Mattress 101
How to Deal With Bed Bugs
Bed bug prevention, extermination, and common myths surrounding these pests.
Even those of us who consider ourselves clean freaks may be astonished by what’s hiding in our mattresses. Without the right precautions, a mattress becomes a breeding ground for dust mites, mold, mildew, and bed bugs. Fortunately, you can protect yourself, but only if you know what you’re up against.
That’s why we’ve put together a list of 8 upsetting facts that you probably never knew about your mattress, along with ways to protect yourself.
Every night as you peacefully snooze in bed, your body sheds millions of dead skin cells. They build up in your sheets, blankets, and pillows. Not only is skincell buildup upsetting to think about, but the cells themselves act as a buffet for tiny organisms that irritate allergies and asthma.
To protect your sleep haven from dead skin cells:
You don’t want to see what your bed looks like under a microscope. Tiny creatures called dust mites congregate on your mattress, pillows, and bedding to enjoy a skincell buffet. The millions of skin cells shed each night support a community of tens of thousands of the creepy crawlies. While they aren’t going to bite you, they do aggravate allergies and asthma.
To limit dust mites:
Have you ever woken up hot and sweaty? It’s normal to struggle with thermoregulation during the night, but when you get too hot, it’s not only your sleep quality that suffers. The excess perspiration has to go somewhere. Unless you’ve taken the below steps, that’s going to be into your mattress and pillow. And if this has been happening for years, your mattress is full of grime.
To keep things fresh and clean:
Mattresses can easily become damp, and humidity is a breeding ground for allergens. Moist beds allow mildew, mold, and dust mites to flourish. From a runny nose to trouble breathing, an abundance of allergens is no joke for those with sensitivities. Even pests like bed bugs and fleas prefer a humid home, and you’re probably not wanting to share your bed with them.
Related: Best Hypoallergenic Mattresses
To help keep your mattress dry:
Urinary incontinence is more common that one might think. Between children, pets, and the rare adult accident, there’s no faster way to make a mattress filthy than by soaking it in urine. Even the quickest action is too late if you haven’t protected your mattress ahead of time.
Every mattress sold in the United States must meet strict flammability requirements. While this seems like a great idea on the surface, there are few restrictions as to how a company must meet these requirements. As a result, many mattresses are made using toxic chemical flame retardants.
To protect your long-term health:
Bed bugs—just the phrase is enough to make most of us shudder. These pests are both incredibly irritating and frustratingly hard to remove once they’ve taken hold. Unfortunately, it’s easy to pick them up from one place and bring them home. You can get them from sitting on infested furniture or having them hitch a ride on your luggage. It’s common to get them without even knowing where they came from.
While there’s no way to safeguard yourself 100%, here are a few tips that reduce your risk of having to battle these pesky critters.
There are few household items that we cannot fully clean. Even carpet can get a thorough once-over with a high-quality deep cleaner. But mattresses, unfortunately, are not easy-to-clean. Only water beds can be thoroughly cleaned, and most of us would prefer the plush give of memory foam mattresses or the springy support of an innerspring bed. Outside of spot cleaning, there’s not much you can do to undo damage that’s already occured.
To keep your mattress fresh and clean:
Read More: How to Clean and Maintain Your Mattress
There’s nothing quite like slipping into an enormously comfortable bed at the end of the day. To allow your worries to fully fade away, take steps to protect your nighttime retreat.
You can safeguard yourself from almost every gross mattress problem by doing two things. First, use an allergen-resistant, waterproof mattress protector from the first day you bring a new mattress home. Second, clean your bedding often. This includes sheets, comforters, and pillows. These simple steps can help you get a good night’s sleep without odors, allergens, or irritants.
Comments (0)