If indoor allergies are a concern or already a problem, one of the best places to start protecting is the bedding. About one third of a lifetime is spent asleep, so if allergies are a concern or already an issue, making sure that the bedroom is a safe zone is crucial.
Regardless of whether the issue is with animal dander, mites or anything else, making the beds allergen free zones with a bit of housekeeping and allergy free bedding is a must. How Are Allergens in the Bedroom Fought?
1. Understand What The Most Common Allergens Are
When it comes to bedroom allergens, the major offenders are tiny insects which are invisible to the human eye, these are called dust mites. Pillows, mattresses, comforters are all hospitable areas of living for dust mites. Up to ten million dust mites can live in a typical mattress. These pests thrive in environments that are dark, humid and warm, they live off of the consumption of dead skin cells.
Although a threat to allergies in the bedroom, dust mites are not the only one out there. A source of extreme discomfort for anyone with allergies is pet dander. Any horizontal surface can accumulate dust, pet dander usually hangs in the air so measures must be taken to reduce the presence of pet dander in the bedroom.
2. Eliminate Any Problem Areas
When battling allergens, the first step should be to eliminate any excess upholstery and fabric. If feasible, it is very beneficial to have carpeting removed. If pet dander is an actual allergy being dealt with, no pets would be allowed in the bedrooms. To eliminate any lingering dander and dust, a HEPA vacuum as well as an HEPA filter can be used in the bedroom.
3. Use Allergen Barrier Covers
The next step would be to encase all box springs, mattresses and pillows with allergen barrier covers. The best living areas for dust mites are mattresses and bedding in general, if allergens are a concern, depriving these creatures of a home is a smart move. What is the particular allergen that is of concern? Allergy covers should be chosen with the pore size suitable for that particular allergen, product descriptions indicate the pore size.
Dust mite allergy: A pore size of ten microns or less.
For minimizing pet dander: A pore size of six microns or under.
4. Hypoallergenic Bedding Should Be Chosen
Anyone who suffers from allergies should use hypoallergenic filled bedding, some people find that the best choice is down alternative bedding. The comfort of down feathers is achieved with pillows, blankets, comforters and pads which are filled with down alternative material and allergies are not exacerbated.
5. What To Look For When Buying Allergy Free Bedding
Non-porous fabrics are not only inexpensive, they also provide the best protection against allergens. However, that type of fabric does not breathe as well as other fabrics, the sleeping environment provided may also be quite hot. The best fibers to consider are, cotton fabrics with laminated nylon membranes, fabrics that are microfiber polyester, or cotton fabrics which have very fine threads and are woven tightly.
The bedding that is bought should fully encase the entire bed, this includes the box-spring and mattress. Pillow protectors should also be purchased and there are brands which offer coverings for comforters as well.
Keeping the general household clean is one of the best way to prevent and handle allergens, however making sure that the bedding is allergy free is a very important step to avoiding allergies and discomforts.
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