Can anyone help?
I have been diagnosed with an allergy to dustmites and been adviced that I need matress, douvet covers etc. There are so many on the market and I really don't have a clue which one to buy. Anyone else who suffers from this have any suggestions on the best brand?

Hi,

I have the same allergy. I use special covers for all mattresses, duvets and pillows. I have cases that are covered with a soft terry fabric. The others can get a little squeaky.

I got mine a while ago in the US, not sure where you can find them here, but this product is similar to what I have, and mine is great.

http://www.amazon.com/CoverAll-Mattr.../dp/B0014GR0FM

Dustmite allergy is probably one of the most common allergies around. There are no particular brands you should be looking for, just certain do's and definate no-no's to consider:

1) avoid anything with down (as in feathers), that means pillows, duvets etc. etc. The larger Migros (eg. the one in Brunaupark in Zurich) have a huge selection at very reasonable prices.
2) Vacuum your mattress regularly, like at least once a month! Helps keep down dust mites and their droppings (those are the bits that you're allergic to)
3) Wash your pillow and duvet regularly (60°C)
4) Buy neem oil spray (also available in Migros Brunaupark) and spray your pillow, mattress and duvet with that after washing. It's a very natural product (http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-oil.html) and helps keep down the little bu**ers.

My husband's allergic to just about everything in our household and always had a blocked nose and sleep apnea for years. We've now reorganised our sleeping habits (see above) and he now sleeps like a baby.
Good luck!

http://www.softsan.ch/allergiker-sch...twaesche?rec=1
Just found this link which might interest you

Im allergic to them too. I got myself a matress cover that needs to be washed often but so far so good. I also got some special pillows antiallergic/ergonomic, they are a bit pricey but very worth it, and special antiallergic pilloy cases as well. As previous poster said, no feathers
Also, it would be great if you got an air filter/filter and humidifier (if you have other allergies) that has helped me a lot with my allergies

>Good luck!

Buy a water bed: It'll drown the little bleeders!

Brilliant!!

Cold seems to kill them- take advantage of the weather right now. All my bedding is outside freezing those büggers right now.

Also, sometimes clothes from stores have them (you'll know from the itching and scratching you will be experiencing); if you don't have time to wash something first, pop them in the freezer for awhile.

There may be still some in the waterbed cover but it is not comparable to all other mattresses and you can wash the covers on a regular basis

And I heard they prefer the dark, so keep your curtains / shutters open when possible during daylight.

BBC had an article about this once. Researchers found that people who do not make their bed have much, much less problems with mites. Mites like warm and dark places.

Bottom line: Don't tidy your bed!

Great excuse, isn't it. But what I mean is, when you get up, put the covers at the edge of the bed, so the mattress is exposed to light. Makes a huge difference, the scientists said.

Oh, and when you vacuum the mattress, it is no use spreading the allergens into the air even more, which is what a normal vacuumer does. Buy a vacuum bag with "HEPA filtration, and one HEPA filter for within the vacuum cleaner too! That filter has much better and finer filtration than a bog standard filter. I have seen them at Migros, Jumbo, and Fust.

Edit: now I found this on the BBC, they second the vacuuming!http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditio...avoiding.shtml

Here is a BBC video about changing the bedroom
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7968968.stm

Oh I saw at Interdiscount that air filters are on sale!!!!! Pretty cheap (less than 50 CHF) they are good for one room only though but using one in the bedroom should ne more than enough...

Thank you all for your replies. I have been told that Pristine is a good make, anyone used this?

So in summary : after reading this 'cover' story when the 'dust settles', in the 'cold' 'light' of day, you'll be alright!

I doubt that you would take the **** if you suffered from it!

I wasn't taking the ****, honestly. Sorry if you thought that, but yes I do suffer from dust and dust mite allergies since diagnosed at the age of about 10. :-)
If I have a spring clean and vaccuum and dust every surface, I get severe asthmatic symptoms for about a week.
I was trying to be witty, but just sounded witless, sorry Keith.

Sorry but I forgot also ( I apologize I am a bit mental today) that it would be great if you got a special hoover. There are anti allergic ones (99% of dust stays inside the hoover) and even ones that deposit all the dust into water, they are great for vaccuuming the matress, it really makes a difference.
My pillows are M -Line Slowmotion III
I love them

Hope you find a solution soon!

Thank you for your apology but I was also probably over reacting. This thing is driving me mad!!

One day I will get to sleep properly and then maybe al will be OK!

also get a DS5500 kärcher vacuum cleaner.

they use a water filter system so that the fine particles that would normally be spat out the back end get caught in the water.

(We got ours across the boarder in Germany tho - and that was a few years back..)

Look at the recent asthma thread as well as it may have hints and be related.
Asthma

Do you know what's triggered it? I had many sleepless nights when I first moved here and stayed in a hotel apartment.
Have you just had a hous emove or a big clean at your home ?

I think if you live with a partner and have kids, the kids should do the vaccuuming or dusting whilst you go to the pub.

But after vaccuuming / dusting the dust will be in the air for a few days so you coluld take Angela's advice and get an air filter to suck the dust out of the air (not sure if it works).
On non carpeted floors, use a Swiffer instead of a vaccuum cleaner. You can use a mop, but not on parkett flooring as it damages it if you're not careful.

Also get an inhaler for use before you go to bed.

I'm sure there's lots of help and research online.

Cheers,
HB

They ( the doctors) think I've had it for years but I've lived in the coutryside in Wales and the by the sea in Cyprus, so I never really realized I had it so bad. Then when I came here to live in Zurich and livng by a busy road all the fumes really triggered it off.