Recently, we wrote about the importance of getting a good night's sleep and how it can impact your physical and emotional well-being. However, if you suffer from allergies, irritants can build up in your bedding over time that make it difficult for you to rest comfortably. With this in mind, it's essential that you take the appropriate steps to ensure that your mattress, sheets and pillows are as dirt-free as possible. A great time to do this is during your annual spring cleaning ritual.
Here are some tips for keeping your mattress in good shape:
1. Clean the mattress cover – In most cases, you can just throw this in the washing machine on the hottest setting, then put it in the dryer along with a couple clean tennis balls. If there are stains on the fabric, first soak it in a solution specifically designed to tackle these unappealing spots.
2. Sprinkle baking soda on it – A light dusting of this versatile household cleaner helps draw out moisture and dirt. Home decor and maintenance magazine Real Simple recommends leaving the baking soda on the mattress for a couple weeks.
3. Vacuum it – Using a machine with a HEPA filter, which captures 99.97 percent of dust and allergens, vacuum up the baking soda next time you change your sheets. You'll also suck up all of the debris that the chemical compound has trapped.
For information about allergy products – including bedding and mattress covers that can reduce the presence of dust mites, pet dander and other common irritants – check out the Allergy Be Gone website. You can also purchase cleaning supplies and a respirator mask to ensure that your spring cleaning is as safe and symptom-free as possible.
