Earth Clinic Mobile: Home Remedies for People and Pets

Multiple Remedies for Mite Infestation

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Elisa (Australia) on 03/25/2024
5 out of 5 stars

Mites remedy - Grass mites, harvest mites, cat mites

Cream for eyelids and sensitive skin:

2 parts of Vaseline (petroleum jelly)
1 part Neem oil
1 part Cedarwood oil

Use mixture 2-3 times per day on clean skin, preferably cleaned with skin wipes containing benzalkonium chloride (eg Wet-Ones).
NO make up during treatment. Throw away old make-up after treatment only new make up.

Alternative for the body - Lotion:

75 Baby oil (mineral NOT vegetable oils) because mites cannot digest mineral oils
15 drops Cedarwood oil
15 drops Neem oil

Over the counter medications:

Eurax cream. Use until all the itching is gone (it might take 3 or more weeks).

Prescription medication:

Rozex gel (Metronidazol) careful it is an antibiotic that will make the skin photosentive, need to see a doctor for it.

Tips & Tricks

General:
-HEAT and UV are your friends (hot wash cycles, ironing, steam cleaning, hot cars, UV lamps, sunlight)
- Daily shower better still swimming pools (chlorine water kills mites) or swimming in salt water
- Washing from head to toe (grass mites in particular move up the body)
- Hand wipes as mentioned containing benzalkonium chloride (NOT alcohol wipes, they are ineffective against mites and will dry out and irritate skin further). Benzalkonium chloride kills mites.
- Wash hair daily with a coconut oil shampoo, mites dislike the smell of coconut oils
- Use 3 different tea towels 1 for head, 1 for upper body, 1 for lower body, do not mix.
- Use lint roller on skin before bed time and shower.
- Cut nails really short, wash hands several times a day, brush nails.

Laundry

- Hot wash, use enzyme laundry powder (BioZet works best, enzyme dissolve the tiny mites and their eggs)
- Hot iron clothes or leave in a hot car

Home

- Steam clean upholstery
- Use disposable food gloves, change daily (and throw away).
- Vacuum every second day
- Change vacuum bag and put bicarb in the bag, it dries out eggs and mites
- Change bed sheets daily, wash on hot cycle
- Wrapping pillows in plastic bags and then putting a cotton cover works well. This way the mites cannot get into the pillow and filling.
- Wrapping mattress in plastic works well too
- Clean plastic covers with a solution of 1 part white vinegar & 1 part rubbing alcohol, this will kill mites

What was ineffective for me:

- Tea tree oil (burns and does not work)
- Clove oil (burns and does not work)
- Eucalyptus oil (burns and does not work)
- Lemongrass oil (burns and does not work)
- Peroxide (burned the skin)
- OTC medications containing Pyrethrum (most mites have become resistant to it in the tropics, burns on skin and can have very negative side effects)

Marina (Melbourne) on 03/06/2024
5 out of 5 stars

Hi! Then the answer to your question is fighting them internally, by creating a more symbiotic environment on your body, because something is clearly off balance. Try eating not sugar and lox carb for 1 month and see how you fee. Also get adequate vitamin d (direct sunlight) for at least 30 min a day.

NR (NYC) on 09/15/2023
5 out of 5 stars

Hi Elaine,

I became infested several years ago. The initial signs of Demodex mites appeared mainly on my limbs and torso. Then my hair started falling out by the handful. Went completely bald from front hairline to beginning of crown area. Lost all eyelashes and brows. Dermatologist gave me Soolantra samples (ineffective) My face was a mess of infected pimples. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I tried every so called remedy out there. I am no longer bald, but my hair is still falling out. Apart from that, I have finally found a solution that has DRAMATICALLY reduced all signs and symptoms of mite infestation.Considering all that I’ve tried, what I currently do is fairly simple: Fill a spray bottle with 91% rubbing alcohol, buy a bag of cotton balls and Q-tips. When I feel that tiny bite or itch, I immediately spray the spot or area with alcohol - whether it’s on my skin or on my scalp. (Alcohol kills the mite immediately - according to studies - & my experience). Saturate a cotton ball with alcohol and swab all red bites 1 or 2 times a day. I recently discovered Neem oil (unrefined organic cold-pressed) which has, among 100 other benefits for skin conditions, kills Demodex mites. I coat my face, affected body parts (limbs) - and also massage into my scalp. The results are miraculous for me. It smells unpleasant, but it dissipates by morning. But having the spray bottle at the ready is KEY. Killing the mite before it has a chance to get under the skin. Any new red spots need to be vigorously rubbed with a cotton ball soaked with alcohol. I hope this helps. Good luck and Best wishes.

Jacqui (Liverpool Merseyside, UK) on 04/18/2022
5 out of 5 stars

Hi you could ask your doctor for Mirtazipine 15ml, take 1hr before bed this helps you sleep. As it really affects your mental health if you don't sleep. Also. I am on 180mg of fexofenadine strongest antihistamine stops most itches & your body's reaction to them.

