Vacuum your mattress
Did you know that your mattress gains a pound every year? From what? (Warning: this is gross.)
- Dead skin cells (that’s bad enough)
- And Dead Dust Mites.
EWWWW!! Totally gross, right?
That’s what I thought, too. But, it gets even worse–this build up is especially bad for those of us with allergic asthma because most of us are allergic to dust mites and dander (skin cells).
The answer is two-fold (well, three-fold, actually).
First, vacuum your mattress (or have someone vacuum it for you) at least once a quarter, when you rotate it. It’s better to vacuum it more often (like monthly) but once a quarter is the minimum.
Second, get a mattress cover and wash it monthly. These can keep your mattress from absorbing sweat, and from taking on quite as many allergens. If you’re looking for anti-allergy bedding.
The third part is to replace your mattress every ten years or less. Yes, mattresses are expensive. Yes, they’re hard to shop for. But, after ten years most mattresses no longer offer the support you need and they’re usually 10 pounds heavier with allergens that you shouldn’t be breathing in each night.
Keeping your mattress free of allergens will definitely help you sleep better and can help your allergic asthma. So, pull out the vacuum cleaner today.