Short answer
Bed mites (house dust mites) live inside mattresses, pillows and upholstery and feed on shed skin flakes. University of Kentucky and Texas A&M entomologists say they don't bite people. Bites point to bed bugs or other pests. To get mites and their debris out of a mattress, heat the surface with low-moisture dry vapor steam and vacuum it with a sealed HEPA machine before and after, then keep the bed dry.
Key terms used on this page
- "Bed mites":
- A common search term, not a species. When people say bed mites they usually mean house dust mites living in bedding. It is sometimes confused with bed bugs, which are insects visible to the eye.
- House dust mite:
- A microscopic relative of spiders that lives in house dust and feeds on flakes of dead skin shed by people and pets. NIEHS describes dust mites as a big source of indoor allergens. The two species most studied are Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae.
- Dry steam cleaning:
- The term carpet researchers use for low-moisture, high-temperature vapor cleaning. In the Yu study, dry steam was added to repeated HEPA vacuuming on one half of each carpet and compared with vacuuming alone.
- HEPA filtration:
- High-efficiency particulate air filtration. The practice parameter recommends vacuums with HEPA filtration, or a central vacuum that vents outside, so mite fecal particles stay in the machine instead of going back into the room.
"Bed mites" is what most people call the house dust mites that live in a bed. They settle into the top layers of a mattress, the pillow and the seams, and they live on the skin flakes everyone sheds every night. They don't bite. University of Kentucky entomologists say they "are not parasitic nor are they capable of biting or stinging humans." What they leave behind is debris: shed skins and droppings worked into the fabric over years. That's what a deep clean is for.
Signs your mattress is a good home for bed mites
You can't see the mites, so look at the conditions they like:
- Age without a deep clean. Every year of use adds skin flakes and moisture from sleep. A mattress that has only ever been vacuumed on top has a lot below the surface.
- Humidity. Mites take in water from the air. Humid summers, basement bedrooms and a bed that never airs out all suit them.
- Pets and kids on the bed. More skin, more dander, more food for mites.
- Dust in the seams. If a vacuum pulls grey dust out of the piping and tufts, that's the layer we're there to clear.
If you're waking up with bites
Bed mites aren't the cause. Texas A&M says the mites in house dust "do not bite or feed on people." Bed bugs do: CDC describes reddish-brown, flat, wingless insects that hide in mattress seams, box springs, bed frames and headboards. If you see those signs, call a pest professional first, then book us for the clean once the treatment is done. For a full list of what does bite, read do bed mites bite? and dust mites vs bed bugs vs bed mites.
How we get bed mites out of a mattress
Mite control works in steps, and we do every one in a single visit:
- HEPA vacuum first. A sealed, HEPA-filtered vacuum lifts loose dust and debris from the top panel, borders and seams.
- Dry vapor steam. Heat goes into the seams, tufts, ridges and edges where mites settle, at low moisture so the mattress isn't soaked. See does dry vapor steam kill dust mites?
- HEPA vacuum again. A second pass collects what the heat loosened. Here's why the order matters.
- Keep it dry. Low moisture is the point. Mites need humidity, and a dry bed is a poor home for them.
There's no extra charge for mite work. It's included in every standard visit.
Keep them from coming back
Wash sheets and pillowcases weekly, air the bed with the covers pulled back on dry days, keep bedroom humidity down in summer, and book a professional sanitation once or twice a year. Our care schedule sets out a routine.
Ready to clear your mattress? Schedule online or call (402) 512-5658.
Sources
- House Dust Mites (ENTFACT-646) · University of Kentucky Entomology
- Diagnosing Mysterious Bites and Itches (ENT-3006) · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- About Bed Bugs · US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Last reviewed October 22, 2026. Manufacturer specifications and care instructions change; check the current version for your exact model. This page is general information, not medical advice. How we source and check pages: editorial standards.