Our bed is one of the places we consider the most comfortable and safe in the world, but potential and unconscious dangers can lurk in it as well. While you blissfully drift off to sleep, you may not be aware that you have unwelcome company and that your mattress is harboring unwanted elements. In fact, over time, unpleasant debris builds up and should be avoided. Let’s see what they are and how to get rid of them.
Cleaning the person, the apartment and personal belongings is usually done regularly, but the mattress is often forgotten. However, it is one of the household items that we come into contact with most often, as we lie on it for hours every night. Sheets and pillows hide it from our eyes, although it is constantly in use and accumulates not only hours of “work”, but also unsightly fabrics and elements.
It is estimated that in ten years your mattress spends about 30,000 hours of sleep, during which time it accumulates saliva, skin, sweat and hair that can attract unwanted guests. Considering that we lose about 500 million skin cells every day, it’s easy to imagine that a large portion of these seep into the folds of our bed over the years until the mattress falls into an undignified state. What happens then? The excretions from our skin make dust mites really greedy: once they land on the mattress, they not only stay there, but release their feces, which in turn can cause infections and allergies. According to an Ohio State University study, each mattress can harbor between 100,000 and 10 million of them.
In addition, bed bugs can nestle between the seams and cause bites and itchy patches on the skin, while our sweat creates an ideal environment for fungi and bacteria to grow. If you have a habit of sleeping with your pet, the likelihood of sleeping with fleas and ticks increases exponentially.
But there is another aspect that we do not pay attention to. Also, remember to never put your shoes on the bed to avoid bringing germs and bacteria into your sleeping space. But what can you do to remedy the situation, promote your bed hygiene and avoid possible health risks?
It is recommended to remove the mattress from the slatted frame twice a year and clean it thoroughly. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean all the crevices, seams and corners. Then check if there are any particularly dirty or stained areas and remove them with a teaspoon of dishwashing detergent in a cup of lukewarm water, but sparingly, because too much moisture can promote mold.
To eliminate unpleasant odors, you can sprinkle the mattress with baking soda 24 hours before vacuuming and place it in the sun. In any case, you should replace it with a new one after about 8-10 years: Apart from unpleasant deposits, it is important that it is intact, comfortable and suitable for a good night’s sleep.
How old is your mattress?