I've also had Permenthrim, Ivermectin at same time, then used Perm a week later, helps to get rid of the worst but I think if I had used borax straight after & ACV washes & drinks may have completely killed off. I use a Uvb lamp to kill off any mites in my bedroom & bedding 3x aweek. Hope this helps

A. Nonoumous (Fl) on 03/15/2022
5 out of 5 stars

I've tried everything from the dermatologist, er, and doctors. I.E Ivermectin, topicals, orals. Also things I probably shouldn't have. The amount of money, time, and effort that I've spent is alarming and I couldn't get any real help or relief. I feel I've finally gotten a grip on things after many years of intense suffering. The things that have worked for me are taking daily baths with apple cider vinegar with the mother and soaking for 30 minutes. Washing my hair separately. I sleep with a shower cap on so not to spread the mites. I treat my hair and scalp 3-5 times a week with the ACV with the mother and leave it on overnight. I also use a variety of lotions and body washes and wash my hands regularly. Pure coconut oil that's organic and unrefined has helped also.

Dove soaps and body washes combined with hylaronic acid, and argan oil body washes and lotions, along with exfoliating has been answered prayers. Using products that had lipids in them is where I really noticed a game changer. You must add lotions numerous times a day to give more support to your skin. Doing this religiously is a must. I also keep my clothes in plastic bags be them clean or dirty, and use a very sticky lint roller to remove the mites from my skin and clothes. I put mattress encasements on my mattress and box spring, as well as my pillows, and change my bedding daily. Washing bedding and clothes separately, on the hottest water setting with bleach and/or color safe bleach. I also adjusted my diet to more fruits and vegetables, plant proteins, and less animal protien as well as less sugar. Also adding more direct sunlight to my day to day, working on raising my immune system and reducing stress, having better gut health, and drinking a lot of herbal teas as well as Apple Cider Vinegar with the mother mixed with warm water every morning on an empty stomach. What I've learned is that these mites can overpopulate into very large numbers and over run our bodies ability to fight them. I'm still not sure why but I think we coexist with these monstrous critters and most people don't know they have them for they're microscopic and hard to see. We can pick them up unknowingly off of used clothes and furniture, animals, people's cars, people, standing in grass or under trees, carpet. I've never experienced anything like this in my life and at times felt no end in sight or how I would ever make it through.

Hang in there. Stay strong. You will get through this. Remain vigilant and don't give up. Things do get better. You need to make it so you are not a good host for the mites and make it difficult for them to populate by interrupting their life cycle. You can do it. This isn't a lifelong thing.

Sending lots of love and positive vibes your way. Keep fighting!!!

Aquaboy (Philly, PA) on 12/03/2021
5 out of 5 stars

Skin Cure mite like infection/parasite

I had a long term case that was resistant to permethrin, ivermectin, and I tried every oral herb, vitamin, and tincture and nothing worked. I then found some posts similar to this and tried the following:

1) Body sprays of alternating applications of:

a) isopropyl 91% rubbing alcohol
b) hypochlorous acid (can be made at home on the cheap)
c) chlorine dioxide d) hydrogen peroxide

2) Hot baths of:

a) bleach
b) chlorine dioxide
c) borax with hydrogen peroxide (it was more cost effective to spray body with hydrogen peroxide and let sit until dry then jump in borax bath. I also washed my sheets regularly and sprayed with isopropyl rubbing alcohol on days between washes.

3) Spot treatment on skin with:

a) lugols solution
b)povidone
c) thieves oil

They worked.

Nanc (Houston, Tx) on 07/25/2021
5 out of 5 stars

Naturalgal: you are a genius. Salting sheets with cloves added sounded crazy but it worked! First sleep I've had in weeks. Thank you!!!!!!

Ann (Fl) on 06/14/2020
5 out of 5 stars

I wanted to add on to your tannic acid post confirmation. I have demodex mites, so I don't know which kind you have. Mine came from a used bed that I did not put a mattress encasement over as well as the fact that I stopped being able to use a dryer unless I can find one that's dedicated and free from chemicals. At any rate, I bought the tannic acid and sprinkled it all over the mattress and waited. I like that you said that sometimes it can be a weak solution because I think that it's possible that it's not as effective this time as it was before for that reason. I will say that I also was able to change out all furniture, bedding, etc by the grace of God although... I had a very severe infestation at one point and found that when I used candidase, an enzymatic remedy to get rid of candida in the body, it went away within two days. I had felt them crawling on me for 5 years, and had at best kept them at Bay by adding a small amount of mustard powder to my soap. Mustard after 5 minutes will totally kill them. Blissed relief. I had used apple cider vinegar water before but it takes 15 minutes to get rid of them and I would notice they wouldn't all go away. Although, the mustard in the shampoo didn't seem to help much with my hair. so, if I were to recommend anything to anybody it would be mustard powder very small amount in the shampoo because it is very abrasive on the skin otherwise, sprinkling tannic acid on the bed because I could not use de, and Candidase coupled with a Candida diet. Interesting lie enough, I had a mold situation in my home twice after this and noticed that they increased. Someone of my group recommended that they actually eat the mold spores or toxins off of the body. I wonder if this is why the candidase helped. I don't know. All I know, is that I got a used sofa and it's crawling with them but I'm going to powder it with de or tannic acid and then vacuum. Likely the DEA as a tannic acid will stain. Then, I'll have to vacuum it up. actually my other plan is to use an iron as well. When I ironed my sheets oh, I also found relief since I did not have a dryer. The iron is hot enough to kill the mites from what I've read. Hair dryers are not at all hot enough. I hope this helps someone. I would add this under multiple remedies but I can't figure out how to add things anymore only reply.

