FAQ Archives

June 12, 2012July 10, 2014

How to Put a Mattress Cover on the Bed

You asked for it and you got it! So many people have asked how to put a mattress cover on the bed that we decided to show you how! We’ve got a great video on how to put your dust mite cover on your bed.

A dust mite cover is an essential part of your allergen reduction action plan. Its a simple thing to zip your mattress up in a mite proof cover but that dust mite cover doesn’t do any good if you don’t put it on your bed!

People have always had questions on the best way to put a dust mite cover on their bed. If you haven’t gone it before, it can seem like a really big job. But once you know what you are going and you put into action some simple high school physics principles it really isn’t that hard.

That being said, many hands always make light work so grab a friend and ask them to help you put a dust mite cover on the bed.

First, make sure that you remove all bed linens. Strip the bed of all sheets and blankets. If you use a mattress pad, it might be a good idea to cover the pad and mattress together.

Next, pull the mattress forward from the foot of the bed about 4 inches or so. Archimedes said that if he had a place to stand and a strong enough lever, he could move the world. Well you don’t need to move the earth, but by using the box springs as a lever you can stand your mattress up quite easily.

Once the mattress is standing, put the zippered cover across the top (head) side of the mattress (the head will be closest to the ceiling and then pull it down part of the way. Drop the mattress back down and zip the mattress up. It is always better for your dust mite cover to fit loosely than tightly.

After the cover is zipped up, push the mattress back towards the head of the bed so that it rests squarely on the box spring. You can now make up the bed with clean sheets, blankets, and pillow covers. You will have a barrier between you and common household allergens, like dust mites, dust mite feces, molds, pollens, and cat and dog dander.

Til Next Time

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

May 3, 2012July 11, 2014

Chronic Cough? May Be Allergies

Coughing is a natural function of a healthy body. It is your body’s way of clearing secretions and particles that you might have inhaled. By clearing the lungs and respiratory system, the cough is intended to help your boy fight off infection by evil invaders. But a chronic cough is not natural.

But what if you get a cough and it doesn’t go away? A cough will generally be considered “chronic” after 8 weeks of coughing with no relief. The most common causes of a chronic cough are post nasal drip and allergic asthma. Less common causes can be acid reflux, chronic bronchitis, and the use of ACE inhibitors.

If you have a cough that doesn’t seem to go away, track your symptoms and you will be more prepared to discuss it with your doctor. For instance, does the cough come on at night? Is it only when you are lying down at night and doesn’t occur if you sit up in bed? These are the kinds of things that can help your doctor determine if the cause is allergic asthma (such as from dust mites) or acid reflux. Also, note the foods you are consuming. Be sure to tell your doctor about any medications you are taking. My brother is one of the approximately 20% of people that develop a chronic cough as a result of ACE inhibitors prescribed to control high blood pressure. His doctor changed his medication and the cough disappeared!

If a cold lingers, the post nasal drip can lead to a chronic cough. The constant secretions can irritate the throat and cause a cough. However, this can also mask a cough due to asthma, as it can be triggered by a respiratory infection such as a cold. Cough due to asthma may or may not be in conjunction with wheezing.

If you have allergic asthma or environmental allergies and your cough re-appears, it might be a good time to see if there have been any changes in the home environment. Aside from the obvious, such as the addition of a new pet, did you change pillows, blankets or comforters? Many people are under the impression that if their bedding is new it can’t harbor allergens. Please don’t be in the ranks of the uninformed. Any pillow, duvet, or mattress that you buy new can already contain allergens. That is why it is important to cover your mattress, boxspring, pillow, etc with dust mite proof covers from day one.

So, if you have a cough that lingers, begin to pay attention and take notes. If you need to see your doctor, your careful notes will help your doctor make good use of their diagnostic time.

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

March 16, 2012October 28, 2022

Allergy Control Products for Seasonal Allergy – Part 3

So far, we have talked about arming yourself with pollen counts (and that nifty Pollen.Com mobile app), knowing when to be outside, when to wear a mask, how to keep from spreading pollen in your house, and how to rinse pollen easily and safely from the nasal and sinus passages. You can get the entire story at Allergy Control Products for Seasonal Allergies, Parts 1 and 2. Today we are going to focus on allergy control products for seasonal allergies that clean the air around you.

If you remember, the pollens that cause the most problems are airborne. That is why it is important to stay inside on windy days when pollen counts are high. It is also very important to keep all windows and doors tightly closed. This is to prevent pollen from coming into the house. Your house should be your “safe zone” where you take refuge from pollens.

But what if the lure of the outside is irresistible? Or what if the temperatures are rising and it’s just too warm or stuffy to keep the windows closed? It is possible to stop large particles like pollen (yes, in the world of microns…pollen is considered large) with specialized filtering material made into screens.

The MicroAirScreen actually repels pollen particles when they come in contact with the material. That is why this screen material won’t clog up like most mat-type filtering media.

These highly specialized screens are designed to allow double-hung windows to be opened to a height of 8 inches. This will permit airflow and ventilation but not allow in pollen, insects, and other undesirables.

When the weather warms and it is time to turn on the air conditioning, you just remove the air screen from the window and store it for another year. In milder climates, we have customers that use the screens year-round, especially in the bedroom.

Speaking of bedrooms, conventional wisdom has always been that most pollen is spread in the daytime. However, at the recent AAACI meeting, I saw a study done in Central Texas that showed that the juniper trees in that area were actually releasing more pollen at night than during the day. This means that people who thought they could sleep with the windows open because pollen counts were low need to re-think that activity.

If you already own an air cleaner, you will probably want to run it on the medium and high settings when pollen counts are the highest. No matter how careful you are in not spreading pollen in the house, it is like death and taxes…inevitable. You are going to bring some in.

So, make sure your air cleaner is working at its utmost to grab that particle and suck it in and hold it tight so you can’t breathe it. Also, if the doors are going to be constantly opened and closed on windy or high pollen count days (think the kids in and out and the pets in and out like most weekend days at the typical family home) then you want your air cleaner trapping those particles as fast as the family brings them inside.

If you have one of the machines that require frequent filter changes, make sure you start the pollen season with a fresh filter. If you don’t have a filter but are thinking of investing in one, I recommend the Austin Air HealthMate. It is the machine I use in my own home and I find them to be reliable and cost-effective over the long term.

Don’t let seasonal allergies stop you when there are allergy control strategies and allergy control products that can help.

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store