I have for you 7 Mattress facts that will shock you!
Sleep is so important isn’t it? it takes up 1/3 of our life after all and it plays a huge part in our health and well being, yet how much care do we really take over it? I know have never really given my mattress a great deal of thought before but after reading thes mattress facts I really am inspired to give it much more careful attention and consideration.
Did you know, it’s thought that the average mattress can double in weight every eight years thanks to a less-than-lovely combination of human debris, sweat and dust mites?
This means that, over time, we can end up sharing our bed with residents that we’d much rather weren’t there.
March is National Bed Month and between 13th – 26th March, Vorwerk has launched a dedicated campaign to help you #ReclaimYourMattress.
Why do we need to reclaim our mattresses?
Well I have a few rather shocking facts to share with you and after reading them you will definitely know why we need to reclaim our mattress.
Are you ready ?
7 Mattress facts that will shock you!
We lose half a pint of fluid (sometimes more!) every night – most of which ends up in our mattresses. I had no idea about that did you – shocked!Oh my goodness no wonder it is heavy.
We also lose a pound of skin (sometimes more!) when asleep every year – making our beds a favourite breeding ground for the common dust mite. Ick Ick ick thats a bit gross
As a consequence of our skin and fluids and dust mites it’s rumoured that the average mattress can double in weight every 8 years
One poll* suggests that more than half a million brits only wash their sheets three times a year (*Sheila’ Wheels, Feb 2010) Gross!
Are you ready for this one … ?Around 10million bugs and dust mites can set up home in your mattress in one year (what?)
More than a quarter of us would be embarrassed for other people to see the state of our mattress* (Sleep Council ‘Toxic Sleep’ survey 2011) I hold my hand up I think this would be me.
And, as a consequence of all those horrible facts above beds as little as six years old could offer significantly less support and comfort due to factors including a build-up of debris such as skin and hair* (*Research by the Furniture Industry Association 2011) Makes sense!
Mattress facts that will shock you are truly shocking
Are you properly revoltedbe these 7 Mattress facts that will shock you!? Me too!
The team at Vorwerk asked me to take part in their campaign for National Bed Month, designed to help the nation reclaim its mattresses for a happy, healthy night’s sleep. So now we have looked at the problems we need to look at some solutions don’t we.
Here are Six top tips for cleaning your mattress:
Treat it like a carpet
We need to vacuum our mattresses and at the very least, remove all the surface dirt. You simply remove any mattress protectors or toppers and use your regular vacuum cleaner to roll backwards and forwards over the mattress. I have never done this but am totally additng it to my weekly cleaning to do list (okay I dont hctually have one but I am making a mental note
Even better, dry clean it
Whilst vacuuming your mattress will remove surface dirt effectively, dry cleaning it will ensure that you achieve a thorough, deep clean and leave each one sanitised and hygienic. Research shows that the average household mattress contains large amounts of dead skin cells, mould spores, sweat and droppings from millions of dust mites; all of which build up over the years! You can actually buy a specialist mattress cleaning kit, such as that featured as part of the Vorwerk VK200 vacuum cleaner. It uses specially designed cleaning powder and two cleaning heads to relly get the job done. Wow!
Rotate and flip it
You should rotate and flip your mattress at least every quarter whilst cleaning it. Simples!
Avoid using water
Avoid getting your mattress wet, even when cleaning it. A moist mattress is also a breeding ground for mould and mildew and a sure fire way to receive complaints from family and friends staying over! If you do need to use water to remove a stain, use as little as possible and then use a fan to ensure that the mattress is completely dry before re-covering it. Dry cleaning is the best option
Take time to deodorise it
With the average person sweating out approximately half a pint of perspiration every night, deodorising your mattress regularly to keep it smelling fresh is essential. A clever way to do this is to sift baking soda over the mattress, leave it for thirty minutes and then vacuum away using your regular vac. I will try that!
Use a mattress protector
If you love to host guests, then mattress protectors are one of the best investments you can make. Not only do they offer an additional layer of protection against spills and stains, but they also help prevent perspiration, oils from our skin and dead skin cells penetrating the mattress. Take them off and throw them in the washing machine once a month to ensure that they stay clean and stain free. Such a simple but rather fabulous solution!
Fabulous Competition
Vorwerk is giving you the chance to win a Kobold VK200 with mattress cleaning set to help you #ReclaimYourMattress.
To enter and be in with a chance, visit the site between 13th – 18th March.
Do share the infographic below. It may be an icky read but its really important stuff. Our sleep is so important as is our health and there is a lot we can do to make our mattresses less yuck!
Fascinating facts! Especially about the part on how much dead skin we shed in a year! I had no idea!
Some of the facts are so scary! Enough to make you not want to climb in bed! Sim xx