Most of us love the feeling when after the long and hard working day you can put your head on the comfortable pillow. Being the last working-day stop, it has been also revealed to be the home for a number of mites, allergens and microbes. These creatures are dangerous and can cause a serious illness to human. After the research of British scientists it was announced that after two years of using a pillow, more than a third of its weight will be consisted of live and dead mites and their excrement, as well as bacteria. In addition, the pillows of synthetic fibers are generally more dangerous than those which are made of feathers and fluff.
According to Dr. Tacke who led the study, the standard pillows, which are used in the British medical facilities and which usually cost about 5 pounds, should be replaced with recently launched antibacterial ones. Those are much safer because the mites can’t penetrate and live in such fabric.
Doctor also warns that though people constantly change clean pillowcase that looks and smells beautiful, inside the pillow there still are numerous creatures living. Professor gives some useful tips for its readers on how to keep the pillows clean: he offers storing them in hermetical bags, says that bleaching and laundry is not powerful enough to kill the creatures. He says that they can be overcome by washing the pillow in more than 60-degree temperature water. Besides, mites multiply in warm and humid environment, but they are not capable to survive the exposure of summer sunlight. This means that the old-fashioned way to put out the bedding in the box and leave it on the fence is powerful in getting rid of mites.
It’s highly recommended to wash pillows once every six months at least. In addition, both of down pillows and pillows made from synthetic fibers can be washed in the washing machine. Of course, you must make sure that there are no holes in pillows!