As if your current list of household chores wasn’t enough, I’m going to offer you a new job. If you keep reading, I think you’ll be happy to add it to your to-do list.
A word of warning though: put down that sandwich before you continue. Unpleasant revelations await you.
If you wake up with itchy skin or allergy symptoms like runny noses or watery eyes, suffer from asthma or eczema, or even just want a nice, clean bed, you should vacuum your mattress regularly. Here’s why.
Every month, we shed a golf ball-sized amount of skin cells. Some of them are shed outside or around your house, but a good portion ends up in your bed. Over time, they sink into your mattress, just like pollen and dander, aging it, affecting its elasticity and weighing it down.
That alone is gross enough to make you want to vacuum, but that’s not all. Dead skin cells promote fungus growth and, worse, they’re a favorite food for dust mites.
What are dust mites?
Dust mites are microscopic creatures, typically only 0.2-0.3mm long and unlikely to be visible to the naked eye (although you can see one in the image at the top of this article, which was taken under a microscope). They are known to cause allergies and are associated with the development of asthma.
Don’t confuse them with bed bugs, which are much larger micropredators that feed on blood. Bed bugs cannot be eliminated with a vacuum cleaner.
A mattress can contain thousands, if not millions, of dust mites. A dust mite lives about 65 to 100 days, and females can lay up to 100 eggs in their lifetime. Dust mites also produce thousands of particles of feces and leave partially digested dust particles in their wake, which can contribute to respiratory problems and itchy skin in people who are simply trying to get a good night’s sleep.
How to get rid of dust mites?
Washing your bedding in hot water (at least 60°C/140°F) will kill dust mites, but it won’t help your mattress, which can’t be thrown in the washing machine.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
Emma Rowley / Foundry
Emma Rowley / Foundry
To do this, you need to vacuum your mattress thoroughly. Here’s how to do it:
- If your vacuum has a motorized upholstery or pet attachment, use that. If not, the main floor attachment is fine, but make sure it’s clean before using it on your bed.
- A bristled cleaning attachment can help agitate fibers and dislodge dust for a deeper clean.
- Use the high suction mode on your vacuum cleaner.
- Take your bed apart and slowly move over the surface of the mattress: dust mites can be tenacious.
- Pay special attention to seams, buttons, and any places where dust might collect. Use a crevice tool or brush to reach these areas if necessary.
- Turn your mattress over and do the same on the other side.
- Set a reminder to vacuum your mattress regularly, at least every six months, but once a month is better. Dust mite season lasts from May to October, but you should continue to vacuum your mattress throughout the winter.
- Once your mattress is finished, do the same for your sofa.
Which vacuum cleaner is best for cleaning your mattress?
For this type of cleaning, power is not enough. To deep clean your mattress, you will need a vacuum cleaner with powerful suction and, ideally, a HEPA filter.
A HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter is a filter that meets the HEPA standard, meaning it removes at least 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns and traps them inside the vacuum cleaner bin.
Without a HEPA filter, small particles will be released into the air, including dust mite allergens. This means that people with asthma and allergies will continue to experience symptoms, even after vacuuming.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
Emma Rowley / Foundry
Emma Rowley / Foundry
Here are some of the best vacuums we tested that have a HEPA filter:
Other trust models include:
It’s even better to opt for a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter and full filtration. This means that the entire machine is sealed to ensure that no dusty air is expelled from the vacuum. Dyson is an expert in this area. Take a look at our Dyson cordless vacuum cleaner round-up to find the best one for you.
You can see all of our top vacuum cleaner recommendations in our best vacuum cleaners roundup.
