How to Buy the Best Mattress

The ultimate guide to the best mattress types and brands.

dustmite

How to Vacuum a Mattress to Fight Dust Mites

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mattress and box springs from simmons
CC Flickr photo courtesy of castawayvintage.

Dust mites are microscopic organisms that live by eating human dead skin cells. They live all over the home in pillows, furniture, carpet and especially mattresses; since human body creates millions of dead skin cells during sleep to provide plenty of food. It is important to know how to clean a mattress since dust mites can cause health issues for people with allergies or respiratory conditions such as asthma. Proper mattress cleaning can effectively fight dust mite infestation.

Using a Vacuum Cleaner on Your Mattress

Any homeowner can get a good mattress cleaning using a high quality vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter. Since dust mites multiply quickly, a thorough vacuuming should be done on a regular basis. Between the mattresses should be vacuumed as well as box springs, under the bed and anywhere the mattress makes contact with the wall. Homeowners whose bedrooms are carpeted most likely need more help with cleaning a mattress since dust mites hide in carpeting.

Using a Steam Cleaner on a Mattress

Steam cleaners, when used with specially designed cleansers, disinfect and deodorize a mattress in addition to killing dust mites. Vapor steam cleaners come in a variety of styles and price ranges and can be a big help with mattress cleaning to help control dust mite infestation. A good cleaner will heat the water to 298 degrees; which is the temperature that also kills any mold and mildew in the mattress. For households with allergy or asthma sufferers, it is especially important to learn how to clean a mattress in a thorough manner.

Hiring a Professional

Hiring professional cleaning services is the best way to get effective mattress cleaning. Employees of professional companies are knowledgeable about health issues that can arise from dust mites and other pollutants found in mattresses. They are trained to use the correct tools to thoroughly clean mattresses and other dust mite hiding places. The vacuums that are used by professionals are more powerful than the average homeowner has at home. Most have filtration systems two times the size of vacuums sold in department stores.

Professional steam cleaning is another way to solve the dilemma of how to clean a mattress well enough to kill dust mites. Most companies use non toxic and natural cleaning solutions that don’t leave a residue that could aggravate allergy symptoms. A professional steam cleaning provides a deep cleaning to your mattress. Professional cleaners also apply an antibacterial and fungicidal spray on the mattress for protection between cleanings.

Mattress Maintenance

Maintaining a mattress that has been cleaned is just as important as knowing how to properly clean a mattress. Bedding should be washed at once a week with water that is at least 130 degrees. Specially designed fitted sheets, called dust mite encasings are effective for dust mite control. Most department stores sell tannic acid which can be sprayed on the mattress to deactivate dust mite feces that can aggravate people with allergies. Since dust mites thrive in conditions where there is a 50 percent or more humidity level, running a dehumidifier is helpful to fight dust mites in between a mattress cleaning to keep the level under 30 percent.

Other Resources for Getting Rid of Dust Mites in a Mattress

How to get rid of things has a good page with solid tips on getting rid of dust mites in a mattress.

The Dust Mite Protection site has a list of tips on getting rid of dust mites in your mattress.

Net Wellness is a university based site with a lot of good advice on fighting dust mites in general.

Did we miss anything? Is there anything wrong with this page? Was it helpful? Leave a comment and let us know, so that we can continue to improve it.

What is Living in My Mattress?

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CC Flickr photo of bed bugs courtesy of Medill DC.

Not everyone knows what is sleeping in their bed with them and if they knew, may reconsider sleeping at all. Since the year 2000, pest control companies have reported an over 80 percent increase in infestations of bed bugs in motels, hotels and private residences and most people do not know how to kill bed bugs in a mattress.

In addition to bed bugs, dust mites also set up residence in your beds and dogs and cats can offer their contribution by bringing in fleas and ticks as well. If you suffer from allergies, some of the effects may be due to dust mites in the mattress. Using a dust mite mattress cover can eliminate that problem and can also help keep bed bugs out of the mattress.

All Those Hungry Pests

Using a dust mite mattress cover can help keep them out of your mattress, but bed bugs may be another story. Bed bugs can go about a year without eating so starving them out is not how to kill bedbugs in a mattress. While they wait in the seams of your mattress, they grow hungrier. Unfortunately, they feed at night, when most people sleep, and they can be quick to jump on the first meal that becomes available.

Bed bugs thrive in mattress where history has shown them that a blood meal will eventually be available. A proper mattress cover will likely keep them off the mattress but they can live just about anywhere on or around the bed. Knowing how to destroy bed bugs in a mattress can be beneficial to prevent infestation as well as the irritating bites to which many people are allergic.

Some Facts about Bed Bugs

These bugs are small, about one-quarter-inch long and nearly as wide, they are flat with an oval shape. They can slither into many areas in the bed or bedding, even in some anti dust mite covers, remaining hidden from view and come out at night to feast on nearby warm-blooded animals. Humans are not the only source of food for bed bugs as dogs, cats and any other warm-blooded animal that ventures near could be considered a healthy blood meal. Keeping your mattress encased in a dust mite mattress cover can offer some protection from them hiding in the mattress and contain them if they do.

Knowing how to kill bed bugs in a mattress is one reason many people call in a professional service as soon as they see indications they are present. Others will try many of the powders and sprays available on the market before reaching out for professional help. Portable steam cleaners are one way how to kill bed bugs in a mattress, but if not used properly can cause injury as well as be ineffective. Many of the chemicals sold for residential use are not strong enough to work as well as those used by professionals.

Another method of destroying bed bugs in a mattress is to vacuum the mattress frequently making sure you get into the seams and small spaces. Remove any dust mite mattress cover before vacuuming and get your fingers into the seams and pull them open to make sure you get as many as possible.