Mites are incredibly tiny, and they can be hard to detect.
But there are some are mites that glitter.
Their shiny bodies can make them easy to spot and easy to eliminate.
This guide will give you a list of three mites that look like glitter.
Plus, there are some handy tips to eliminate them.
Let’s dive in.
Here Are The 3 Mites That Look Like Glitter
- Mold mites
- Dust mites
- Demodex mites
Let’s get into each of them.
Mold Mites Glitter On Damp Surfaces
Mold mites are tiny white mites that have a shinny body. They feed on the molds that form on wet surfaces.
Mold mites can infest any wet surfaces of concrete and wooden furniture.
So, it’s common to see them on your bathroom floor, kitchen walls, damp furniture, and even on stale food grains.
Hence, they go by the names like wood mites and grain mites.
Under the direct light, their shinny bodies reflect the light which makes them shine.
You’ll notice them moving slowly, or at times briskly, on the moldy surface.
Mold mites multiply fast. Within 3-5 days, their population doubles.
When mold mites increase, you’ll notice a chunk of white spots on the moldy surface.
However, mold mites can be whitish brown too. Experts believe that the color of the mold mites depends on the type of molds they eat.
That’s one of the reasons why mold mites can be tan on furniture.
How To Get Rid Of Mold Mites?
Getting rid of mold mites is an easy process.
Pour some bleach on the moldy surface. Let it sit for a while, say 10-15 minutes.
Then scrub off the molds. And then clean the surface with water.
The bleach will remove the molds and kill the mold mites too.
However, don’t use bleach to remove molds on furniture. Bleach can damage it.
Use bleach to remove molds from floors and tiles in your kitchen and bathroom.
Instead of using bleach, use white vinegar to remove molds and mold mites from the furniture’s surface.
Let the vinegar sit on the moldy surface for 5-10 minutes. Then scrub the surface off with a toothbrush.
It’ll remove the molds and mold mites on the surface.
You can also use a disinfecting furniture cleaner to remove the molds and mold mites from the surface.
Are Mold Mites Are Harmful To Humans?
No, mold mites are not harmful to humans. However, some people can experience itching on their skins when mold mites crawl on them.
If you’ve mold mites in your home, then you can wear a skin-friendly bug repellant.
It’ll prevent mold mites and many other bugs from crawling onto your skin.
Glittery Dust Mites Under Direct Sunlight
Dust mites are tiny bugs that look like lint, and they glitter too.
But you can notice the dust mites when their numbers skyrocket in your home.
When their numbers are less, they can be hard to detect.
Dust mites are active starting from the late spring till late fall.
The high season for dust mites is from May to October, when their numbers peak.
With the arrival of winters, dust mites die.
Where do dust mites come from? Dust mites can inhabit any place that has dust and dirt.
You can also bring dust mites into your home if you visit places with many dust mites.
Dust mites will latch onto your clothing or luggage and travel with you to your home. Though dust mites can’t bite through clothing but they’ll feed on your dry skin when they can access your skin.
Glittery dust mites become apparent when they flock in large numbers in places like your couch, bed mattress, rugs, and carpets.
On curtains, glittering dust mites are easily noticeable when natural light falls on them directly.
However, at night under artificial light, dust mites are not as glittery as mold mites.
How To Get Rid Of Dust Mites In Your Home?
To get rid of dust mites, you’d need to apply both washing and vacuuming.
Wash all the linen, bed sheets, pillow covers, curtains, and fabric in warm water at least 130 F.
That will kill all the dust mites in them.
Also, vacuum clean your bed mattress and soft furnishings like carpets, rugs, couches, soft toys, taxidermies (if any), and cushioned chairs with a vacuum cleaner.
The vacuum cleaner will remove the dust mites on them.
After cleaning, dispose of the vacuum cleaner dust bag outside your property.
Dumping the dust bag in the trash bins of your home will make the dust mites crawl out of it and again infest your home.
However, there’s a better way of getting rid of dust mites in your home from your home’s soft furnishings.
And that’s by using a steam cleaner.
Steam cleaners produce heat which kills the dust mites on contact.
And it’ll clean the dust and dirt from the soft furnishings too.
On top of cleaning the soft furnishings and washing the fabric infested with dust mites, ensure that you thoroughly clean your home.
A home with dirt and dust draws dust mites. And dust mites can cause serious health issues.
Harmful Effects Of Dust Mites
Dust mites are allergens. The presence of dust mites can cause allergic reactions like sneezing, coughing, running noses, and itchy eyes.
For the elderly and asthmatic patients, dust mites are more harmful.
It can trigger asthma attacks in asthmatic patients and severe allergic reactions in the elderly.
Dust mites have hairy bristles on their body which can cause intense itching if they crawl on you.
Also, dust mites feed on dry human skin. And while foraging, they’ll inject their saliva to dissolve your skin.
That causes intense itching. Red welts and rashes develop on the skin due to dust mite bites.
Demodex Mites On Human Faces Can Also Glitter
Demodex mites are microscopic parasites in humans that glitter. They hide in the hair follicles glands of your scalp, eyelashes, and face.
These are impossible to spot with a naked eye as most of the time, through the day, they hide.
They’ll come out while you’re asleep to feed on the dry human skin.
But under direct light, they can glitter.
Observing them under a magnifying glass can reveal the Demodex mites. They’ll appear to crawl extremely slowly on your face.
Demodex mites are not scabies. Scabies is also microscopic bugs that bite and burrow themselves in the human skin.
Scabies condition is far more severe than the Demodex mites.
A small amount of Demodex mites is present in every human.
And to an extent, they’re beneficial too because they remove the dead skin cells by eating them.
But the problem arises when their numbers increase in your skin.
Demodicosis and blepharitis conditions occur in people when the population of Demodex mites explodes in their skin.
It’s a medical condition, and you’d need to see a physician to get rid of Demodex mites.
Dr. Thomas Orbert, the Microbial Maestro, dances with the tiniest of creatures as an entomologist extraordinaire! With a PhD in entomology, his passion lies in unraveling the secret symphonies of insect-microbe interactions. From minuscule marvels to captivating complexities, Dr. Orbert unveils the hidden world of bugs, igniting curiosity one buzz at a time!