A bedroom should be a place of sanctuary and relief. It is the last place you want to be allergic to, yet it’s typically the dirtiest room in the house which makes it the most allergenic space in your home
If your bedroom is causing you to sneeze or wheeze, it’s time to make some changes to eliminate allergens and manage asthma triggers.
We spend a third of our lives sleeping, yet sheets and bedding are not washed often enough, allowing a tremendous buildup of dust mites, pet hair, mold, and other allergens. Ask the average consumer when they last washed or replaced their pillows, and the typical honest answer is six years ago.
Décor is another big contributor to the issue since people often decorate bedrooms in a way that makes them difficult to clean. Carpets harbour all sorts of allergens so dispense with carpets if you can and if not, be sure to vacuum thoroughly and often.
It is no surprise, then, that more than one-third of the people polled in a recent study said that they suffer more allergy symptoms in their bedrooms than in any other room in their homes.
For people with allergies and asthma, hypoallergenic pillows are a must. Many experience respiratory issues during the night due to lower cortisol levels and a reaction to dust mites living on the dander in a down feather pillow.
Pillows are a breeding ground for dust mites, the microscopic bugs that live in all homes and feed on the flakes of skin that slough off the bodies of humans and other living things. You cannot be fully rid of dust mites, but you can take steps to greatly reduce their numbers in your home.
A good hypoallergenic pillow setup will have three layers: the pillow, a zippered pillow cover, and the pillowcase. Avoid down pillows and blankets, because they can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms and are typically dry-clean-only, which can add to the toxins in your sleep space.
Make sure you follow the pillow rule of threes:
1. Wash zippered pillow cover every three weeks
2. Wash your pillow every three months
3. Replace each pillow every three years.
Sheets:
1. Wash your sheets weekly, including the pillowcase, in warm water.
2. Try to rotate your sheets, so always have a backup set.
3. If you have a cold or sickness, try to change the sheets daily until your symptoms abate.
Dust mites can also build up in mattresses, so consider a hypoallergenic mattress cover that completely encompasses the mattress and has zippered closings.