Do you know how old your mattress is? How about your carpet? These essential things in your home are filled with germs and so many other things that you don`t even think about.
The carpet is a lot dirtier than we imagine. It actually has about 200,000 bacteria per square inch, which means that it`s about 4.000 times grosser than the toilet.
When it comes to the mattress we can freely say that it`s like we are sleeping with the enemy. This is the most sacred place in our homes and it is a subject to invasion by bacteria and viruses, some of which are even resistant to antibiotics.
Unfortunately, the little dust mites and allergens we always hear about are nt the only thing we need to think about.
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus — this penicillin-resistant superhero of the bacterial world can live freely in your carpet and mattress, especially if you have any athletes in the house.
We bring it from the gym or the locker room in our nasty gym bag that we never wash, take off our shoes on the carpets, without even realizing what we are carrying in our homes. We do everything on our carpets, walk, play games, watch TV and so many other things. Then we go to bed, and with us goes the MRSA. MRSA can be carried by healthy people for hours or even years. It causes red bumps that with time become more painful and larger and results in fever and rashes. It only gets worse and can become untreatable, eventually leading to death.
- Campylobacter – this one is the most dangerous during the winter. It can cause a potentially deadly disease known as campylobacteriosis, which can be dangerous to people with a compromised immune system, like small children or the elderly. Symptoms include bloody diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain and fever.
- Norovirus — known as the Norwalk virus, causes symptoms similar to food poisoning or even the stomach flu. It can survive for up to six weeks in our beds, and it becomes airborne as people walk or roll across it.
- Fungi and mold — Several fungi and molds can invade our home and cause serious allergies and even death. Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Alternaria, Geotrichum and Cladosporium are all potential bedmates.
- Micrococcus — this one can be particularly nasty for those who have weak immune system. It can cause some serious skin infections, septic shock, meningitis (among other things) and even death.
- Enterococci — is actually a normal bacteria that exists in our intestines, but some species can cause serious infections. It can cause urinary tract infections, bacteremia, bacterial endocarditis, diverticulitis and meningitis, and some strains are resistant to therapy.
These certainly aren’t the only things that can live in our mattress or carpet, so it’s important to take the proper measures to reduce their impact. The solution is to vacuum regularly and keep the carpets dry. Clean the carpets at least once a year and cover the high-traffic areas with washable area rugs.
When it comes to your mattress, clean it regularly according to the manufacturer`s instructions. Take a shower before going to bed to reduce what you take to bed with you, and again in the morning to wash away what you may have picked up. And most importantly buy yourself new mattress every 7-10 years or even more often if you have allergies.
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