Obviously a lot of us are spending a huge amount of time inside at the moment. And our homes aren't always the cleanest - house dust mites are commonplace and obviously thrive in upholstery, beds and carpets. 

So supercleaner company Dyson has sent us a guide to spring cleaning your home to minimise the spread of dust mites. The tips have been compiled by Gem McLuckie, Advanced Research Scientist in Microbiology at Dyson.

Check out Dyson's top spring cleaning tips

• Vacuum mattresses on a regular basis to remove dust mite allergen and skin flakes which dust mites feed on. Vacuum both sides of the mattress with a vacuum cleaner with an advanced filtration to prevent the allergen from being placed back into the room by exhaust air.

• Wash bedding on a hot wash to destroy allergens. Washing the bedding on a 60°C or 90°C wash will help to break down allergen (proteins) and reduce the amount to cause allergies.

• Wash or replace duvets and pillows to reduce the amount of dust mite allergen and skin flakes present in your bed.

• Remove dust from kitchen cupboard tops. This is an often-overlooked place that dust collects and through air movement can be displaced into the kitchen air. Either remove with a vacuum or by dusting with a clean damp cloth or cleaning wipes.

• When dusting either use a clean damp cloth or cleaning wipes which traps the dust more easily or use a vacuum that will collect the dust. 

• Vacuum your home after dusting so that any dust that has been disturbed and placed onto the floor is removed and not redistributed around the home by normal activity.

• Move furniture that can be moved and vacuum the places not often vacuumed, such as under the furniture.

• Vacuum the sofa and chairs regularly; these can harbour not only large debris but also dust mites, skin flakes and other allergens such as pollen and food allergens. Wash any coverings and cushions to reduce the level of dust caught within them.
A lot of dust can gather in curtains and blinds. Make sure vacuum them regularly or launder them if possible and practical.

• Remove dust from walls by dusting with a damp cloth or cleaning wipes or using a HEPA filtered vacuum. Dust on certain wall types can contribute toward the growth of mould; if the room is humid and not well ventilated the dust can act as the nutrient source for the growing mould.

• Clear kitchen sides and cupboards to deep clean. Use a vacuum to remove dust and debris then wash with warm water and detergent – make sure you follow up by drying all surfaces.

• Dust lights and light fittings. A lot of dust can gather in lampshades and light fittings which can burn on hot bulbs producing VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and odour. It can also be moved around the room by the production of warm air around the bulbs.

• Empty the fridge and freezer and clean all surfaces with warm water and detergent. Vacuum around the back and under the fridge and freezer without forgetting the cooler element on the back - this will have the added benefit of improved performance.

• Dust behind radiators; a hidden place often missed during normal cleaning. Significant dust collects behind the radiator and this can be distributed around the room by the airflow produced by the warm air from the radiator.  The radiator is not hot enough to prevent bacteria from surviving.

• Deep clean your cupboards, wardrobes, and drawers in the bedroom. This is a place rarely emptied and cleaned but dust and fibres can accumulate in the very place you keep your clean clothes. Dust mites can live anywhere there is a source of food, so wherever there is dust there is the possibility of dust mites.

Dyson recently updated its cordless vacuum range with a new reach-under tool, launched the 360 Heurist robot vacuum in the UK and also introduced the Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool air purifier and humidifier.