Heidi (California) on 05/27/2018
5 out of 5 stars

i have been going through this and prayed I would die instead of feel this way. I also was only one in house feeling this. Apparently nicotine keeps them off my husband.

Here’s how I have reduced the numbers and am making head way. I’m not sure which mites I have so I treated for several kinds. Borax, hydrogen peroxide & water on the body after a shower and used hair dryer to dry it. Tea tree oil in bath water. I bought ovante demodex control products off internet and use them every day- lotion, face cream, eye products, shampoo, body wash. I had tons of eye irritation too. My feet were full of dead skin and it’s all gone too...think it may have been dandruf

Wash bedding, clothes and towels every day and add borax to the detergent. I dry hot & long. I throw pillows in a hot dryer every day for 20 minutes

I threw out all pillows. I bought a new mattress.

My body has had much less crawly, itchy, stinging episodes and I think it’s getting under control after three weeks. Thank GOD.

Tracymae (Missouri) on 12/20/2016
5 out of 5 stars

After many years of misery, and misdiagnosis, I finally discovered my home of 11 years had severe infestation of mites... Bird and rat mites. Tiny black, crawling, biting 8 legged creatures. (saw them under microscope, and one pest control company identified them too.... Though many others didn't believe me.) Nothing got rid of them, nothing.... Long story, but many years of trying everything... Anyone who came over, was diagnosed with scabies, but the bugs did not act like typical scabies, and the medication didn't work. Pest Control services didn't help much, if at all. I was not able to remove nests, because they were in my walls, attic, chimney, and being a disabled single parent, I had no way of doing it and couldn't afford to pay anyone. My pets suffered too, the neighbors dogs suffered. (Itching, raw skin, hair/fur falling out, etc). We moved, and left everything at our house, or we put it in storage. But many months later, the mites have yet to die off. Things were better, till my children started sneaking things in from storage. Then it started here too...... Itching, crawling, biting, rashes, my hair was falling out in huge amounts, I had bug bites, sores on my scalp and body... I had waist length hair, etc...i just couldn't bring myself to keep going to the Dr.I already bought new furniture, new clothes, etc.... I was checked for lice, bed bugs, etc...many times, and given meds for itch., The permethrin didn't work, only helped deter while I had the meds on me. I found Ted's mange cure and decided to try it. Little by little, I saw many improvements. Internal borax per Ted's recipe, external borax with hydrogen peroxide per Ted's mange treatment. My little dogs feet and legs and ears cleared right up after several soaks over two weeks or so.... (Vet kept saying it was allergies, and nerves) . Years of me dealing with all this, I became very depressed, from lack of sleep, and being so miserable, year after year. I know many people thought I had a mental imbalance. (At first, the bugs bothered everyone, but then it was mostly just me. I am middle aged, female, with immune system abnormalities. Occasionally, if someone new came along, they would get rashes they insisted were from poison ivy or chiggers.) . After about four or five baths in borax and hydrogen peroxide, my dog rarely has had any more problems since....but it has taken me two months of daily treatments on myself, .... At first, it was every day of borax and hydrogen peroxide, with Apple cider vinegar with water rinses. Then I started adding a few drops of iodine to my selsun blue shampoos, and added coconut oil to the borax hair scalp treatment too, to help with dryness, ... and washing my bed linens and blanket daily in hot water and borax and vinegar.... And vacuuming daily, (new filtered vacuum) spraying everything with borax water.(new mattress in a hypoallergenic bed bug and dust proof zipper mattress cover) Mopping with borax, then Murphy's oil soap, and wiping down everything with Windex every day or two at least. My car was also infested, and so it was hard trying to convince everyone they must be very careful with what they bring in from the car, and to shower, shampoo with selsun blue, and vinegar, and wash their jackets and clothes in hot water, and high heat.(soaked pillows in hot water, borax, weekly... Bought new pillows every 2 mo) Raid max foggers every 5-7 days in the car, and in my home helped too. Two cans per room.... (1.5 % cypermethrin, I believe). I was trying to break the life cycle. I plan to use a miticide next time, to be sure they don't build immunity and return.... Had I not had to deal with this nightmare myself, I would think everyone talking about bird and rat mites infesting humans and dogs had mental imbalances. But little by little, things are improving, ..... and I thank this website, and Ted's treatments, and reading about other people's experiences. I am hopeful for the first time in many many years. Things seem to be improving, although I still have a few issues here and there.

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