Bedroom Bugaboos

Most people do a good job of keeping the public areas of the home clean, but it’s the bedroom area that is most likely to have a health impact on symptoms of allergies and asthma.

We spend more than half our lives in the bedroom, wallowing all night in dust-mite laden sheets and blankets. And our babies are in their rooms up to 16 hours a day! If you want to reduce your sneezing and wheezing, keep your bedroom free of dust mites and other allergens.

First, encase pillows and the mattress with dust-mite-proof encasings. Encasements place a barrier between you and the dust mites that live in the mattress and pillows. The initial expense can be daunting but buy the best quality you can afford and they will likely last longer than the mattress on the bed!

Once a week, wash cotton sheets in very hot water (if the label says warm water, most sheets usually do fine) - about 130° F for at least 10 minutes to kill dust mites and remove their allergens.

Look behind, underneath, and on top of every surface for dust traps, moist or moldy areas, and evidence of critter activity. If you find mouse droppings or cockroach nests - tangled balls of dust - vacuum them up and stop eating in the bedroom! Also, use a silicone sealant to caulk all holes and crevices through which these invaders run in and out of your house.

Take curtains off the windows and toss in the washer. If they are not washable, consider replacing them with easy-to-maintain cotton curtains and you’ll reduce the dust load in the bedroom significantly. Remove and clean window air-conditioning filters at this time, too.

Dust all picture frames, walls, and floor surfaces using a slightly damp cloth (give the feather duster to the garden scarecrow to see if it chases birds as well as it scatters dust). As you go, put clutter away or drop into a box for sorting later. Carpet requires more attention. The best option is to remove all carpet from the bedroom. Carpet dust includes a motley collection of crumbs, hairs, fluff from cloth, flecks of playdough, mold, and other debris of our home lives. Mice and rats dribble urine and distribute fecal pellets as they explore carpeted areas of the home as well.

Whether your room is carpeted or not, vacuum the room thoroughly at least once a week, but more often if the person who sleeps there has allergies or asthma.

Get the dirty clothes hamper out of the bedroom! It’s a hassle, but damp, dirty clothes make a great culture medium for mold and mildew! Keep clothing off the floor of the closet.

Excerpts reprinted from an interview with Cheryl Mendelson, author of Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House (Allergy & Asthma Health magazine, Fall 2000).