• Buy mattress and pillow encasings that are impermeable to dust mites.
  
  Cotton covers (at least 380-count) cost more than plastic ones and must be washed with other bedding to remove mites. Foam rubber mattresses must also be encased, Los Angeles pediatrician and CHEC board member Dr. Harvey Karp warns, because "foam rubber is a haven for mites." See also: How to Make a Safe Bed.

• Avoid feather comforters, feather pillows and stuffed animals.
  
  Pat Jones keeps stuffed animals, a frequently overlooked mite paradise, off her asthmatic daughter’s bed. If a favorite teddy bear can't go, regularly wash it, place in the freezer for a few hours, or put him in the dryer for a spin. The extreme temperatures will kill the dust mites.

• Bedding should be washed in hot water.
  
  Water at 130 degrees F will kill dust mites, though this temperature raises the risk of scalding. Drying bedding in a hot dryer for an extra fifteen minutes also kills mites. Do this at least every two weeks -- and don't forget the blankets!

• Take up carpets, take down curtains.
  
  Carpets and heavy draperies are dust mite heaven, so bare floors and windows are best. If you can’t take up carpets, vacuum them frequently (see below).

• Dust with a damp cloth.
  
  Doing this regularly will help pick up dust mite droppings. Damp mop walls and ceilings periodically.

• Vacuum frequently.
  
  Small particles like dust mite excrement irritate asthmatic airways the most. When buying a vacuum cleaner, ask if it will fit HEPA (High Energy Particulate Air) Filters, which trap much finer particles and reduce vacuum cleaner backdraft. Vacuum central air and heating vents.

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