Is It Time to Replace Your Mattress and Pillows?

Filed in archive Asthma , Gadgets and Tools Against Allergies , Hay Fever , Insect Allergies , Living with Allergies on September 16, 2006

Did you know that after about 10 years, the weight of your mattress doubles? Imagine the amount of dust (and dust mites!), sweat, grime, hair, and other potential allergens accummulating on that piece of foam? No wonder I'm having trouble heaving our mattresses every time I have to change sheets. It wasn't just an impression; they really were getting heavier!

Now like everything else, mattresses and pillows also have shelve lives. According to Virginia Tupker, Associate Home Director for Shop Etc. Magazine, when your mattress starts giving you aches and pains and you don't sleep as sound as before anymore, it's probably time to get a new one. Pillow's life spans are shorter, pegged at 1 to 3 years.

"Once it starts feeling kind of thin and lumpy and it's not as supportive as it used to be, it's time to start thinking about buying a new pillow," said Tupker. A pillow's lifespan, experts say, is about one to three years.
Tupker suggests replacing your old one with a new kind made from bamboo. "When woven into a pillow it helps to repel allergens and dust mites and therefore you can keep the pillow longer," she explained.

Bamboo? Isn't that hard? and scratchy? Has anyone tried it?