Looking at our mattress doesn’t make you think there is anything dangerous, right? This where we spend a third of our lives, so surely it cannot be doing us harm. The reality is very different! Spending so much time in bed and other factors makes our mattress a breeding ground for many hidden nasties. So whats living inside your mattress exactly? The hidden and dangerous elements in our mattress include:
DUST MITES
“Anywhere from around 100, 000 to around 10 million dust mites are living inside your mattress. Microscopic, insect-like pests that commonly live in house dust. They feed on flakes of dead skin, or dander, that are shed by people and pets. These tiny creatures are a big source of allergens and can worsen allergies and asthma.”¹ “Dust Mites feed on dead human skin cells and pet dander. The average human sheds 1.5 grams of skin cells daily. Spending a third of our lives in bed makes the mattress the perfect breeding ground for Dust Mites.”² Dust Mites are a huge trigger of symptoms for Asthma & Allergy sufferers, especially for those that have specific allergies to dust
MOULD
A kind of fungus commonly found in damp environments. This makes your mattress a nice home for fungi to be living inside your mattress. The darkness and moisture inside a Mattress makes it an ideal breeding ground for Mould. Mildew is another fungus that you should be aware of because it is often confused with mould. Mildew is a specific type of mould that grows flat, which means it remains only on the surface of your mattress, making it easy to remove. Unfortunately, in comparison Mould grows deep into the mattress, making it difficult to remove.
If you have a Mattress that touches the ground or has bed slats and you find small black spots on the mattress’s underside, that is mildew. Left untreated, it can progress and cover the entire mattress, best solution in this instance would be to wipe off the mildew with a wet cloth as soon as you detect it.
An early sign of Mould are tiny black spots that might appear along the mattress’s sides, as mould grows it appears as large fuzzy segments, which are white, black or green; in alot of instances you will also be able to smell the Mould from the Mattress.
Mould produces allergens, irritants and in some cases, toxic substances. For some individuals, inhaling or touching moulds Mold can cause allergic reactions. Mould exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs of individuals regardless of whether you are allergic to mould. There is also ongoing scientific research to indicate that mould exposure has long-term health consequences.”³
GERMS & BACTERIA
Inside your mattress is damp and there are large amounts of dander, dust mites and their feces. These conditions makes it perfect for different types of germs and bacteria to be living inside your mattress. the inside of your mattress. “Scientific research looking at hospital bed linens found that Staphylococcus bacteria were common. This type of bacteria can cause serious illness when they enter the body through an open wound. A species of this bacteria, called Staphylococcus aureus is fairly contagious and can cause skin infections, pneumonia and worsen acne. They are commonly found on pillow cases and some strains are resistant to antibiotics. Around a third of people carry Staphylococcus aureus in their bodies. As a result of this, they can shed the organism in large numbers. This increases the chance for the Staphylococcus bacteria to be transferred into your bed.”⁴
E coli and other similar bacteria, known as gram negative bacteria are also very prevalent living inside your mattress. Gram negative bacteria are a serious health problem as they’re highly resistant to antibiotics. They can cause serious human infections – including urinary tract infections, pneumonia, diarrhoea, meningitis and sepsis if they get into the body. Some strains of E. coli can also be very infectious, and may cause urinary tract infections, traveler’s diarrhoea and pneumonia. Washing your hands properly after using the toilet is important to prevent spreading this bacteria.
DIY MEASURES TO KEEP YOUR MATTRESS CLEAN & HYGIENIC
“Common household items such as clothing, towels, toilet, kitchen surfaces and pets that are contaminated easily bring germs to your Mattress. Bathroom and kitchen towels play host to a variety of bacterial species, mainly S. aureus and E. coli. Diseases like gonorrhoea can be transmitted through contaminated towels and bedding. Different microbial species will survive on fabrics for different periods of time. S. aureus, for example, can survive for a week on cotton and two weeks on terry cloth. Influenza viruses can also survive on fabrics and tissues for 8-12 hours. Some other types of viruses, such as the vaccinia virus, can live on wool and cotton for up to 14 weeks.”⁵
Proper and regular washing are all key to ensuring germs don’t develop into a genuine health threat. But how often should you change your bed linen? Since we can’t wash our sheets every day, one thing you can do daily is air your sheet every morning. Alot of moisture builds up in sheets whilst sleeping. To remedy this problem, pull the duvet back so the bed sheets for at least 30 minutes before making the bed.
Wash all bed linens in warm to high temperatures (around 40℃-60℃) weekly in order to effectively kill germs. Avoid overloading laundry machines and use enough soap. Also ensure bed linens are completely dried before using.
Showering before bed, avoiding taking naps or getting into bed while sweaty, removing makeup and avoiding lotions, creams, and oils right before bed can all help keep linen cleaner between washes. Not eating or drinking in bed, keeping pets off your sheets, and removing dirty socks will also help.
PROFESSIONAL, LONG LASTING SOLUTION
DIY measures can only do so much in keeping your mattress clean and hygienic. With the mattress being a dangerous breeding ground for dust mites, germs, bacteria and viruses, the services of a professional is required for a proper solution. This is especially essential for asthmatic and allergy sufferers. BUFFERBOYS have the essential equipment, products and expertise to ensure your mattress becomes sanitary for a period of at least 3 – 6 months. Our deep cleaning processes using the state of the kirby removes all the hidden, embedded dust, dander and dust mites. After deep cleaning, our method of sterilizing mattresses is scientifically proven to safely and effectively remove all types of germs, bacteria and viruses living inside your mattress.
REFERENCES
1 – https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/allergens/dustmites/index.cfm
2 – https://www.allamericanallergy.com/how-to-combat-dust-mites-in-your-mattress
3 – https://thespinery.com/blog/mattress-mould
4 – https://theconversation.com/your-bed-probably-isnt-as-clean-as-you-think-a-microbiologist-explains-163513
5 – https://www.sciencealert.com/a-microbiologist-explains-why-your-bed-probably-isn-t-as-clean-as-you-think