Mattress Care 101: Stop Icky Dust Mites!

This month’s helpful household hint from Curly’s Furniture, our Streator and DeKalb, IL mattress stores, is about a subject you may have been avoiding: essential mattress care to prevent yucky dust mites! It’s likely you’ve heard of dust mites at some point in your life, but do you know what they are? Also, do you understand the threat they pose to you and your mattress? Before you can combat dust mites, it’s important to know more about them.

Dust mites are microscopic organisms that, yes, live in dust. They are the cause of many common allergy and asthma symptoms. Dust mites feed on human skin flakes, and they love warm temperatures and moisture, which is why your mattress is their ideal place to stay. It is the dust mite feces, not the dust mites themselves, that cause allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes, and wheezing. If a dust mite infestation goes unmanaged, it can lead to poor sleeping conditions and problems to your health.

Select the Right Mattress Materials

Certain mattress types are more resistant to dust mites than others. If allergies are a big concern in your home, opt for a memory foam or a latex mattress. Both mattress types are naturally hypo-allergenic and their lack of fibrous materials create a less than ideal environment for dust mites. Also, since these mattresses offer a firm core, there is little space for dust and humidity to accumulate. Our Streator, IL Sleep Shop at 1726 N. Bloomington St. and our other Curly’s Furniture mattress stores have a fantastic selection of affordably priced latex and memory foam mattresses for you to choose from.

Keep Your Mattress Clean

Regardless of the type of king or queen mattress you have, it’s important to regularly take action to reduce humidity and dust buildup on your mattress. Regularly vacuuming a mattress will not eradicate the dust mites; however, it will decrease their food supply. You should also wash all your sheets and bedding with hot water, once a week or at least once every two weeks. Also, if you’re an allergy sufferer it’s also a good idea to air out your mattress as often as possible.

Get Dust Mite Mattress Covers

One of the most effective ways to prevent a dust-mite infestation is to encase your mattress in a protective mattress cover. Our discounted mattress shop offers a great selection of mattress protectors that not only protect again dust mites, but are moisture-resistant as well. A dust mite mattress protector has the capability to reduce dust mite-related allergy symptoms almost immediately.

Don’t let dust mites get the best of you. Protect yourself and your mattress today. Curly’s Furniture’s endless mattress sale will supply you with everything you need to create a sleep space that is comfortable and allergen-free.

Based on Your Sleep Style, Which Mattress Is Best?

Sleep preferences are unique to everyone, not just morning people vs. night owls but snorers (something a doctor should check if it gets too loud or interrupts your sleep) and, relevant to choosing your foam, spring, or hybrid mattress at Curly’s Furniture, how exactly you like to lie down and settle in for your nightly Zs. That leaves three possibilities, back, side and stomach sleepers. Even the finest, most technologically advanced mattress will do a subpar job keeping you rested if you’re mismatched. The good news is you don’t have to read the hundreds of mattress reviews when you shop. We’ve done the work for you. In this blog post we offer our advice based on years of our mattress store outfitting households like yours. So let’s have a look at each sleeping posture and suggest a mattress that’s a good fit.

Recommended Mattresses for Back Sleepers

Do you just love stretching out flat on your back when you retire for the night, and tend to stay face up for your 7-9 hours in the sack? If that’s you, most doctors congratulate you. Back sleepers are literally in the best position to maintain their spine’s natural shape, preventing pain and injury. Because this part of your skeleton is vital to your well-being, you require a mattress that will “give” just enough to preserve your backbone’s lumbar curve, the slight indentation above your buttocks so your vertebrae move trouble-free when you’re up and about. You also want a mattress that’s easy on your body’s pressure points, literally a sore subject for too many people. A worn-out mattress does your spine a disservice, putting you at risk. We recommend replacing it with a medium firm mattress, something with pocketed coils and/or a strong high-density foam core to take over your body’s support from your muscles. The support foam on top should contour to your spine.

Ideal Solutions for Side Sleepers

People prefer to sleep on their sides for all kinds of reasons, such as easier breathing for one side of the nose and sinuses. This presents a challenge to mattress shoppers. That’s because, male or female, your side – knees, hips, and shoulder – is curvier than your back or front. That means more possibly painful pressure points to worry about! Because of that, we recommend the opposite of what many need. You require a soft mattress! A material that’s both accommodating and supportive enough is latex foam. This has been fine-tuned since its debut so you get airflow at the cellular level, better than ordinary memory foam mattresses, both holding you and making sure your “ride” is perfectly temperature-controlled. Hybrid mattresses with gel are another popular option for side sleepers.

Stomach Sleepers Can Now Rest Easy

As with back sleepers, those of you who naturally sleep prone, face down, need extra support. Unfortunately, your preferred position lends itself to more back pain, because an ordinary mattress will often give away at your hips, putting you out of balance. Ironically, this kind of pain is why many choose to be stomach sleepers, a temporary fix that can lead to big problems. You need an extra-firm mattress. Your options include reliable, affordable innerspring mattresses with up-to-date coil technology as well as high-density core foam and hybrid models.

For the finest in sleep solutions via top-brand mattresses at bargain prices daily, be sure to visit our DeKalb, IL store or one of our other Illinois locations.

4 Ways to Make Your Mattress Last Longer

Getting a good night’s sleep is important for your health and your overall well-being. In order to get a good seven or eight hours of shut-eye, you need to have a comfortable and supportive mattress you can rely on. At Curly’s Furniture, we sell mattresses from trusted brands including Sealy, Tempur-Pedic, Ashley Sleep, and more. These high-quality mattresses can last 8, 10, or even 12 years when treated with the proper care. Here are a few helpful tips that will help you protect your investment and ensure your mattress lasts for many years to come.

     1.  Rotate Your Mattress Annually

Whether you have an innerspring mattress or a memory foam mattress, it’s a good practice to rotate it a few times a year. When you rotate your mattress, it will help to evenly distribute the pressure your body places on it. This will prevent body indentations and mattress sagging, and it will ultimately lengthen your mattress’ lifespan. For maximum results, try to rotate your mattress once every three months.  

     2.    Air Out Your Mattress Weekly

Due to body heat and perspiration, your bed can become quite humid. Over time, that humidity can attract dust mites, bacteria, and other allergens. The easiest way to keep your mattress fresh and dry is to air it out as often as possible. Airing out your mattress involves removing all your bedding and allowing your mattress to breathe. If possible, open up any blinds or curtains in your bedroom and expose your mattress to direct sunlight, which will help to further reduce moisture. Aim to air out your mattress at least once a week, or as often as time allows.

     3.    Use a Mattress Cover

One of the easiest ways to protect your mattress is to purchase a mattress cover. Mattress covers are exceptionally affordable—you can buy one for as little as $10—and they keep your mattress shielded from a variety of pesky allergens, including dust mites, mold, and dead skin.

They also create a waterproof barrier around your bed, which will prevent any unexpected spills from turning disastrous.

     4.    No Jumping on the Bed!

It should come as no surprise that jumping on your bed is bad for your mattress. Not only that, but basically any type of extreme force or pressure placed upon your mattress could have damaging results. Roughhousing on a mattress can cause damage to mattress springs or it can cause your mattress to become permanently misshapen. Just be sure to always use your mattress for what it was made for—sleeping.

Browse Our Mattress Collection Today!

When you are in need of a new mattress, come to Curly’s Furniture and browse all the affordable brand name mattresses we have to offer. With our four simple tips, you will be able to keep your mattress in tip-top shape throughout the next decade! You can visit our furniture and mattress store in DeKalb, IL or at any one of our three furniture showrooms in the state of Illinois.