The life cycle of a Bed Bug

This is what bed bug bites look like:

How Is a Latex Mattress Made?

I came across this fantastic little animation, explaining the manufacturing process of latex mattresses!

Enjoy!


 

Open Spring Mattresses - What are these?

• The most economical type of mattress
• One of the most well established spring styles
• Extremely variable choices in size, depth and aesthetics

What is Open Coil?

Open coil mattresses use one of the most long-standing methods of construction.
Most people have slept on an open coil mattress at some point in their lives, and they are still some of the most widely-available mattresses on the market. Their construction means that they provide the support you need, whilst leaving plenty of room for a variety of fillings that help to provide you with comfort as well as support.



The fairly simple construction of the open coil mattress means that it is one of the most cost-effective mattresses on the market. If you are looking for a budget mattress, you will find a range of open coil mattresses that are both comfortable and affordable.

Open coil springs are usually about 5-6 coils high. A standard double bed has 325 of these coils, although some manufacturers may use more and, of course, the coil count increases as the mattress size rises to king and super king. The coils are all assembled into a single construction with helical wire. This is a thinner, spiral wire that joins the coils at top and bottom to form several rows. An outer rod is then fitted around the top and bottom of the finished construction to provide additional strength. Once the basic construction is completed, the mattress can be filled and the ticking applied.

Pocket Springs - What are these?

The name "Pocket Spring" is referring to the type of coils used in a Pocket Sprung mattress.

The biggest clue to what these are is in the name, they are pocketed springs, the coil is placed inside it's own little pocket of fabric. This allows each spring to react independently, stopping movement from disturbing anyone else you may be sharing your bed with. It also prolongs the life of the coils which in turn prolongs the life of your mattress.

Pocket springs are generally more expensive than regular open coil mattresses but this price difference is reflected in the quality and life span of the mattress.

Pocket spring mattresses range from soft to ultra firm depending on the number of springs and the other fillings within the mattress.

Generally the number of springs reflects the firmness of the mattress, 3500 being a firm mattress, and 600 being a soft mattress. Although there are other fillings which can cause a mattress to feel softer, for example when topped with memory foam a 3500 would probably feel more like a medium yet still give the spinal support that a firm mattress would offer.

Pocket spring mattresses with memory foam are amongst the most popular mattresses at the moment, as pocket springs offer the greatest life span and excellent support with the addition of the memory foam to help relieve pressure points and comfort to the mattress.

Bed Bugs - How to get rid of them video

on Howcast

QUIZ: Bed Bugs, How much do you know?

Bed Bugs - True or False?

Question #1: Bed bugs will not bite you if the lights are turned on.
True False

Question #2: Bed bugs can be controlled using pesticides alone.
True False

Question #3: It's necessary to throw out furniture and bedding at the first sign of bed bugs.
True False

Question #4: Bed bugs are not known to spread disease.
True False

Question #5: Most people react to bed bug bites with itchy welts.
True False

Question #6: Bed bugs cannot be seen with the naked eye.
True False

Question #7: Bed bugs can usually be treated in one visit by a pest management professional.
True False

Question #8: A good pest control professional can quote you a flat fee for treatment over the phone.
True False

Question #9: Only dirty, cluttered homes get bed bugs.
True False

Dust Mites - Do They Bite?

House dust mites, the type which you can find inside your mattresses are small arthropods, which are part of the same class of arachnid as spiders and scorpions. Dust mites are off-white and are extremely difficult to see without a magnifier. They can be found within mattresses, bed sheets, pillows, carpets, soft toys, sofas, curtains, etc. A mattress containing these little mites can have anywhere between 100,000 to 10 million inhabiting it.

So if you are experiencing itchiness at home, this could be the reason why.


Do Dust Mites Bite?

Dust mites mainly feed on dead human skin and dander. As dead skin is the favoured food of the dust mite the most ideal place for them to live is in your bed, blankets, mattresses, bed sheets and towels. A normal person can shed 1.5grams of dead skin flakes in a day.



The dust mite then chews and breaks down their food with their jaws and saliva, then just like animals the food is moved down the gut with wave like motions until it is fully digested and then moved through the anus and dispelled in the form of a pellet. One particular enzyme which is present in the faeces can evoke an immune response by humans which is what we sometimes mistake as a bite. Dust mites do not bite. But they do carry an enzyme allergen in their faeces which can affect us.


What are the symptoms of a dust mite allergy?

Dust mite allergic reactions are similar to those of a bite by a mosquito or midge flies. When enzymes released by the dust mite comes into contact with the skin of a human, the person’s immune system considers it to be a harmful intruder, bacteria or virus, and releases antibodies to attempt to neutralise the threat.

Other than causing skin irritation and itchiness, dust mites can also lead to several other allergic reactions such as asthma, frequent sneezing, runny nose, itching inside the nose and throat, cough, watery, swollen, red eyes, etc. Prolonged exposure to dust mites by people who are sensitive to them can give rise to asthma, eczema and atopic dermatitis. Luckily enough not everyone is allergic to dust mites, there are plenty of people who display absolutely no symptoms at all that they have ever been in contact with dust mites.


How to prevent a dust mite allergic reaction

In order to get rid of dust mites you must also find a way to detect whether the place is contaminated or not.

Detection is the first step towards controlling and preventing reactions.

There’s several companies who claim to have dust mite detection kits that are able to tell you if you have a mild or severe case of dust mites in your house, however, there’s no reviews to back up these claims, so we are unable to guarantee the effectiveness of these kits.

A more awkward method of detection is to collect a sample of dust in water and examining it under a microscope x10 magnification. Both methods though, leave much to be desired, the only way you can control the population is by keeping your house cool, dry and as clean as possible.

There are some simple precautions you can follow to avoid dust mite allergies from flaring up:

1. Firstly, wash all bedding, bed covers, pillow covers, blankets, even your curtains, at least once a month with hot water (do this more often if you believe you already have an infestation.)

2. Replacing feather filled pillows with synthetic ones, memory foam and latex ones are a particularly good option.

3. Dust mites grow vigorously in humid and moist conditions. Humid conditions can be controlled with air conditioning and dehumidifiers.




Dust Mite Treatment

Dust mites can survive in any kind of climate, but places with higher than average humidity offer greater comfort to breeding mites.

If controlling the problem is still not helping there are a number of treatments to help you deal with the allergic reaction from dust mites.

Allergy creams, creams made for bites, nettles and similar stings can help soothe the initial itch and stinging sensation and calm down angry irritated skin.

Antihistamines can also help the allergic reaction to dust mites, Citirizine in particular, can help.

Do not scratch or pick at the irritation as this can worsen the reaction and even infect the sore with other bacteria. If the bite like formations are severe and don’t seem to be going away with the above methods then see your GP.

So, As you have learnt, Dust mites don’t really bite, the bite like reaction you get from them is actually from their faeces, I'm sure that makes you feel a whole load better.

Dust mites are not predators or parasites, they are scavengers, living off dead skin cells and dander.

Remember humidity, dust and warmth propagate their breeding, so take all relevant precautions by keeping your place clean dry and relatively cool, and by washing your fabrics on a regular basis!