Hi Harry,

I’m wondering how things are going for you? I started using a dehumidifier a couple of weeks ago and have seen some improvement. I’m not sure if it is from the dehumidifier, the constant cleaning and vacuuming, or the insecticides I have been spraying around the house. I’m just happy to see an improvement!!

Hello Harry and Andie, I can definately vouch for the effectiveness of a de-humidifier. I thank this site and its contributors for helping me achieve some quick research. My situation started when I moved into a studio apartment around 5 weeks ago. I thought long and hard about where I wanted to live here in Perth, WA, Australia: near work in the city, close to the river, and my apartment backs on to a vertical wall of a rock cliff, the edge of a large reserve in the middle of the city -I was so happy. I noticed quickly how humid it was, taking 3 days to dry clothes on the balcony. The humid air seems to get trapped in this location between the river and the cliff. Well I started getting bit by something on my feet the moment I sat down on the couch the first day. As the place came furnished I naturally cleaned it from top to bottom and it looked sparking clean anyway. I have dust mite allergy, so liked the fact there was no carpet. Well at first I thought it was a few straggling fleas, but there has been no pets here. And I have never experienced dust mites biting. The problem became more pronounced over the first week, I also became more sensitive to this particularly irritating pin prick sensation during bed time. I am normally a sound sleeper but would wake up several times a night to reach the various bug sprays I kept on the side table. In the end, I was not sure if it was the perethrin causing the irritation and occasional rash. I started thinking it was the old microwave emitting radiation, it was mounted at head level. I pulled the plug out. I researched fleas and various mites, but symptoms listed for bird mites were identical with what I was experiencing. To this day, I have never seen anything or anything move. As the initial couple of weeks passed, I would vacillate between possible causes after extended sessions on the internet: maybe asbestos or glassfibre in the walls, its an old building. Do I have an emerging helath problem? Hypothyroid issue? Also know I am very sensitive. Was there a phone tower on the roof, Was it simply that I could feel my hair growing?Yes, that would explain the tingling sensation on my scalp during the night and also at times at work. But not the fact that they seemed to be moving, I could feel them moving along and there were bites. I went to the pharmacy and got scabies cream for the first time in my life. Anything with permethrin seem to alleviate the situation for a day or two. As soon as I sat down at work they would jump at my feet and at times, particularly if I was warm or sweating, I could feel a crawling in my hair and biting intermittingly in places were clothing was snug or tight. Taking the sprays to work and occasionally going to the disabled toilet to spray myself all over would help. I then decided to invest: I spent nearly $500 AUD on a good de-humidifier. When I plugged it in right next to my bed and sat down in the fresh air, that was the first real relief. I covered up the vents in my place, checked the hygrostat just out of pure pleasure, saw the humidity vanish from over 60 percent to below 40-45 percent. I no longer boil and chlorine my washing, just make sure my washing dries inside. I keep that humidifier running night and day. Initially I opened all the doors and drawers. I kept up the spraying and salting mats and rugs. The critters are still there but diminishing every day. They finally seem to have died off at work, however occasionally some mites come to life from inside boots and socks, and a few other select places still. There are the bath mat and a small mat in the kitchen were they jump on me every morning however less so. I have scaled down the pesticides and am using sprays with lemon, rosemary and tea tree oil. I have three layers of salt in my bed: between the mattress protector and the wool topper, inside
Of the pillow cases. I sprinkle lavender over my doonah and pillows before I go to sleep. I sleep and breathe even better than before I moved in here. I have never come across this situation in my life, having lived and worked with animals as a farmer both in the North and South hemisphere however what I can say I have never lived in a humid home until now. I will eventually move when the lease is up, to a very bright and airy place. I was even thinking I was suffering a psychotic episode or that I was delusional. However, Now, what could possibly explain the existance of mites inside here? Right next to my place is the river, some “duck dams”, and next to it, trees and irregated lawns. It was my favourite place to lie down to do sit ups and look up at the trees. Never again. I feel I must have picked some mites up and they travelled with me home, but that does not explain that they were here from day one. When I go jogging my shoes and clothes will go into a sealed bag into the freezer. I am totally put off eating chicken meat, thinking and how the chickens must suffer on the infected farms. I am looking into my own health habits and drastically reducing alcohol, which lowers the immune system. Perhaps this is why some individuals are affected and some not. Lastly, I have to say I staid in a hostel waiting to find just the right place. I was there for about 3 months and never once got bit by anything, it was a brand new hostel with air conditioners in every room. I guess it is possible the bug travelled with me in a dormant stage. I think I will never know, but thanks to this site, I quickly worked out that what would be needed was to create a living space where these buggers cannot co- habitate. Many thanks for all the advice and contributions, it helped my sanity.

Hello everyone.

I sure wish I wasn’t here commenting. But here I am again.
I first experienced bird mites in Summer of 2014.
There was not a lot of helpful/safe info available six years ago. After Winter of 2015, the mites got better. I threw out everything…including furniture and area rugs. That likely helped, in addition to removing carpet.

I am just now trying the dehumidifier. I do not recall that being a helpful option, back in 2014. I bought a Idylis 70-Pint 3-Speed Dehumidifier back around that time, but I don’t recall specifically the reason why.

I can’t wait to see if the mites are reduced by it. Terrible time to be using a dehumidifier…which pumps out hot air, while the central AC is plugging away at 90+ degrees outside temps. I will start first in my office with the door closed.

This time around, I have a better chance of controlling them. Maybe. In 2014, they were so bad, that I was at wits end. I removed all the carpet in the house and replaced it with laminate flooring. I left all rooms with vinyl flooring, since they were mostly water areas (laundry room, kitchen, bathrooms). That really helped. Plus sealing cracks in the concrete slab, while it was without flooring. I also cleaned the concrete and painted some rooms, to reduce mites.

But that sure came at a price! I spent around $7000 on flooring, labor and installation.

I now have a new HVAC system which regulates humidity. $12000. OUCH. But it is efficient and does keep the house humidity down to 44-47% during the cooling months. In 2014, my decrepit HVAC likely contributed to the mite infestation. It was always warm and humid in the house.

I will report my dehumidifier results, once it has run for a couple of days. It is currently 3:30am with it running and my gauges read 82° / 21% humidity, in my closed office. Mites are still biting and lighting against my skin.

The birdmites.org site is really helpful.

I just purchased the Premo-Guard & Clean-Free. So much work to do. And I am completely out of energy, due to compromised immune system. So this will be a challenge to perform some of the suggestions. Especially daily vacuuming, cleaning and spraying Premo-Guard around everywhere. These mites are now in every room of the house and it has been about a month or less since it started.

Heck of a time to be in a covid shutdown –with mites!!
I am hoping covid won’t worsen this Fall. At least in the Winter heating months, my house humidity will average 25%-35%… and the mites will decrease.

Hang in there!