mike

Hi people,

I have a question. I just received my anti-allergen pillow encasings
(matress and bedding encasings underway). Now, do I still have to use normal
pillow covers around the encasings or do the encasings just replace the
normal pillow covers?

Thanks,

Mike

penmart01

All regular bedding is still required; zippered pillow ticking, pillow cases,
mattress pads, and sheets... launder all bedding often, use full hot water...
otherwise the encasings are a waste of time and money.

More important than encasings (which really don't accomplish much) is to air
all bedding (mattress, boxspring, pillows) in full sun (UV light) for an entire
day at least twice a year, more often is better. Airing and laundering
regularly are the best regimens to follow for mite abatement... sunshine is
free, and soap and hot water is relatively inexpensive..... of course it's all
for naught unless the bodies that will lie in those beds are regularly bathed
too... I realize yoose Europeans will find that part highly problematic,
'specially the french.


---= BOYCOTT FRANCE (belgium) GERMANY--SPAIN =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
*********
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
Sheldon
````````````

nonerequired

Yes, cover them with "normal" bedding. This bedding theoretically is then washed
weekly in HOT water. The casings can be wiped or vacuumed, and washed less often
(month or 2). DO NOT put them in the dryer. The plastic barrier bonded to the
inside will melt.

Fritz

garthga

Good advice except for the vacuuming part. Dust mites and their related
allergens will ac***ulate on the top of the encasing. Can't be avoided. If
you vacuum the encasing, all you'll end up doing is blowing the allergens
through your vacuum, and all around the bedroom. Only way to avoid that is
to use a central vac vented outside. A HEPA- or water-filtered vacuum is no
guarantee that the allergens will be contained within the vacuum. By wiping
the encasing with a very damp cloth you'll lift off some of the allergens.
Be sure to toss the cloth in the washing machine, along with the regular
bedding, and wash on hot.

Garth.

alison chaiken

"garthga" <garthga@rogers.com> writes:

Obviously what you say is true in that arbitrarily small particles
cannot be captured by any given filter. However I'm pretty impressed
by HEPA filters. One time at work I was concerned about whether our
HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaner was working well, as I was using it to
vacuum up some toxic material. At my request our safety person came
over with a stick of material (I forget the name) that makes people
cough uncontrollably even in tiny amounts. (The typical use of this
stick it to check gas masks.) She held the stick up to the vacuum and
lit it. No one coughed. Conclusion: HEPA filters aren't perfect but
they work well enough that I felt confident vacuuming up the toxic
material.

--
Alison Chaiken "From:" address above is valid.
(650) 236-2231 [daytime] http://www.wsrcc.com/alison/