"Joe-46er" wrote in message
news
I've heard that household dust mites can be killed en masse by cold
temps. Now that it's winter here in NJ, if I open the windows in my
bedroom all day and let the sub-freezing cold air in for a day, will
this do the job? My wife has allergies and even regular vacuuming
doesn't solve the problem completely. Thanks.


I doubt that would be very useful. It isn't the live dust mites themselves
that cause the allergy. It's the body parts of the departed and the feces
of them, and the live ones, that become airborne. Killing the mites won't,
by itself, eliminate those products and, if you have a suitable environment
(humid climate) the house will be repopulated in time. A new house and new
furniture does a good job as does residence in a very arid area (but only
for dust mites) -- not suggested as a practical measure.