People spend more than a third of their day in bed resting and sleeping. Some may also spend more hours if they bring on a TV show or scroll through social media. While everyone’s routines in bed might differ, one thing remains constant – the amount of dirt accumulating on the mattress. Apart from trying different ways to clean the bedroom essentials, one should avoid these eight unhealthy habits that might make the mattress dirty.

Not washing the sheets
Most people do not wash the sheets on the mattress regularly, a common unhealthy habit. The bed essentials have a lot of dry skin cell deposits on them, which may become a central hub for fungi, bacteria, and dust mites to thrive. So, it is important to wash the sheets at least once a week. One should also use removable, washable covers that are easy to clean, replace, and reuse.

Placing bags on the bed
It is common for one to dump their backpack or luggage onto the bed after returning from a long day at work or following vacation. But one must remember that the bag may have touched several surfaces outdoors, which might attract bacteria and viruses. When one places bags on the bed, the germs may transfer to the mattress and spread, making one ill. So, avoid placing the backpack or shoulder bag on the bed and hang it on a hook in the bedroom or living room.

Eating in bed
Many people eat meals or snack on other items like a bowl of popcorn, a slice of pizza, or a bar of their favorite chocolate while in bed. And while it might be tempting to do this, eating in bed is one of the unhealthiest habits because it could ruin mattress hygiene. While eating in bed, crumbs and spills may fall on the bed and enter the crevices of the mattress. This may start to spoil with time and stain or produce an unpleasant odor. Leftovers on the mattress may also attract critters that might carry various illnesses. So, one should avoid eating food in bed and take additional precautions to prevent food crumbs from falling or clean them soon after.

Letting pets on the bed
While letting pets on the bed is an individual choice, it isn’t always the best idea when considering mattress hygiene. Pets usually spend time outdoors where their paws are directly in contact with mud, grass, and other surfaces full of bacteria, ticks, and fleas. So, letting the pet onto a bed directly might result in germs and the critters infesting the bed, leading to illnesses. If one prefers letting their pet onto the bed, they should clean their paws and fur with dedicated wipes to ensure that the dirt is brought down to a minimum. One could also purchase shoes to put onto their pet’s paws before taking them outdoors to reduce the risk of attracting germs.

Poor sanitization
People may not always conduct deep mattress cleaning because it may involve time and money. However, leaving the mattress dirty for more than six months could result in the bedroom essentially harboring tons of germs, viruses, and other tiny critters. One must ensure the mattress is sanitized promptly. Doing so may help protect them from potential illnesses that might be transmitted via dust mites, bacteria, and other contaminants lurking in the mattress. One should also use proper cleaning equipment designed to clean mattresses instead of regular detergents.

Hopping into bed after returning home
One might be habitual of hopping into bed to rest immediately after returning home. This might help one relax and even result in getting a good night’s sleep almost immediately. But just like a bag, even one’s clothes are exposed to dirty surfaces outdoors, such as the seat on a bus or train or the desk at work. So, jumping into the bed will result in the mattress getting infected by bacteria and viruses. One should place the dirty clothes in a laundry basket and bathe to wash off any germs from the body before getting into bed. Doing so will ensure that the mattress stays hygienic.

Working from bed
Working from bed has become common for many individuals simply because it’s easier than walking to a desk. But this is one of the biggest mistakes one could make when it comes to mattress hygiene. Sitting in one place for a long time may result in poor ventilation to one’s back or areas that might be covered with a blanket or pillow. This might result in sweat, which might get absorbed by the mattress without the individual’s knowledge. And this could make the bed one of the most unhygienic spots to sleep. One should avoid working from bed or limit their time doing so to prevent dirtying the mattress.

Not replacing the mattress
An individual may clean their mattress thoroughly but never change the bed essential, which may also become problematic. As a mattress ages, gaps might be created in its foam and other regions that are not visible on the outside. Here’s where tiny critters may go unnoticed. So, one should replace their mattress based on the manufacturer’s recommendations, which is usually after ten years.