A doctor has issued an urgent warning to homeowners over dust mites and shared a grim reason why you should vacuum your mattress as often as you wash your bedsheets
Washing the bedsheets is just one of many important household chores that needs to be done regularly.
Experts say they should be washed once every one to two weeks for health reasons. However, have you ever tried vacuuming your mattress? According to a doctor this could be vital to help you avoid respiratory problems, as well as allergic reactions and asthma flare ups.
NHS surgeon and well known social media figure, Dr Karan Raj, took to video sharing platform TikTok to explain why. In response to another video where the creator tried vacuuming his mattress, Dr Raj explained: “What you’re looking at isn’t just dust. Unfortunately, it’s a forbidden cocktail of dead skin cells, dust mites and their excrement.
“Every night you share your bed with a few million dust mites.” He warned of some of the health complications that can come from this, reports the Express. “They love to take dumps on your bed and sadly dust mite faeces contain a protein that’s a major trigger for asthma and other allergies,” he said.
“You see these microscopic fiends are attracted to filthy environments as well as that 1.5 grams of dead skin cells you shed on a daily basis to feed them.” To reduce the allergen load he recommended vacuuming your mattress on a “regular basis”. You can vacuum away a “significant amount” of the mites, their faeces, dead skin cells, pet dander and pollen, Dr Raj said.
He added: “This reduces the risk of these allergens causing itchy eyes, a runny nose or sneezing and less chance of these exacerbating existing allergies, asthma, skin breakouts and other respiratory issues. Ultimately the improved hygiene quality in your mattress means you probably get a better night’s sleep and you extend the life of your mattress.
“It’s probably also worth investing in our mattress protector that you can throw in the wash every time you wash your sheets.” Ideal Home supports this advice, suggesting that vacuuming your mattress every few months can help remove dust and debris. However, they note that this is less necessary if you use a mattress topper.
Symptoms of a dust mite allergy may include:
- Sneezing
- Runny nose
- Itchy, red or watery eyes
- Nasal congestion
- Itchy nose, roof of mouth or throat
- Postnasal drip
- Cough
- Facial pressure and pain
- Swollen, blue-coloured skin under your eyes
- In a child, frequent upward rubbing of the nose
