A Case Study: My Battle Against Bedroom Dust Mites

Environmental allergies have been part of my life since I was a kid: food allergies, environmental allergies, animal allergies.

If you suffer from them, you know the deal. The list can feel endless.

The only real way I've managed to keep things under control is by reducing triggers and exposures. Moving out of London to the Oxfordshire countryside made a huge difference. Fresh air, fewer pollutants—life was good.

Until recently.

Out of nowhere, I’ve been hit by a new wave of allergies. The kind that wakes you up at 3:30 am (the witching hour, of course) for a midnight sneezing session. Come morning, I’m left wondering: What was all that about?

I’ve compared everything: diet, health strap metrics, pollen counts, and even meteorological data. You name it, I've tracked it. But one thing I couldn't confirm? Dust mites.

The Experiment Begins

My wife and I decided to test the dust mite theory. Unfortunately, you can't completely eradicate dust mites. Ot's more about managing exposure. So, we started with the basics:

• Washing bedding and curtains on high heat

• Vacuuming every corner of the bedroom. Over, under, and around all the furniture

• Wiping down every surface

• Leaving bedding outside in direct sunlight

• Not making the bed (letting the duvet breathe and soak up sunlight)

• Vaseline around the nostrils

The result? Two nights of relief. Then… back to square one.

Enter the Steam Cleaner

Next, we borrowed a Murphy Richards 70455 Compact Steam Cleaner from a local community “Library of Things.” Naturally, we chose the hottest day of the year to steam every upholstered surface in the house. It was a full-on sauna session. When we returned the cleaner (a few kg lighter), the staff member laughed and said, "I was thinking of you two!"

Did it work? Sort of. The nightly onset of disruptions were delayed but not gone. Steam cleaning isn't a sustainable solution unless you enjoy sweating buckets every week.

The Hoover Upgrade

We started questioning our Dyson Hoover. It’s sleek and portable, but honestly? It feels like Dyson focuses more on design than deep cleaning. The suction fades fast, the battery dies quickly, and the exhaust blows dust back into the room. Not ideal.

So, we upgraded to a SEBO vacuum—a German-engineered beast. This thing is the opposite of Dyson: powerful suction, internal HEPA filter, and even an exhaust filter, so nothing nasty escapes into the air.

After another deep clean with the SEBO, we noticed a real difference. Instead of one or two nights of relief, we got two to four days. Progress! Still, dust mites can't be eliminated, they just become less of a problem.

The Dusty Road of Progress

And that’s where we are for now. Believe it or not, the vacuum has become something we actually look forward to using. Have you ever heard a husband and wife argue over who gets to vacuum? “I want to do it!” “No, I want to do it!” Bizarre, but true.

We’re genuinely happy with the SEBO so far. Yes, it’s a hefty investment and, honestly, a bit of a beast to manoeuvre—cables everywhere, heavy in all the wrong places. But when you’re chasing better air quality and a good night’s sleep, how much is that worth? Honestly, it feels priceless.

Managing dust mites is a marathon, not a sprint. Steam cleaning helps, but it’s not a long-term solution. A high-quality vacuum with HEPA filtration? That’s a game changer. It won’t wipe out dust mites completely, but it buys you more good nights than any quick fix. And for now, that’s a win in our book.

About the writer

Alfie, our Head of Customer Relations at Emerald Grey, joined the company with a personal mission: to improve his health and create a healthier environment. Passionate about well-being, he focuses on optimising sleep quality, respiratory health, and skincare.