It is a mistake not to use protectors on mattresses or pillows
In homes there is a lurking enemy ready to cause problems for our health – from allergies, such as rhinitis, which is a trigger for asthma symptoms, atopic dermatitis, and pneumonia. This is humidity – the amount of water in the environment around us.
The World Health Organization recommends an ideal humidity level of between 50 and 60%, but this is difficult to achieve, due to some existing habits, such as:
1. Use environmental humidifiers
Our grandmother always said: “Leave the window open, because the more air comes in, the better your health.” What she meant was: the drier the environment, the healthier it is. Technically, the air in the room should be changed six times an hour. This is achieved by leaving windows and doors open (draft).
Environmental humidifiers (as well as tubs of water or wet towels) sound great, but they don’t have a “switch” that can turn this device off when the environmental humidity reaches 60%. On the contrary, it continues its function by raising this humidity to levels above 70%, which serves as a kind of catalyst for mite reproduction.
Composed of about 85% human skin flakes, household dust, combined with over 70% humidity, is a veritable feast for dust mites. These will produce fecal acorns that will be responsible for possible allergic conditions such as rhinitis, a trigger for asthma and atopic dermatitis, as well as promoting the appearance of molds whose spores, in addition to allergic processes, can destroy substances and cause pulmonary mycosis.
We should give preference to environmental dehumidifiers that remove environmental moisture.
2. Make your bed when you wake up
We lose about 2.4 liters of water every day (excrement, sweat, breathing). A big part of it is in bed at night. If we make the bed when we wake up, we will make it more difficult for the mattress to evaporate (dry), making life easier for dust mites. We should tidy the room about one to two hours after waking up, and ventilate the room.
3. Use the pillow for more than two years
A two-year-old pillow contains about a third of live dust mites, dead dust mites, and dust mite feces. It must be changed every two years. Avoid taking it on trips, it should not be washed and preference should be given to pillows made of latex.
4. Use “scented” perfumes on mattresses
These “scented” perfumes contain a large percentage of water, which increases local humidity, facilitating the life of dust mites and mold.
5. Place the pillow in the sun
By placing the pad in the sun (a very common practice), we heat the outdoor area, and internally the temperature is ideal for moths to mate. By placing it in the sun, we are actually creating a real “hotel” for dust mites. Place in a well-ventilated and shaded place.
6. In rooms for allergy sufferers, it is wrong to use carpets or rugs
Carpets and rugs, even when cleaned and vacuumed, contain a large amount of dust, which can cause all the problems previously described.
7. It is a mistake not to use protectors on mattresses or pillows
Mattress and pillow protectors, like zipper bags, are made of cotton on the outside and waterproof on the inside to prevent the passage of sweat, urine, or even vomit. It should be changed weekly. A mattress with a protector lasts an average of 7 years, without needing any type of cleaning.
“Friendly zombie guru. Avid pop culture scholar. Freelance travel geek. Wannabe troublemaker. Coffee specialist.”
