Can Dust Mites Live In Memory Foam Pillows and Mattress

There’s no doubt that selecting the right mattress and pillow is a big decision. That’s because we spend 30% of our entire life sleeping. So, it’s essential to choose a sleeping mattress that can provide enough comfort. However, certain factors can deprive us of this comfort we crave most of the time.

One of these factors is the presence of dust mites on your pillow and mattress. And, individuals among us who are allergic to dust mites, this will be a big problem.

That’s why some people have opted for memory foam pillows to minimize dust mites and other pathogens that may cause allergic reactions. How effective is memory foam for the prevention of dust mites? Do these dust mites live inside the foam? And what are the best ways to avoid them in the home?

Can Dust Mites Live In Memory Foam Pillows and Mattress

Dust mites do not leave in memory foam

Yes, dust mites do not burrow into the foam. They prefer staying at the surface and other hidden areas. They feed on skin cells. As you sleep, you constantly shed skin cells on the mattress and pillow.

May sound surprising but the fact is – you can shed as much as 1,000,000 skin cells a day. Yes, that’s right. These dead skin cells form as one the delicious meal for these mites. They are called dust mites because of the dead skin form majority of the dust on your furniture, carpets, and other surfaces in your home.

Dust mites would be much more beneficial to humans if they don’t become a nuisance or if people are not allergic to them. That is why they are not welcome in the home. These tiny creatures are not insects like bed bugs. They are arachnids and from the spider family.

They are very tiny and even stay on your body as you sleep. The fact is, it could spread anywhere, including your pillows and memory foam pillow.

Dust Mites and Memory Foam Pillow

Memory foam technology is the latest scientific invention in the mattress industry. It derived its history from NASA when they were trying to provide a protective material for astronauts who want to escape Earth’s gravity. Today, that technology has reached the mattress industry.

People feel memory foam is resistant to dust mites. And that’s what manufacturers have told us. The truth is, you could find dust mites anywhere you sleep – your mattress, pillow, carpet, cushion, and wherever you spend time in your home.

It’s also possible that you could find those in all types of pillows and mattresses, including memory foam. But their level of presence may differ. Since memory foam has closed pores compared to other bed pillows, they are less likely to harbor dust mites. That’s the difference.

But if you are looking for the type of pillow that is entirely resistant to dust mites, we’re sorry, you may not find one. Instead, we advise you to buy high-quality memory foam with less open cells. That’ll attract fewer dust mites than other pillows and mattresses.

Are you considering innerspring mattresses and pillows?

An innerspring mattress may have less open pores like memory foam, but it doesn’t prevent dust mites. Remember that these mites do not live inside the foam material. They stay on the surface. As long as your skin continues to shed dead cells, there is always a chance of throwing an open invitation to dust mites.

You cannot control them as you will control bed bugs, apart from the fact that dust mites are tinier their source of food is readily available in large numbers. You can only minimize their presence in the home. So, a memory foam pillow can do just fine in this regard.

How do dust mites affect your health?

Dust mites are not the only cause of allergic reactions (inflammation, itching, red eyes, runny nose, wheezing, coughing, and sneezing). Their excretions also contribute immensely.

The waste they excrete can cause a negative reaction from your body. When your immune system identifies these wastes, they tend to produce antibodies in defense of an imminent attack. The after effect of this fight can look like a disease. Symptoms like puffiness, redness, and other similar malicious effects on the immune system.

Also, if you have some respiratory problems, dust mites may add to your problem set. Your immune system may react in a harmful way when you breathe in these mites and their excreta. These effects can lead to some discomfort and complications.

If there is a lump in your larynx and throat, it can lead to difficulty breathing. This one is an extreme case that affects people with breathing problems. So, getting rid of dust mites at all costs will help you prevent all these problems.

Using the right pillow

Generally, dust mites are on a rollercoaster in mattresses. Pillows and sleeping mattresses are the perfect living space for dust mites. That’s where their food (dead skin cells) stays in abundance. As you sleep, you shed a lot of skin cells.

You’ve given them enough food with a warm body for comfort. Their rollercoaster ride will continue until you do something about it.

They are more difficult to control because they are invisible to the physical eye. Even if you vacuum them, you will succeed in spreading them all over the room. And inevitably, they will almost always find their way back to their food depot. So, what do you do?

Having a memory foam pillow can help a lot. You may not be able to get rid of them altogether, but you can significantly reduce their large numbers. The memory foam has very tiny spores, which may prevent dust mites from having a field day on the pillow. It clogs their living space and prevents them from multiplying.

It is true that these mites, along with their excretion, contribute immensely to allergic reactions. By reducing their large numbers, I can reduce or even stop the adverse effects.

How to remove dust mites from memory foam pillow

Below are some of the ways to get rid of dust mites in your home.

Chemical Treatment

You can sprinkle sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) on the memory foam before vacuuming. You can even pour some essential oil before you spray. This process will quickly soak up and pin down the mites to prevent them from escaping. Besides, the essential oil will leave a sweet smell on the memory foam afterward.

Cover your existing bedding with a proper casing

You can use a top-quality dust mite encasing to protect your pillows, duvet, and mattress from dust mites. The dust mites on your pillow or sleeping mattress will slow down due to the shutdown of food supplies. They will not be able to food on your dead skin cells. This way they will gradually starve them to death.

But make sure you are getting a casing with very tiny pores. It will prevent them from squeezing in. Ideally, you should consider pillow casings with less than 10 microns in pores. These are very tight and will completely shut them out.

Make use of exhaust fans

Remember that dust mites grow better in humid environments. Try as much as possible to use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens to minimize indoor humidity levels.

Wash your beddings

If you have a washing machine, it will be ideal to set the washing temperature to at least 1300 F. It will quickly kill the dust mites found on your bedding. If you are using cold water, you can opt for sun-dry cleaning.

House cleaning

Most of the time, regular cleaning of your house can help to reduce the level of these mites in your home significantly. You can make use of a purifier, vacuum cleaner, and steam cleaner. We’ve discussed a vacuum cleaner so that we won’t go over it again.

But a steam cleaner will instantly kill the dust mites because of the hot steam. Use it on mattresses, pillows, carpets, and upholstery.

Dry under the sun

Perspiration during sleep is a common thing for most people. Some of these dust mites may stick to your bed cover after you wake up and out of bed. To get rid of them – you can air dry your bedding for a few minutes under the sun.

Dust mites cannot survive under the sun for more than 30 minutes. So, drying your bed covers and other bedding is another excellent option.

Most of the time, it isn’t possible for anybody to eradicate dust mites downright. They feed off both human and animal skin cells. That is why you should not allow your cat or dog in your bed.

They shed a lot of these skin cells whenever they scratch. And these arachnids are not selective when it comes to their food source.

Yes, memory foam may help a lot to reduce their massive presence on the pillow and mattress. But you can do a lot more by following some of the measures mentioned above.

Suggested Reading…..

• How to Clean Memory Foam Pillow