Video: Make a clean sweep in the war on dust mites

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Mario Lamorticella is at war with dust mites.

The critters are so tiny you can only see them with a microscope. They live in mattresses and pillows and stuffed animals and comforters, feeding on dead skin.

Many people experience an allergic reaction caused by the unpleasant fact that, like most creatures, dust mites create waste.

"It's really their fecal matter or their waste products that people develop an allergic reaction to," said Dr. Barzin Khalili, allergy specialist.

Symptoms typically include an itchy, watery nose and itchy eyes or asthma-like symptoms.

Mario experienced the allergy symptoms, beginning last summer.

"I'd lose sleep over it, I'd just be tired during the day," he said. "But it would start to clear up. I'd feel a little better, but then at night it would just repeat again."

So how do you fight the mites?

Khalili recommends buying covers for your mattress, pillow and comforter that are specifically dust mite resistant.

Don't try to get the mites out of the bed. Instead, trap them inside.

"What the encasement does is keeps the millions and millions of dust mites that are already living in pillows and comforters from coming out," Khalili said. "You don't want to look for just hypoallergenic, because hypoallergenic is kind of a catch-all term that can mean a lot of different things and it may not specifically be protective for dust mites."

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Many people experience an allergic reaction caused by dust mites' waste.

Mario followed that advice, and suddenly the problem disappeared.

"If I don't get a full night sleep it's not because of the dust mites," he said.

Dust mite barrier covers are available at several local stores. Just make sure the product says "dust-mite proof" or "effective barrier" for dust mites.