We spend one third of our lives sleeping. So, one quality of one third of our lives depends mostly on the comfort of our mattresses. We can buy the best mattress we can afford or the best mattress available on the market, but if the mattress is not clean regularly, we open ourselves to all sorts of trouble. For our mattresses are not only hosting us, but also tiny little insects called dust mites.

Mites live among us and most of the time we are not aware of them. They are everywhere: in curtains, carpets, all kinds of upholstery, even our pillows. But the mattresses are their favorite place, because they not only offer shelter to them, but food as well. Mites have only one item on their diet: dead skin of humans, which we shed copiously, totally unaware, at the range of about two pounds per year.

So, if we do not see them, shy should we worry about mites? They do not carry any diseases and do not bite. The problems only show themselves if we are asthmatic or prone to allergies. Some people never suffer from any allergy their whole lives, but suddenly develop violent reaction to something, like peanuts or dust mites. For children and elderly, such allergic reactions can be really dangerous.

So, let’s get rid of them, you say. The problem is that we cannot completely do that, but we can make their life with us, in our mattresses or curtains or carpets so unpleasant that they leave of their own accord. They like places that are humid and warm, with plenty of food, so that is what we have to target: make our homes dry and as clean as possible.

A recent European study shows that older mattresses and poor ventilation are among the major reasons for high concentration of mites in mattresses. They also found that lower floors of a home have higher humidity and, in consequence, mattresses in lower floor rooms have more dust mites.

There are few other things we have to do if we suffer from allergic reaction to dust mites. One of them is to avoid sleeping in basement rooms, where the humidity is generally higher. Carpets should be removed from bedrooms – it is much easier to clean hard surfaces like wood or tiles. Mattresses need to be cleaned yearly and replaced every five years or so. The less often you clean them, the shorter time they will last. Good mattresses are expensive, so it is in your interest to invest a modest sum in regular cleaning than to spend much larger sum on the mattress replacement. Another good idea is to cover your mattress in a special mite-proof covering. Such covering is in fact just a tightly woven fabric, which prevents mites from getting into the mattress core. Feather pillows and duvets are normally encased in such fabric to prevent feathers from poling out, so they are naturally better choice than synthetic ones.

Cleaning mattresses should be done by professionals. We simply do not have the equipment to do the kind of cleaning that is required. It is important to avoid using any product that requires adding moisture, which mites love. Good, experienced carpet, upholstery and mattress cleaners use dry techniques or ultra-violet rays, currently the industry standard. Check your local Yellow Pages, or ask your friends, who are the mattress cleaner with the best reputation.

If you live in Calgary, call Oxy-Genie Mattress Cleaning Calgary, a company with years of experience taking care of your friends and neighbors’ carpets, mattresses and upholstery, using the latest green products. Let them make sure that your home is not welcoming to dust mites.