We spend about a third of our lives in bed, so it’s worth investing in a good-quality mattress and ensuring that blankets, pillows and other bedding are clean and aired.
A good night’s sleep gives the body an opportunity to rejuvenate. It gives muscles and soft tissue time to recover and repair, and the mind a chance to process memories. Poor bedding can disturb sleep adversely affecting health, mood and quality of life.
BLANKETS, PILLOWS AND SHEETS
- Air and shake out your bedding regularly. This distributes the filling evenly and combats dust mites and other pests that like warm, dark places.
- Hang blankets and pillows outside on a clothesline on a dry day. However, don’t hang out anything with a feather filling in intense sunlight, as this can make it brittle and porous.
- Wash bedding in a washing machine only if the washing drum is big enough to handle it. If not, have it cleaned commercially.
- Use a gentle detergent or hair shampoo to wash feather or down pillows and then put them in the dryer at a low temperature together with a clean tennis ball, which prevents the filling from clumping. Do not vacuum anything made with down or feather, as you risk thinning out the filling.
- If you suffer from allergies, wash your bedding frequently and use pillows and blankets made from synthetic materials or rayon and with synthetic filling, not feathers. These are easier to wash; dry to get rid of mites.
MATTRESSES
- Prevent lumps from forming by turning a mattress every 3 months and flipping it twice twice a year. However, a memory foam mattress should never be turned.
- A mattress must be aired and cleaned regularly. Take it out of the bedroom and let it breathe. Then, place a damp sheet on the mattress and beat it. The cloth will pick up the dust and can be laundered.
- Dust a mattress using the upholstery nozzle on the vacuum cleaner whenever you change the sheets.
- Buy a special mattress protector if you have severe dust-mite allergies. It will protect the mattress against mites and can be washed at a high temperature.
- Consider mattress covers made of cotton with a polyurethane backing. They are easy to move and wash, and protect mattresses against stains.
- Rub off fresh bloodstains with cold water, then rub in a little shampoo. Lather with a stiff brush then rinse with cold water. Leave to dry naturally.
GOOD TO KNOW
Good mattresses come in many varieties. They may have a core of synthetic material, such as foam, latex or interior springs, or the core may be made from natural materials such as coconut, horsehair, straw or seaweed. The covering usually consists of linen, cotton or raw silk. Mattresses with a natural core should be refurbished after about 5 years, as they wear out more quickly than latex or spring mattresses. If you’re plagued by allergies, opt for a dust-free, antibacterial mattresses of foam or latex.
Make your bed, your bedroom — and your entire home — the cleanest and comfiest haven for you and your family. Get help from professional cleaners for best results.