Giving Your Mattress Quality Care
You’ve been maintaining the house, cleaning surfaces around the premises as part of the routine chores. It’s a normal part of life, improving the aesthetics, getting rid of allergens and pollutants, changing the ambience and reducing stress levels in the house. However, when did you last have the mattress cleaned? Many go for years, yet it is a key part of routine maintenance that is required. While not easily noticeable, there are loads of filth covering the mattress at a microscopic level. From the dead skin cells that are shed as one sleeps, the dust mites that they sustain, to the sweat that gets produced overnight and accumulates in the mattress – this build up makes that cosy unit a breeding ground for armies of microbes. The longer that mattress stays without being cleaned, the greater the amount of gunk that amasses in it, making it one of the dirtiest furnishing items in the household. This will have a negative effect on your health and affect your sleeping patterns. Moreover, the lifespan of the mattress itself is on the line. Let’s delve into why having a deep mattress cleaning is vital.
A haven for dust mites
Of all the tiny creatures making your mattress their home, probably none is as infamous as the dust mite. Too small to be seen by the naked eye, there could be millions of dust mites lodged in the fabric and foam of the mattress, feasting on the dead skin cells and organic residue left all over. The thought of sleeping in a bed with all those tiny creatures walking around you can be unnerving. While they won’t bite you, they bring about a different problem: allergies.
Did you know that dust mites are one of the primary causes of allergic rhinitis? This is due to the faecal residue they produce, which comes with protein elements that trigger reactions in sensitive people. This ranges from coughs and sneezes, to asthma attacks and even skin allergies. Do you find yourself with nasal congestion the moment you get into bed? Watery eyes, pimples, dry skin – they can all be a sign of the dust mites colonising your mattress. It’s particularly problematic for persons with sensitive skin, and existing respiratory conditions like asthma and bronchitis. The elderly, as well as persons with weak immune systems, are especially at a higher risk. Regular vacuuming, as well as a deep mattress cleaning that flushes out the tiny dust mites from your unit, is needed.
When drinks spill over
That occasional breakfast in bed is a pleasant surprise. Whether it’s by your significant other or your kids have decided to pamper you right from the dawn of the day – it warms the heart. All is fine and dandy – unless there is a spill. That coffee or tea mug falling over and covering the sheets in the liquids – a lot of which seeps through to the mattress, creates a mess that needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. Midnight snacks, bringing your wine glass with you to bed as you read that novel or browse through social media on your phone before calling it a day – they will all have risks of spills, which will be troublesome for your mattress. For the food crumbs, these can attract different kinds of pests, including insects. A thorough mattress cleaning that gets rid of the gunk that has been building up within the unit over the months and years of its usage will restore the vibrance to the unit.
Your mental health is on the line
The condition of the mattress has a direct impact on your quality of sleep. Tossing and turning in bed all night because of the gunk that is riddling the mattress and triggering reactions will make bedtime exhausting, which is different from what you expect when you tuck into bed. Uncomfortable nights affect your day-to-day life, where you’re all grumpy and tired. The worries about you and your loved ones
being exposed to health risks each time you sleep also takes away your peace of mind. Get back control by scheduling a mattress cleaning session.
Storing Your Mattress
For those cases where the mattresses are not being used for a while and are being stored away – such as when you’re relocating, cleaning out a guest room, or redecorating the residential space, there are a couple of issues that need to be considered:
Thorough cleaning
Just as is with any other item that you plan to store away for a while, thorough mattress cleaning is needed for its longevity. Storing the mattress when it is dirty puts its structural integrity at risk due to the build-up of residue. During the cleaning, particular attention should be paid to the creases as these are typical dirt collection points.
A cover provides additional protection during storage. This also shows the importance of mattress cleaning before placing a cover on the unit, since skipping the cleaning would lead to dirt getting trapped in the material and being pushed deeper into the structure of the mattress.
The last thing you want is to lock away the mattress and find it infested with mould and mildew later on. The choice of storage location is critical. Ideally, this should be in a climate-controlled setting, where the temperature and humidity conditions can be maintained to levels that are similar to that in your house. In addition, you should ensure that after the mattress cleaning it has fully dried before you lock it away.
Do not store the mattress upright, or on its side. The normal form and placement that it had while on the bed should be maintained in storage. This is to avoid a case where the innerspring core, coils and other components of the mattress get dislodged and ruined. Leave it flat, and don’t go piling up boxes and other objects on it, as these would cause there to be undue stain on the mattress springs, causing them to wear out while in storage.
