Mattresses - those of delicate disposition should not read

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
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Mountain Goat
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Mattresses - those of delicate disposition should not read

Post by Mountain Goat »

Not sure whether we were conned here, but recently, in the UK, we had a guy appear with exotic vacuum cleaning equipment and a very large jam jar thing, to have a go on a very much-loved mattress.

After 10 mins of ear-splitting suction, we were presented, in his jar, with contents of his 'test' clean.

It was 100% dust-mite poo, he said.

We staggered out of the bedroom, instructing him to go ahead, clutching lurid coloured brochures illustrating guinea-pig sized dust-mites.

He left, leaving us with mattress sprays and a promise to see us in 6 months.

Mrs G's nightly (allergy?) cough has disappeared.

In Switzerland, mattresses and duvets are regularly aired out of the windows at -10degC which apparently is not dust-mites' favourite temp. and they keel over. A lot simpler.

Is this nonsense or does it make sense to have this done?

Goat
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

I think there can be a bit of an exaggeration over this, but not a total con. I know dust mites don't like altitude either as hubby's allergies disappear when we go to our apartment. It depends on how much he charged you I suppose, that could be the con.
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

I suffer from dust and other allergies (yeast, pollen etc). If I stuck to the list from the allergy clinic i'd be breathing freely but living in a blank box. No curtains just wipe clean blinds, no carpets (I have floorboards now) bare painted plaster walls, in very old houses like mine between the wall and wallpaper gets a bit damp and houses fugus/mites etc. I've been advise to put my pillows in a chest freezer occasionally to kill off the mites or put outside on a frosty night. I try to do as much as practical but you do need to balance living. For instance my allergy to yeast means viritually any alcohol will give me a blocked up nose :cry: I can come out in hives eating strong cheese etc. Do I avoid these totally - no! I weight up the odds and sometimes take the headaches and bunged nose.

I can't remember the name of those vacuums, (Kirby?)the theory is quite sound but you should vacuum your mattress frequently anyway if you have allergies/asthma. The pollen count has been terrible here lately, despite the rain. I can ring my sister up and know she'll sound as equally blocked up as I am, dad is the same too. I just take antihistamines, occasional nasal steroid sprays and as the doc said "just live with it"...! There's much worse things I could have but it is debilitating when you have a migrane type headache for 4-5 days with sinus problems.

A google will bring up official allergy organsiations which tend to recommend or tell you to avoid crank products and methods. Happy breathing!!
Last edited by Sue Dyer on Fri May 26, 2006 11:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
gh
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Post by gh »

Our young niece has many allergies and her parents get this done and have a special allergy mattress cover which is washed regularily, this helps her as she sneezes constantly.

We get this done at our French home; because of the amount of different guest's over time, and replace the duvets and pillow's at the end of the season.

As little of topic but still related.......
I have a thing about bed's and our bedroom is locked, creepy feeling someone un-related is in our bed, the property lists 4 bedrooms only. I know we use hotel bedrooms but to me thats different. Mad or what!
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

Sue , I would agree about the high pollen despite the rain. I think the brief spells of sunshine cause it to rise, and it is washed back down by the rain. I am suffering this year, and it needs to be very high in late May to mid June for me to suffer at all.
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Johnel,
creepy feeling someone un-related is in our bed
When I was a young man it wasn’t so much a feeling as a regular experience. It doesn’t happen now – “her in doors� would not be amused.

Joking apart, five or six years ago one of our guests woke up in the middle of the night to see what she thought was her grandmother standing at the foot of the bed.

The experience sparked off the writing of a book which has since been published. The preamble to the book explains where and why the book was written and includes a couple of photographs of my property.

It hasn't resulted in being invaded by ghost hunters but it has helped in "spreading the word".

Alan
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

I love the way threads meander here!!

I'm not a believer in the paranormal etc but I had an "experience" in a hotel. It was in the Ironbridge Hotel which is quite old. I woke in the night and was sure a man was sitting on the bed next to me. I was so freaked, I woke up Dave and we had to sleep with the light on and him cuddling me. In the light of day it always seems silly but in the middle of the night, especially if you are alone your mind plays tricks. (The Ironbridge is supposed to be haunted)

I always figure though that if there is anything in spirits etc, mam will look after me!

Doris Stokes - medium or size 16? :lol:
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Sue,
I always figure though that if there is anything in spirits etc, mam will look after me!
I'd rather have the stuff that comes out of a bottle.

Alan
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

Alan, yeah, if you have enough gin you'll not really care about the other spirits bothering you.

Yeah! I've found out how to put a pic in my signature, probably about 10 years behind everyone else mind!
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debk
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Post by debk »

Speaking of meandering threads...
It was in the Ironbridge Hotel
We stayed in a B&B in Much Wenlock (sp??) 12 years ago, over in the general Ironbridge area, I believe. It, too, was supposed to be haunted but no such luck. Totally forgot about it until your post. Ghosts must be part of the area tourism plan! :D
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cromercrabholiday
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Post by cromercrabholiday »

Getting back to creepy crawlies, we use mattress covers on all our beds that are meant to discourage if not prevent dust mites and also have the advantage that there is a second defence against stains.

John
A-two
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Post by A-two »

I don't think the dust mite thing is nonsense, but have not been too concerned about it personally. We use two mattress covers on every bed before the linens. The first is a zipped plastic cover that envelops the whole mattress, cheap at about $10. On top of that we have a mattress pad, which has a quilted/ padded top and elasticated sides, about $20. I hope that keeps everything bed buggish at bay!

On the general subject of indoor air quality, for ourselves, we invested in a couple of Sharper Image Ionic Breeze Quadras when they first came out about 5 years ago, bought on the cheap of course on eBay. Brilliant. They really work. Still going strong, cost nothing to run and no filters to replace.
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