Tips For Finding A Suitable Mattress For Someone With Allergies
Organic may mean natural, but that doesn't mean it is universally acceptable. For example, organic peanut butter may not contain artificial sweeteners, coloring, or preservatives but still be dangerous to someone with a peanut allergy.
And...
There are many types of materials that are all-natural and/or organic but should be avoided if you are allergic to them or to some other related products.
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A Few Things To Look Out For If You Have Allergies
Latex
If you suffer from allergies, you know how important it is to find a great mattress that won’t aggravate your condition.
If you have a latex allergy, then it is obvious that you cannot buy a latex mattress. Unfortunately, that's not the only thing to look out for. For example, there are hybrid memory foam beds that have a latex layer in the middle, while the manufacturer advertises the cooling memory foam on the surface.
The particles released by the bed as it wears down can cause all sorts of problems. Blended memory foam layers may contain latex, and that is a risk to people allergic to latex.
The solution is to find organic mattresses for people with allergies. For example, it may contain wool and cotton instead of latex and any other memory foams.
Feathers
Modern society finds feathers to be a novelty. Yet you can still find feather beds and bird down-filled pillows and mattresses. They have the benefit of being all-natural and organic, though they can pose an ethical dilemma if you're concerned about animal welfare. They're cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
However, people may find that they're allergic to goose down mattress just as they might be to cat fur. And you may not know this until after you buy the feather bed or down mattress topper. Don't expect to eliminate this issue with a mattress cover. At least the feather bed can be machine washed and dried, eliminating most issues with dust mites and mold.
There are two major sources of allergies tied to mattresses if you're not allergic to the material itself, and there are other sources, too.
Dust Mites
You can limit this by encasing the mattress in a plastic cover or washing the bedding thoroughly.
Mold
This is a common issue with memory foam mattresses. If the room is humid, the memory foam acts like a sponge. And the mold can grow inside the mattress, hidden from sight until black spots appear on the surface.
You're likely to smell the mildew and rot before you see it, though you'll suffer headaches, congestion, and skin problems before that happens.
Other Issues
A mattress could absorb moisture on contact, too. This is why you want to get rid of mattresses that had been flooded.
However, the mattress might absorb moisture from you. Every accident the dog has in bed, every night you wake up in sweat-soaked sheets can contribute to moisture in the mattress. Spilling food and drink in bed can fuel the problem, too.
The solution is to replace the mattress if you can't clean the stains.
Know that some beds are more prone to this problem than others. Choose memory foam or hybrid mattresses that are naturally ventilated like natural latex beds. If you get a cotton or wool mattress, protect it with a plastic mattress protector or thick layers of sheets.
Last Updated on March 25, 2022
