As we spend around a third of our life in bed, it’s a place that we would not want to think of as being dirty. However, the truth is that your bed is not only a place where you sleep, but a home for bacteria, dust mites and faecal matter. Add to this the fact that we sweat around half a pint of perspiration every night, your bed isn’t so clean after all.
With these slightly gruesome facts in mind, here’s what we can do to help keep our beds as clean as possible.
Wash your sheets regularly
This may be obvious, but washing your sheets regularly is an important way of keeping your bed clean and removing bacteria. How often you wash your bed sheets is a personal preference, but it’s advisable to do this at least once every two weeks to help keep the place that you sleep clean and hygienic.
Wash your sheets in warm water of 40-60°C to kill bacteria without destroying the fibres and pattern of your sheets. Once the wash is complete, dry your bedding and go over it with an iron. The heat from the iron helps to kill off any remaining bacteria.
Keep your duvets and pillows clean
Whilst your duvet and pillows will most likely be protected by covers, they will still harbour dead skin cells, bacteria, dirt, oil, sweat and saliva. It’s advisable to clean your pillows regularly and look to replace them annually. You should aim to launder your duvet at least once a year.
Avoid putting dirty clothes on the bed
It can be tempting to sit on your bed in the clothes you have worn all day, or rest them on your duvet cover before folding them up or putting them in the laundry basket. However, this only serves to transfer dirt and bacteria from your clothes onto your bed.
Shower before bed
This may seem to be over the top, but if you can, showering before bed helps to remove any dirt on your body that has built up over the day.
Care for your mattress
To keep your mattress in great condition, it’s advisable to use a washable mattress cover that protects it from perspiration and any potential stains. This cover should be washing with your bedding. Vacuuming your mattress and bed base on a monthly basis also helps to remove dust particles and skin cells.
You should also turn your mattress over from side to side, and switch from end to end every few months as an extra measure to keep it fresh
Professional Mattress Cleaning
Whilst these steps are important for keeping your bed clean, the best way to remove the dust mites, along with the dead skin cells and bacteria that they feed on, is to invest in professional mattress cleaning.
Using specialist equipment, professional mattress cleaners can remove saliva, sweat and other stains and rid your mattress of dust mites and their waste.
For more information, call Domestique, professional house cleaners, on 0845 625 9897.