them generously and often.
- Steroid cream only on pharmacist or GP advice. The strength and how long to use it are different for the face and for children.
- An antihistamine at night can help if the itch keeps you awake. Ask your pharmacist which type suits you.
- A cool bedroom and short nails cut down night-time scratching.
Emollients soak into bedding and nightwear and can make them catch fire more easily, so keep away from flames and wash your bedding often.
Why antihistamines can seem to stop working
Antihistamines calm the reaction, not the exposure. If you sleep on a mattress holding years of mite allergen, a fresh dose arrives every night, so the tablet has more to fight. We explain this in why allergy medication stops working.
Medicines give the fastest relief and are easy to get. They do not change the cause, so most people need them for as long as they are exposed.
2. Immunotherapy: the long-term route
Immunotherapy gives you small, regular doses of dust mite allergen so your immune system gradually reacts less. It comes as a tablet you dissolve under your tongue each day, or as injections at a clinic. It is prescribed by an allergy specialist and usually lasts about 3 years.
On the NHS in England, the tablet Acarizax is recommended for people aged 12 to 65 with moderate to severe dust mite allergic rhinitis that medicines have not controlled. In Scotland it is available to adults aged 18 to 65. Ask your GP whether a referral is right for you. Read more in the NHS dust mite allergy pill explained and what immunotherapy costs and whether it works.
To be honest about it: immunotherapy takes months to build, not everyone is eligible, and you are still lying in mite allergen every night while it works. That is why most people cut their exposure at the same time.
3. Cut your exposure at home, in this order
This is dust allergy treatment at home, done in the right order. It is the order our founder, Richard Williams, gives on every customer call. Start at step 1 and work up.
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Start hereEncase the mattress on all six sides.
This is the first step and it is not optional, because the mattress is where years of mite allergen build up. You do not need to wash the mattress first, just fit the protector and zip it shut.
Mattress protectorSeal the whole bed: Protector Set -
Under 50%Keep bedroom humidity under 50%.
Drier: mites dry out50%Damper: mites thriveDust mites take in water from the air. Below 50% humidity they struggle to survive, so a dehumidifier kills dust mites by drying them out.
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Every weekProtect the duvet and pillows, or wash bedding at 60°C every week.60°C wash, weeklyMost pillows are ruined by a 60°C wash and the filling clumps together. Our anti dust mite pillows are designed for it, with our own iDust knitting that stops the filling clumping.Can't take 60°C? Freeze itBag it and freeze it for 24 hours. Freezing kills dust mites but does not remove the allergen they leave behind, so put a pillowcase or protector on top afterwards and it stays very effective.
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Where you canChoose a hard bed frame and hard floors.
Divan baseHard bed frameFabric headboardHard headboardCarpetHard floorSwap divan bases, fabric headboards and carpet where you can. A metal bed frame gives dust far fewer places to collect.
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ExtrasExtras: HEPA vacuum, spray, air purifier.HEPA vacuumSprayAir purifier
They help, but only after steps 1 to 4. A purifier cleans the air, but it cannot reach the allergen inside your mattress.
No single dust mites treatment does it all. The steps work together, and step 1 does the most.
Protector or bedding? Our number one phone question
They do different jobs.
What people with dust mite allergy told us
119 people with dust mite allergy took our online quiz. Here is what they told us:
When we asked 50 of them about their main goal, 42% wanted to stop the itching, 20% wanted better sleep and 20% wanted to breathe easier. This is what people told us, not a promised result, but it is why this guide puts skin first.
"After a week I can say my skin has massively improved, really happy."
Adam Najduch, Trustpilot review"Immediate difference to my allergies, I'm sleeping much deeper and actually waking up feeling refreshed!"
Niamh Mannion, Trustpilot reviewDust mite allergy treatment FAQs
Can dust mite allergy go away?
It often lasts for years, because your immune system reacts every time it meets mite allergen. Immunotherapy can reduce that reaction over time, and lowering your exposure means fewer reactions. Read will dust mite allergy go away? and is there a permanent fix?
Do antihistamines stop working?
It can feel that way. Antihistamines calm the reaction but do nothing about the allergen in your bed, so if exposure stays high, symptoms can break through. If your medicine is not controlling your symptoms, speak to your pharmacist or GP about other options.
What should I buy first?
A mattress protector sealed on all six sides, then protect your pillows and duvet. See what to buy first after a dust mite allergy diagnosis.
Do I need to wash my mattress before fitting a protector?
No. Just put the protector on and zip it closed. It seals the mites and their allergen inside the mattress, away from you.
Does a dehumidifier kill dust mites?
Yes. Dust mites need moist air. Keep the bedroom below 50% humidity and they dry out.
Does freezing kill dust mites?
Yes, 24 hours in a freezer kills them. It does not remove the allergen they leave behind, so put a pillowcase or protector on top afterwards.
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