Pillows, Bedding and Bed Linens

Natural Allergy Cures


Pillows and Bedding

Within 12 months from new, a pillow will have increased in weight by 10 percent due to the presence of mites, mite droppings, and skin scales. In the past it was recommended that feather or down pillows and duvets should be replaced with synthetic bedding termed "non-allergenic" or "hypo-allergenic". However, there is conflicting evidence about which type of filling is best for allergy sufferers. Whether filled with foam or feathers, pillows should always be covered with barrier covers.

Bedspreads or quilts are probably best avoided as mites will breed in them, too, unless you are prepared to wash them weekly. Alternatively, in hot, sunny climates you can hang them in the sun or a few hours a week to kill the mites.

Bed Linen

All sheets, pillow cases, duvet covers, and any blankets should be washed weekly. This must be at a temperature of 56ºC/133ºF or above to kill the mites. At lower temperatures, the mites survive, although mite allergen and dead mites will be washed out. Some people get around this problem by adding mite-killing chemicals to lower-temperature washes. Of these, benzyl benzoate is the mildest and most studied, and is, therefore, probably your best choice. However, if you prefer not to have any traces of an acaricide next to your skin, you may prefer to invest in bed line that is washable at the right temperature to kill mites, or at least rinse the bed linen extra thoroughly if using such a product. Alternatively, freezing bedclothes for a few hours - in a domestic chest freezer - will kill the mites and allow you to use a lower wash temperature.

As an alternative to covering your pillow with a separate anti-mite barrier cover, there is now a type of pillow that comes ready-made with one. And since the material is also a physical barrier to bacteria, the pillow is also hygienic. In the future, other articles of bedding, such as duvets, may be available made out of the same material.


Natural Allergy Cures



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