I don't want to rip out my carpet. Is there anything I can do to treat dust mites?

You can spray the rug with a solution of 3% tannic acid every 2 months to make the dust mite waste less bothersome. However, tannic acid itself can be irritating and it can't help as much as removing the carpet. If your doctor tells you to use this solution, he or she can tell you how to get it and apply it.

What else can I do?

Vacuuming your carpets and upholstery every week can help. Vacuums with high-efficiency filters pick up more dust mites, but even standard vacuums work well enough. Plastic or wood furniture that doesn’t have much padding can also help keep down the number of dust mites in your home. Because dust mites love warm, humid places, keeping the humidity low by using a dehumidifier and running your air conditioner makes a difference. Special air filters can help reduce dust mites in the air.