Dust Mite Covers

Cheap Dust Mite Covers

Cheryl3 Comments
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Cheryl is CEO and President of AllergyStore.com. She has been helping people with allergies, asthma, COPD and MCS since 1998. She has also owned and operated an air duct cleaning company, mold remediation company as well as the local Aquathin water purification distributorship. If you have a question about the indoor environment and how to improve it, Chery Krause is the person to talk to.

If you have dust mite allergies, you must have a zippered dust mite cover for your mattress, pillow, and boxspring.

Purchasing all of these at once can be expensive. The good news is that a good dust mite cover should last for years, through numerous washings.  It is an investment in your health.

Looking at all the choices available on-line and in the big box stores can be overwhelming. What cover works best?  What cover is most comfortable? What cover is the cheapest?   These are all things to consider.

However, don’t be penny-wise and pound foolish.  The most inexpensive covers on the market today are made from materials such as vinyl and polypropelene.  It might be tempting to spend less than $20 on a dust mite proof vinyl cover for your queen bed but are you getting your money’s worth?

If a $20 vinyl cover is so hot and uncomfortable that you take it off the bed, you didn’t save any money.  If you have to put a mattress pad to cover up the feel of the vinyl, you probably haven’t saved money either, because that pad must now be washed every 7 days in 140 degree water or cooler water and De-Mite.  So, you saved money on the cover but end up spending it in either energy costs (to heat the additional water) or laundry additive costs (to buy the De-Mite)

So, for about $25 you think you will get the polypropelyene. Most allergy bedding places refer to this fabric as SMS – for spun down, melted, spun down – which describes how the three layers of polypro are created.  It is a bit more durable than vinyl and is not as prone to rips and tears from the bed frames.  It will provide dust mite allergy protection cheap, but are you saving money?

The SMS will be more comfortable than vinyl. Instead of the feel of sleeping on a plastic bag, it will be more like the feel of a paper sheet.  So, once again if you have to cover it with a pad to disguise the feel, you haven’t saved money. You are going to spend that money and more on the washing of the pad.  Also, when it comes time to wash the zippered dust mite cover you must use some sort of additive (like De-Mite) because you can’t wash SMS in hot water. SMS is cold water wash only, other wise it will fall apart. If your cheap dust mite cover falls apart in the wash, you haven’t saved any money.

Vinyl and SMS are cheap dust mite covers, but they are best left for the boxspring.   Since you don’t lay directly on the boxspring, comfort is not a factor.

Another category of fabric to consider if you want a cheap dust mite cover is the coated fabrics.  These dust mite covers are manufactured by taking a generic fabric (usually you will see cotton/polyester blends or all polyester) and with a heat process, laminating that fabric to a 1 milimeter thick urethane membrane.  It is the membrane coating that makes the fabric dust mite proof.  The membrane side of the fabric faces down, towards the mattress, and the fabric side faces up, towards the sleeper.  This makes the cover much more comfortable than the vinyl or SMS.  Because the fabric isn’t anything special, and urethane is a relatively inexpensive material, these types of fabrics are not terribly expensive.  However, you have to wash them carefully to keep the membrane from separating from the fabric. This means that you cannot use hot water, so a cooler temp and De-Mite must be used. You have to factor that cost in when figuring if the coated fabric is really saving you money.  Another downside to the dust mite proof covers made from coated fabrics is that the urethane tends to make the cover warm. This might not be a problem for you, but if you or anyone with whom you sleep is a “hot” sleeper, the urethane can make them sweat.  So if  you buy a coated fabric and take it off the bed because it makes you sweat, then it isn’t a cheap dust mite cover, because you wasted your money.

The most popular dust mite covers are made with what is called “microweave” technology.  This means that the weave of the fabric is so tight, the dust mite allergen cannot get through.  You will see everyone claims that their cover is the best and their pore size is the smallest.  As long as the pore size is under 8 microns, you will have protection.  The smaller the pore size, the more expensive it is to make the fabric, so the higher the costs.  So, a “cheaper” microweave with a 3 or 4 micron pore size really is a cheaper dust mite cover compared to the 2 micron fabrics.

In the long run, the cheapest dust mite cover might not be the one that costs the least the day you buy it, but it might be the one that costs the least over time.

