Did you know that your mattress is one of the dirtiest things in your bedroom? As well as dust mites, your mattress can play host to many other nasties which can make you or your family unwell. Even worse, your mattress grows heavier over time simply because of the things living on or in it. Yuck!
There are three main nasties lurking in or growing on your mattress:
- Bacteria – your mattress is the happy home to bacteria which can make you sick. Common types include the stomach bug E.coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter which causes more stomach problems and the Norovirus which is like severe food poisoning.
- Fungi & Mould – these nasties can cause allergies, sickness and in some cases even death. You’ll commonly find Geotrichum, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Rhizopus and Alternaria living happily in or on your mattress.
- Dust Mites – researchers have found that the average mattress contains 10 million dust mites. If that wasn’t scary enough, they’re feeding off your dead skin cells! They love dark, warm and damp places and cause plenty of allergies in both kids and adults.
But wait, there’s more! In addition to the list above, here are six more you may not even have thought of:
- Food – ever eaten breakfast in bed? Chances are that some of that food has made its way onto your mattress. While it can’t make you sick, it does provide a breeding ground for bacteria.
- Sweat & Body Fluids – each night we sweat and this soaks into our sheets, blankets, pillows and mattresses. Don’t forget there are our body fluids like saliva and blood joining in the fun too.
- Skin Cells – we shed 500 million skin cells every day, including in bed. These cells build up in our mattresses and create a welcome food source for our resident dust mites.
- Chemicals – flame retardants, plasticisers and isocyanates are often found within the materials used to make a mattress
- Cosmetics – if you’ve ever gone to bed without removing your makeup, then it’s probably on your mattress. This also goes for other cosmetics such as skin creams and hair products.
- Urine & Faeces – if you have young children or older adults using a bed who suffer from incontinence, then urine and faeces may also be present. But just to gross you out more, the faeces from insects such as dust mites and cockroaches can also be found in mattresses too.
Take Cover With a Mattress Protector
How do you keep your family safe from bacteria, moulds and dust mites? Regular cleaning of your mattress and bedding is essential, as is the use of protective covers. A mattress protector mattress keeps a physical barrier between you and your mattress and can be machine washed. Order our quality mattress protectors or cot mattress protector from our online store today. It’s time to win the war against the nasties growing on your mattress!