"Will you do both sides?" It's one of the questions we hear most. It's a fair one. You're paying for a clean mattress, so why not all of it?

The short answer: the side you sleep on is the one that matters. Here's why.

Build-up starts where you sleep

Every night you shed skin flakes and moisture onto the top of your mattress. That's the food source dust mites live on. It collects on the side you lie on, not underneath.

Research backs up where to look. A study of 107 homes in Melbourne found high levels of mite allergen on the bedding surfaces people sleep on [1]. Humidity and the top layer's material matter too [2].

So we focus our HEPA extraction and UV-C light on the sleeping surface, where the build-up is.

Flipping can make things worse for a while

Turning a mattress over disturbs it. Dust and mite allergens are thrown into the air of the room.

These particles are fairly heavy. They hang in the air for around 20 to 30 minutes, then settle back onto surfaces [3]. For someone with a strong allergy, that can mean a rough night.

Many modern mattresses, like pillow-tops, are also made to be used one way up. Check your mattress's care label before you flip it.

What if I still want both sides done?

No problem. The second side simply counts as a second clean.

Do you flip your mattress now and then?

If you like to flip or rotate your mattress, it's best done yourself before we arrive. That way the side you'll sleep on next is the one we service, and it's ready for you when we get there.

If you're very allergic, flip it the day before. Give the room a night to settle.

The bottom line

Clean the side you sleep on, regularly. For most homes every 3 to 4 months works well. That keeps the build-up down where it counts, without stirring up the rest of the room.

Sources

  1. Hill DJ et al. The Melbourne house dust mite study. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 1997. PubMed
  2. Influence of mattress characteristics on house dust mite allergen concentration. Maastricht University, 2006. Abstract
  3. Dust mite allergy patient leaflet: disturbed allergens stay airborne for about 20 to 30 minutes.