Leaving the bed unmade in the morning can feel like a cardinal sin for the neat-obsessed and routine lovers of the world. If your parents possessed either or both of these characteristics, you’ve likely been taught that it’s how adults start their days. However, there’s a good reason you may want to rethink this practice, especially if you’re doing it as soon as you wake up. We hate to break it to you, but dust mites are probably settling in your tightly tucked sheets. While we can’t see these microscopic bugs, studies show they thrive in warm, moist environments and humid climates, like bedding, upholstered furniture, carpets, and linens.

After an unbearably sweaty night’s sleep, your soaked bedding becomes a breeding ground for these creatures. So, generally, it’s best to let sheets breathe before making the bed. Although nestled deeply in your soft duvets and hanging out in your mattress, unlike bed bugs, you don’t have to worry about dust mites biting, stinging, or burrowing under your skin. Instead, they feed off the skin flakes of humans and pets, leaving behind feces and other remnants that can trigger allergy symptoms (so gross!). While only people with dust mite allergies and asthma are sensitive to these pests, everyone should try to reduce these allergens, which are present in almost all homes. Here’s how to keep them under control.

How to Reduce Dust Mites

1. Maintain Low Humidity

Keep the humidity in your home lower than 50%. In humid spaces, use dehumidifiers or an air conditioner to decrease humidity levels.

2. Clean Bedding Regularly

Dust mites flourish in the crevices of your bedding, so clean it regularly. If you have an upholstered bed frame, wipe it with a damp cloth to remove dust and debris. Choose bedding that can easily fit into the washing machine. Avoid bulkier quilts and comforters, and wash in hot water.

3. Dust With a Damp Cloth

Dusters remove dust from surfaces by spreading it around. A damp cloth traps and locks dust, preventing it from falling into a different area or escaping into the air.

4. Replace Carpets

Swap out the carpet in your home for hard-surfaced flooring. If you can’t remove it, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter weekly.

5. Get Rid of Potential Hot Spots

For those with allergies and asthma, eliminating potential breeding grounds can reduce flare-ups. Cover mattresses and pillows with allergen encasements. Remove upholstered furniture, curtains, and other linens. Otherwise, wash fabrics in hot water to kill mites.