The importance of a removable and cleanable mattress cover

Your bed could become home to a thriving population of dust mites, mould and other allergens if you don’t take measures to keep it clean and hygienic. However, this can all be avoided by keeping good care of your mattress, washing the bedding that comes into contact with your body and investing in a mattress with a removable and cleanable mattress cover.

allergens in bed

What can cause allergies in a bed?

There is a lot of dust in and around your bed. Yet just one piece of dust can contain pet dander, mould spores, along with dead skin and dust mites1. Perspiring and shedding dead skin are both natural human processes. Since we spend roughly a third of our lives asleep in bed, there is a large build-up of dust mites and dead skin in and around our bedding.

Dust mites survive by feeding on flakes of dead skin cells. They thrive in warm, humid conditions, which partly explains why they are often found in bedding. Humans are not allergic to the dust mites themselves, but instead to the faeces or dead bodies of dust mites. The presence of dust mites can also exacerbate existing allergies and asthma.

Mould also flourishes in the hospitable, humid environment of the bed area. For those with a mould allergy, the presence of mould spores can cause respiratory problems and uncomfortable chest coughs. Mould spores are more likely to spread in a fibrous mattress, whereas a latex mattress is inhospitable to the spread of mould.

Bedding can also become a breeding ground for bacteria. They can arrive in your bedding by spreading from parts of your body, such as your hands or face. Nasty bacteria on your bed may be the cause of irritating symptoms, such as eye or face irritation and body acne.

Pet dander is especially problematic for pet owners. Those who let pets sleep on their beds risk worsening the problem as pets are prone to shedding fur and dead skin too. Pets which enjoy sleeping on your bed may also spread some unpleasant bacteria on to your bedding.

How can you protect your bed from allergens?

If you are waking up with itchy eyes or a sore throat, your symptoms may be being triggered by the presence of dust mites or mould. Even if you don’t suffer from allergy symptoms, it’s still good idea to keep your bed clean of allergens. It is estimated that 50% of the weight of an uncleaned ten-year-old mattress is from dust mites and their faeces2. However, there is some good news – regular bedding cleaning and investing in naturally hypoallergenic mattress and bedding will go a long way to helping to solve the problem.

One way to keep your bed clean is to make sure you regularly wash all your bedding (pillows, bedsheets and mattress protectors) at high temperatures (at least 130°F or 54°C). The high temperature is enough to kill the dust mites, and another blast in a hot dryer should be enough to ensure you remove all the dust mites. Another option, recommended by the NIH (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) is to freeze non-washable bedding overnight3. Whilst it may be easy to wash your pillows, duvet and bed sheets, your mattress can pose difficulties.

This is part of the reason why a natural latex mattress with a removable and cleanable mattress cover is a great solution to the problems of allergens. A natural latex core is both dust mite and mould resistant. A mattress cover forms an extra protective barrier between the allergens and the mattress, preventing any dust from making it through to your mattress in the first place. A removable and cleanable mattress cover is even better because it makes it much easier to clean what does come into contact with the dust. An added bonus is that a removable mattress cover also protects the mattress itself from any mishaps, ensuring that it is easy to clear up any accidental spills or stains. Heveya latex mattresses and pillows boast a removable cover that offers a perfect solution for the problems of bed hygiene.

Heveya removable cover

The solution

There is no need to suffer from allergies in bed or fear dust mites. There is an answer and it comes in the form of a removable and cleanable mattress cover. This, combined with an allergen-resistant latex mattress, will make it a lot easier to keep your bed area clean, hygienic and free of pesky dust mites. Always remember that when you buy a bed, mattress or bedding, it is an investment into your wellbeing. Good quality sleep is vital to your health and happiness and you will sleep a little easier when you are safe in the knowledge that your bedding is clean and fresh.

 

References

  1. Dust Allergies – WebMD:
    http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/dust-allergies/
  2. Dust mites, fungus and bacteria – Sleep Junkie:
    http://www.sleepjunkie.org/dust-mites-fungus-bacteria-oh-my-latex-and-memory-foam-pillows-may-help-your-health/
  3. Dust mites – National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences:
    http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/allergens/dustmites/