Expert ReviewedHow to Choose Non Allergenic Bedding Three Methods:Reducing Allergens in Your BeddingFind an Allergen Free MattressCreating an Allergen Free BedroomCommunity Q&A The average person spends as much as one-third of their lifetime in bed. As a result, reducing allergens in the bedroom is very important. While dust mites are the bedroom allergen that most often comes to mind, bedrooms can also pose problems for people with pet and dust allergies as well because of the soft, fabric furnishings. In addition to your regular cleaning of your bedroom’s floors and furniture surfaces as well as washing your sheets weekly in hot water, choosing hypoallergenic bedding is especially important for those who suffer from allergies. To reduce your allergy suffering, you should aim to buy quality allergen-free bedding. Choose hypoallergenic or anti-allergenic comforters and blankets. This can be very important to allergy free sleep. There are some fibers and fillings that make great homes for mold, dust mites, and many are difficult to clean.
Choose a hypoallergenic fiber fill that is machine washable. Pure wool or silk make excellent choices. While hypoallergenic material decreases your risk of an allergic reaction, anti-allergy material is aimed at preventing or minimizing your allergic reaction. You can still have a down comforter but look for a brand that cleans their down with a special process designed to remove allergens. Comforters made of fine threads of cotton, or polyester with a nylon membrane can be very useful, too. Buy bedding that can withstand frequent washing. Bedding should be washed weekly in hot water with laundry detergent that does not contain fragrances or dyes to ensure removal of allergens. The instructions with your purchase should outline how frequently they can be washed. Make sure you have the right pillow. A pillow is important to comfortably rest your head, but can also leave you waking up with a stuffy nose and watery eyes. Make sure that you choose a pillow that you can put a dust mite encasing on.
Natural latex, wool, or silk fills are naturally resistant to dust mites, mold and bacteria but are not typically washable. A natural memory-foam pillow will be naturally resistant to dust mites but can be susceptible to mold and or mildew. Pay attention to pore size. The average pore size refers to the size of the openings in the fabric. This can be a good indicator of how likely it is to allow allergens in or keep them out. The smaller the pore size the size, the more allergens will be kept at bay. Membrane bedding offers the best protection for severe allergy sufferers. Many times bedding comes with an inner, non-porous layer that prevents any allergens from getting through. This is also breathable and waterproof bedding and makes a great purchase for chronic allergy sufferers. Membrane free bedding will block most allergens while at the same time remaining a very breathable material. This will not have the non-porous layer so you will want to pay attention to the pore size to know what types of allergens you are susceptible to.
Pet dander is typically 2.5-10 microns, mold spores 10-30 microns, and dust mites 250-300 microns. Determine whether or not you need to replace your mattress. A good-quality dust mite-resistant mattress cover might be sufficient, but if not, or if you're planning to purchase a new mattress for other reasons, consider a latex mattress which is so impervious to dust mites that you probably won't need a dust mite-resistant mattress cover. Latex mattresses are also resistant to mildew, mold, and bacteria. Mattresses made from organic wool are also considered by some to be a good choice because organic wool is naturally resistant to fire and mold, in addition to dust mites. Avoid chemicals as much as possible when selecting allergy-free bedding items. Try to avoid flame retardants, pesticides, and synthetic fibers that are usually found in conventional mattresses. Pay attention to what's on the inside. Coil and spring mattresses are the worst choice for an allergy sufferer. These inside spaces create fertile ground for allergen inducing creatures like dust mites to live and reproduce.
Also avoid fluffy pillow top mattresses as these create fertile ground for allergens to be stored and reproduce. Instead choose memory foam or latex mattresses. Purchase dust mite encasings for your mattress. The encasings, which resemble standard zippered pillow and mattress covers, will trap any dust mites inside.[5] Look for brands made of fabric with a pore size of less than 100 microns, which is the average size of a dust mite. To be an effective barrier against dust mites, the encasings should have an average pore size of 6 microns or smaller. The dust mites themselves are typically no smaller than 100 microns, but their feces can be much smaller.Various allergens can be reduced in your bedding by taking measures in your bedroom. Extra things like throw pillows, stuffed animals, and a bevy of other decorative accents to your bedding can just give allergens more places to live and to seep into your bedding. Get rid of these extras to cut down on allergens. Keep pets out of your bedroom.