I wash bedding weekly for allergies. That means that I strip my bed every Sunday morning. I turn the Austin Air HealthMate up to high (because I know just the act of pulling off the sheets is going to send many particles in the air) and pull off the flat sheet, the fitted sheet, and all the pillow cases off ALL the pillows (and there are lots). I
I walk them straight to the laundry room.
I do this so that I know I can’t go to bed Sunday night until the sheets are washed and the bed is put back together. Its just my little trick to make sure that I wash bedding weekly for allergies.
If you are allergic to dust mites, even if you have the dust mite proof mattress and pillow covers, it is important that the bedding on top be washed once a week. While your zippered covers are keeping any new mites from getting in the bed and pillow and trapping existing mites, you don’t want to get a build-up of mite allergens on top of the covers. If you don’t wash bedding weekly, that build up will trigger your allergies. I know by he time I wake up Sunday morning, I can tell it is time to wash the sheets.
It takes water of 140°F to kill dust mites. You can go to your hot water heater and adjust the temperature before washing to get it hot enough to kill mites. Just remember to turn it back down after washing, or someone in the home could easily be hurt by water that temperature. Most hot water heaters are set at 125°F or less for safety reasons. Even at 125°F, a person could get a second degree burn if exposed for two minutes.
I personally am not going to waste the time or energy needed to get my hot water to 140°F to wash my sheets. I wash in cold water with a laundry additive, De-Mite. Just a couple of tablespoons of De-Mite and my laundry detergent and I can wash with cold water, knowing that the mites are dead and gone.
By stripping the bed in the morning, I give myself a deadline for having everything washed and put back together. It is a great motivator for me, and if you need something to remind you to wash your sheets once a week I recommend it. It doesn’t have to be Sunday, just pick a day and do it!
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