How to Remove Dust Mites From Pillows | Kill & Keep Them Out

You can wash, dry, and isolate your way to a mite-free pillow, but only if you follow the exact temperatures and steps that actually work. Dust mites thrive in warm, humid bedding and leave behind allergen-loaded droppings that trigger sneezing, stuffiness, and itchy eyes. The fix is a three-part routine: kill the mites, remove the residue, and block them from coming back. Everything below is based on clinical research and public health guidance — no guesswork.

Step 1: Wash in Hot Water (130°F or Hotter)

Hot water kills dust mites on contact — but only if the water is hot enough. The minimum effective temperature is 130°F (54.4°C), per medical and public health sources. Wash temperatures below that may clean the pillow without killing the mites themselves.

Before you start, check the pillow’s care label. Machine-washable fills (polyester, down, or cotton) can tolerate hot water. Foam, memory foam, and latex pillows usually cannot — washing them in hot water can ruin the structure. For those, skip to the dryer-only method below.

Step 2: Dry on High Heat for at Least 15 Minutes

Even if you wash in hot water, drying is where the final kill happens — and it is also the only option for unwashable pillows. High heat (around 130°F or hotter) inside a dryer kills mites in 15 minutes for the pillow itself, or 30 minutes for full bedding sets. Dry until the pillow is completely dry through; moisture left in the core lets mites survive or invites mold.

For foam or latex pillows that cannot go in the dryer, a brief high-heat cycle on a no-heat or air-fluff setting does nothing. Instead, use a hot dryer for at least 15 minutes if the care label says high heat is safe. If it does not, the freezer method below is a fallback — but not as effective.

Step 3: Seal in an Allergen-Proof Encasement

Once the pillow is clean and bone-dry, it becomes a clean slate. Without a physical barrier, dust mites from the surrounding environment will recolonize it within weeks. The fix is a zippered, dust mite-proof encasement — a tightly woven cover that mites cannot penetrate. It traps any mites still inside and blocks new ones from entering.

For a tested roundup of effective encasements, see our guide to the best dust mite pillow covers. The key features to look for are a zippered seal and a pore size small enough to block mite-sized particles (typically under 10 microns).

When the Pillow Is Not Washable

Foam, latex, memory foam, and some down-alternative pillows are not machine washable. The safest path is a hot dryer cycle (15 minutes at high heat) if the care label allows it. If the label says no heat, you have two weaker options: place the pillow in a sealed plastic bag and freeze it for 24 hours, which kills adult mites but does not remove the allergen-packed droppings already embedded; or replace the pillow outright, which is often the better choice for older pillows with visible wear or odor.

Maintain the Gains Beyond the Pillow

The pillow is only one piece of the mite ecosystem. Wash sheets and pillowcases weekly in hot water. Vacuum the mattress and bedroom floor with a HEPA-filter vacuum every 1–2 weeks. Keep bedroom humidity below 50 percent (ideally 45 percent or lower) with a dehumidifier or air conditioner — mites cannot drink below that threshold. Wash the pillows themselves every three to six months, or replace them if they are more than two years old and cannot be washed.