Mattresses: Why You Should Be Concerned

[Guest guest]

I've been researching this more.

*Your* common mattress likely has mold.

Look at this analysis:

http://www.babysake.com/analysis.htm

I'm sure this happens in regular adult mattresses as well.

I didn't think about the fact that fungi would not only proliferate

but would digest some of the chemicals and release toxins.

And here's something interesting from a journal article that examines

the amount of fungi/molds in mattresses based on the kind of mattress

cover used. The point to me is not the mattress cover but that

mattresses ALL GET MOLD:

http://www.jle.com/fr/revues/medecine/ejd/e-docs/00/01/86/BF/article.md

And this:

Mites

Mites, or acarids, are tiny, spider-like creatures only about 0.3

millimetres long. They are therefore invisible to the naked eye. Two

species which live in household dust are very important in respiratory

allergies: Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae

to give them their Latin names.

Dermatophagoides mites feed on human scales or flakes which shed from

the skin. They are found mainly in bedding (pillows, mattresses,

eiderdowns, etc.) because this is where we lose the most scales (our

skin rubs against the sheets). Feeding on shed skin is not enough for

these mites. They also feed on a microscopic fungus (mould) which

grows mainly on mattresses.

To complete this delightful picture, it may be interesting to know

that people with mite allergy are not allergic to the mites

themselves, but to their...droppings. Mite excreta seem to be highly

allergenic.

Mites are much more numerous in bedding than on the bedroom floor. One

gram of dust taken from a mattress could contain anywhere from

2,000-15,000 of them!

When you sleep on a mattress, the temperature (between 20°-30° C) and

relative humidity (dampness) created by your body provide ideal

conditions for these unsavoury little creatures to reproduce, as well

as ideal growing conditions for the mould on which they feed.

Tip: A fundamental rule

1. Air out your bed every single day; do not immediately make the bed

as soon as you get up .

2. Even if your bedroom is cool and dry (which would be ideal because

too much heat dries out mucous

membranes, encouraging rhinitis and asthma), you should nevertheless

thoroughly air out the sheets at least twice a week.

3. Blankets should be made either of cotton or synthetic fabrics that

can be washed in hot water (55°C or above). Pillows should be filled

with synthetic material, not feathers, and mattresses should be

covered with plastic or allergen-excluding material. If the mattress

has not been covered, it should be thoroughly vacuumed at least once a

week.

4. Every night while we are asleep, the temperature of our body and

our breathing give mites just the

right conditions they need to grow and breed. So change the sheets as

frequently as possible.

5. Other rooms in the house should be given equal attention, although

not so often. Pay particular attention to floors, armchairs, cushions,

curtains and drapes.

Symptoms:

Allergy to household dust (especially to mites) can come out as

asthma, rhinitis and/or atopic dermatitis (eczema). Flare-ups usually

happen just after the sufferer wakes up. Symptoms last all year long

but tend to be worse in autumn and winter, when it is wetter.

Above 1500-1800 metres altitude, both types of allergy-causing mites

are virtually non-existent. They simply do not like dry mountain

climates! Which makes them ideal places for mite-allergy sufferers to

live or holiday.

Eviction (getting rid of the allergen) is the best way of reducing or

eliminating an allergy to mites. First see to the bedroom, then go to

work on the rest of the house.

Making a bedroom or a house " dust-free " means identifying and

eliminating any materials where Dermato-phagoides mites could hide and

grow.

1. Replace bedding materials (mattresses, pillows, eider-downs,

bolsters) containing wool, kapok, cotton, horse hair, feathers, or

down with synthetic materials (foam rubber, polyester, dacron, etc.).

2. Buy blankets and curtains made of synthetic fabrics.

3. Remove all down, wincyette, and flannel.

4. Remove thick throw rugs and animal skins.

5. Replace fitted (wall-to-wall) carpets and rugs with vinyl or

parquet flooring; the room will also be easier to clean.

6. Get rid of cushions not filled with synthetic materials, as well as

anything made of wool or cotton.

7. Reduce the number of " dust collectors " such as intricate or bulky

decorations: heavy drapes, double curtains, tapestries, etc.

8. Use the vacuum cleaner more often around the house; in particular,

vacuum mattresses and bedding thoroughly and regularly (preferably

when the allergy sufferer is not there!).

9. Get rid of green (non-flowering) house plants

10. Keep teddy bears and woollen toys out of children's bedrooms.

Vacuum cleaners are now available which, when used with special

accessories, are very effective for cleaning mattresses. The best ones

have a filter which prevents exhaust air from blowing dust into the room.

Tip: Avoid unnecessary costs!

