Ew! ‘Your bed is dirtier than a chimpanzee’s’
Did you know that chimpanzees appear to keep tidier sleeping arrangements than humans do?
When scientists at North Carolina State University analysed our sleeping habits and compared them with those of chimpanzees, they found that chimpanzees appear to keep tidier sleeping arrangements than humans do.
Mervyn Ewertse, founder and MD of Bed King explained that we tend to forget about the micro-organisms that often inhabit our mattresses – even if we regularly change our bedding.
“We spend about a third of our lives sleeping. Every time, we leave a piece of ourselves (in the form of dead skin cells) on our mattresses.”
He added that while dust mites are probably more of a nuisance than they are life-threatening, a house mite could do harm with just one bite, and can cause severe itching and/ or an allergic reaction.
“A recent study by the Microbiome Journal found that the average home collects about 18kg of dust every year. These particles have bacteria and fungus suspended in them. Gravity causes these dust particles to settle everywhere in the home, including on your bed.”
How dirty is your mattress?
Mervyn said asthma, eczema and hay fever sufferers will find their symptoms worsen in the presence of mites.
“The Allergy Foundation South Africa found there are an estimated 1 000 mites in the average bed. This varies according to the climate, as these pests prefer humid conditions. And it’s worse for those with carpets, with around 200 000 bacteria (per square inch) found in the average rug.
“Short-term solutions include regularly changing and cleaning your bedding plus investing in an allergy-free, waterproof mattress protector to help eliminate these allergy triggers. However, it’s best to look at long-term solutions like deep-cleaning your mattress,” advised Mervyn.
Consumer Reports suggested the following tips before embarking on your deep-cleaning endeavour. A shorter version of this can be incorporated when changing your bedding.
• Ensure you purchase a waterproof, anti-allergy, anti-bacterial mattress protector; change your linen every two weeks and rotate/ flip mattress monthly.
• You are also advised not to expose beds to direct sunlight as this can cause damage that could render the warranty null and void
• Depending on the type of mattress you have, flipping or rotating it monthly is recommended.
• And always put on a mattress protector – most warranties will become null and void if you don’t use a mattress protector.
Out with the old
Mervyn recommended buying a new quality mattress at the five to eight-year mark. This will vary depending on age and how well your bed is taken care of.
