How to get rid of mites in baby toys (the safe way)?
You don’t see them, but believe me they are there!!! Wonder what I am talking about? MITES, yes mites… now that I am a mother of a 7 month old I’m way more alert about things that surround us. One of them is mites, iiihhhhuuuu ( I don’t think you want to see an image of them, they are disgusting).
So, just so you know here a little info about these yucky creatures:
Dust mites eat skin cells people shed, and rather than drinking water, they absorb water from humidity in the atmosphere. They thrive in temperatures around 70 F (21 C) and relative humidity around 70 percent.
House dust is easily trapped in the fibers of bed linens, furniture cushions, and carpeting. These materials also hold moisture well. Consequently, bedrooms are ideal habitats for dust mites.
Dust also contains the feces and decaying bodies of dust mites, and it’s the proteins present in this dust mite “debris” that’s the culprit in dust mite allergy.
What causes the allergic reaction
Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance such as pollen, pet dander or dust mites.
Your immune system produces proteins known as antibodies. Some of these antibodies protect you from unwanted invaders that could make you sick or cause an infection. When you have allergies, your immune system makes antibodies that identify your particular allergen as something harmful, even though it isn’t.
When you inhale the allergen or come into contact with it, your immune system responds and produces an inflammatory response in your nasal passages or lungs. Prolonged or regular exposure to the allergen can cause the ongoing (chronic) inflammation associated with asthma.
How to get rid of mites?
Ok, enough about it!!! Let’s do something about these mites. Want to know how you can kill them in 24h by doing nothing? YES? Ok, good… your little one will thank you later! lol
1. collect all her/his fluffy toys
2. put them in a zip-lock bag
3. into the freezer with them for only 24h
4. after 24h, take them out and wash them (warm, gentle cycle), that’s it! – easy right?
Note: You won’t be able to kill the mites by just washing the toys, so make sure to give those mites a little freezer burn. Oh and please don’t use any chemicals when washing these toys, just some nontoxic and biodegradable, free of phosphates detergent from YoungLiving will do.
– happy baby, happy mommy!
OMG, thank you for the information, I’m going to do this with all our toys. love your blog
Thank you for the post
Olga
well doing…..this blog help our new parents or the mamas who don’t know about the Dust mites.keep on doing….
Very good idea, thanks for sharing it! Most people freak out when they hear the word “mites” like it’s the end of the world or something. While it’s just a bunch of small and unpleasant creatures which need to die. You’ve chosen a very simple and effective method, it’s a lot better than putting the toys through boiling water or harsh detergents which can be dangerous.
Thanks for sharing! This seems like such a good idea, but I’d never come across it before.
My aunt told me about it, so I gave it a try. It really works because some mites survive during a wash cicle, however they can’t take the cold. So, freeze them first then wash the stuffed animals to clean all dead mites off.
Can this be done to clothing also?
Yes, absolutely!