Until next time

Cheryl Krause – AllergyStore.com

Don’t Be Cheap .. Invest In Quality Allergy Covers

admin2 Comments
Posted in Dust Mite Covers

Allergy Covers really make a difference with people who suffer from allergies. The symptoms of itching in both the eyes and nose to congestion are just some of the issues this person can have. For some people allergies and asthma go hand in hand and this can be an even more problematic situation. Purchasing allergy covers for all of these individuals can prevent constant flare ups and help with these many symptoms they experience.

Purchasing allergy covers for the mattress is one of the basic necessities for an allergy sufferer. Dust mites tend to hide in these areas and having a protective shield against them will help to ease the symptoms. There are many variations of this type of cover ranging from simple to superior.

All of these special covers can be washed frequently in hot water and have been designed to last anywhere from five to twenty years pending which type of coverage is selected. It is recommended to pick the best that the consumer can buy as the better the coverage the less the symptoms.

Dust mites hide in mattresses, comforters and also pillows. Protecting the pillows from the mites will lighten the allergy sufferer’s symptoms. The pillow covers come in many sizes, shapes and different fabrics such as cotton to sateen. The choices are plentiful and can be purchased online for convenience. These pillow covers will last for five to ten years pending on which item is selected. Frequent hot water washings are suggested to kill these dust mites as they can not be seen with the naked eye.

Purchasing these items can get costly at the beginning but worth every penny invested as these will make life a lot easier to deal with. The symptoms of the allergy sufferer can be controlled with these purchases. Laundering frequently with very hot water is the key to maintaining a healthy environment for the person with these issues.

Covers for the comforters are suggested for every person that suffers from these symptoms. Between the dust mites, everyday dust and airborne triggers the individual who suffers from these issues will need to protect the comforter. All these items are a constant trigger for the individual and build up on the surface levels of pillows, mattresses and comforters. Hot water laundering is recommended frequently.

For the individuals who suffer from both allergies and asthma, these covers are just what is needed to control the triggers. Bypassing these measures can make life terribly miserable for the individual who suffers from these issues. These purchases are relatively easy to implement and with the convenience of online purchasing, these items can be at the front door within days.

Allergies can come in so many different forms like some individuals are allergic to shellfish. Then there are some that can not consume peanuts. A wide variety of individuals have a sensitivity to dust mites, mold and grasses. Most of these allergies can be handled with medication and there are some people who go with allergy shots. The shots take some time to work and are given by an allergist who specializes in this field. Generally the shots are weekly and can take up to two years.

Allergists will generally recommend Allergy Covers to the person who suffers from these types of symptoms. These covers are a wonderful way to ensure the protection against these triggers and last for a good number of years depending on which product has been selected.

Not All Mattress Covers are Created Equal

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Some people think just because they put a cover on the mattress they are protected from dust mites. It all depends on what type of mattress cover you use.

Not all mattress covers are allergy covers. Not all allergy mattress covers are comfortable.

Over the years mattress covers used to fight allergies, mainly dust mites, have gotten better, lighter and cooler. In the beginning people slept on a heavy rubber mattress cover and talking about hot. I would rather sleep on concrete.

Here is an article on what allergy covers are.

Now there are companies that will tell you that dust mite covers do not work and are a waste of money. Funny thing is I’ve yet to find a doctor that will agree with that. The there are also people that will tell you it is all you have to do to be cured of your allergies to dust mites. Wrong again.

Taking care of your dust mite allergies is not a single thing you can do or a product you can buy.

Do your research.

Natural Does Not Mean Dust Mite Proof

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A mattress is a “big purchase” that will need to last for many years. Some people will keep a mattress for 10 to 15 years.

A mattress made with natural fibers are the best (and pillows and bedding too). Options  include wool, organic cotton, silk, hemp, and natural latex. Some people will tell you their mattress is dust mite and bed bug proof which is not exactly true.  Mattresses made with natural fibers may mean that the risk of dust mites is minimized, which will be a relief to many allergy sufferers, but they are not dust mite proof. Bed bugs can pretty much live in any mattress. No matter what type of mattress you end up getting you should consider putting a dust mite cover on it and your pillows.

You should not take a one size fits all approach when it comes to getting a new mattress. Talk to the sales person, do your research and think about what you are doing.

Remember, you will be spending a lot of time on it.