Hypo-allergenic materials which are impenetrable to house-dust mites

are useful for covering

mattresses, duvets or pillows, but they can be expensive. Obviously,

they will only help persons allergic to mites, not with other allergies!

from:

http://www.xyzofallergy.org/?mode=articleRead & id=51

[Guest guest]

Responding to a post from back in April, but I posted about this a year

or more ago, that I bought an air mattress and really like it. It

smelled strongly right out of the bag, but I blew it up and sat it out

on a sunny screened in porch to air out, and within a week was okay for

me. They are very comfortable and you can wipe them down to clean

them. I bought a high rise queen size one so I'm off the floor but you

can buy them in size to fit into a platform bed frame if you shop

around. Inexpensive and no place for dust mites or fungus to hide.

>

> I've been researching this more.

> *Your* common mattress likely has mold.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks. It never sprang a leak, nor needs to be re-inflated? What brand?

> >

> > I've been researching this more.

> > *Your* common mattress likely has mold.

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

No, the air bed has never sprang a leak. Of course this is air bed,

not water bed.

If you are afraid one might pop on you, don't get a high rise, get a

low rise one so you don't fall as far. I think they do make a

statement on mine that they aren't intended for every day use to

cover themselves. However these are advertised as temporary beds for

company. Many young people use them for apartments though on regular

basis since they move so often. I don't know if they have

this 'warning' on the type sold for inserts into platform beds

though. They look made for everyday use. In fact the very

expensive " Control Number " bed, or whatever they are called are

basically air beds with foam on top and a remote control for

adjusting amount of air inside them. I've slept on one and they

aren't more comfortable than my inexpensive air bed and they are over

a thousand dollars.

I've used it for over a year now and I just press a button on bed end

to automatically pump more air into mattress if it feels too soft and

if too hard, I just press button other way to let some air out and

make it softer. You can find them lots of places: sporting goods

places have them for campers, but Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond OR

Linen's and Things (I get them confused) are likely to have some that

can fit into frame of bed, or have other cushiony features to use at

home, rather than camping. You can wash them outside with hose and

dry them in the sun. Most have a velour type of top so sheets don't

slip off. Otherwise they are all smooth plastic. I sat mine out on

porch to air out but since they are all plastic, you could just sit

them in yard or air out. Wash them down and dry them in sun right

out of the box.

Brand: Beautyrest makes one but I didn't like it. Bought it

and took it back. I bought Walmarts own brand, I think it's called

Home Basics or something like that. It is not designed to be

inserted into platform bed since I don't have platform bed right now,

but they sold one like that. I'd like to get one and put air

mattress in it rather than regular mattress, but mine is regular air

mattress only it is high rise, so you aren't sleeping so close to

ground. I bought it to put in a temporary apartment I stayed in and

liked it so used it when I moved home rather than bed I had at home.

--- In , " jill1313 " <jenbooks13@...>

wrote:

>

> Thanks. It never sprang a leak, nor needs to be re-inflated? What

brand?

>

[Guest guest]

P.S.

Re: Needs reinflating?: Mine or most have electric cord you plug bed

into that automatically pumps air into it, so if it needs more air,

you just plug it in, or leave plugged in and press a button to put

more air in, as I mentioned before. Some of the camping air

mattresses may not use electricity to pump up. I don't know about

those, like brand.

Re: additional thought on possible bursting: you can easily make a

platform bed and put the standard air mattresses on top. If a

standard air mattress burst, you wouldn't fall far, and they are made

pretty rugged.

Making a platform bed:

Twin size, you can buy at Home Depot a plain wood door. If it is

hollow inside as many are, it is very lightweight but sturdy. Get

one that has no design, so it is perfectly flat. Their cheapest one

is plain and hollow. There is a standard door size that is almost

exact same size as a twin bed. Paint it, put it up on bricks, or

cinder block or just cut-off wood supports, you can cut wood to any

height you want bed. and you have a platform bed. You can put a

painted board at head of bed if you want to protect wall and fasten

it to bed head BUT unless you are good carpenter don't use headboard

as support for head of bed, use the feet and also add wood for

headboard as addt support.

For larger size bed, just get thick, unmoldy plywood and paint. Put

feet in middle of bed also, middle going across and middle going

lengthwise too to make sure it can't buckle or break anywhere since

plywood will not be as strong as door you can use for twin bed.

Anyway, that will keep you off floor in standard size air mattress.

Paint it with enamel paint. Black enamel looks sharp, or stain it if

you want to get fancy. Put felt under feet to protect floor and your

air mattress on top. It's not hard.

[Guest guest]

I would have said exactly what Barb said and went through the exact same steps.

The beautyrest was awful and the best (that I tried) hands down was Wal-Marts

own brand. I did end up frustrated and got a futon but have ended up with the

same problems as in a matress. I will end up back on an air matress when I can

get something to raise it off the ground more like a regular bed. Until then I

am useing 2 high thread count matress pads and found 400 (or something like

that) thread count sheets on clearance at Sears. Same with pillow covers and

hypoalergenic pillows. So far my favorite is some sort of spacial foam with

holes in it is the best I can describe it and the fact that it was 20 dollars.

 

But again Barbs information is exact.

 

Chris...