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Pillows Dangerous for Your Health
Roland Piquepaille writes "I guess we shouldn't be surprised by the fact that our pillows are miniature zoos containing millions of fungal spores, with some species able to cause diseases and even death. Researchers at the University of Manchester have studied the fungal contamination of our pillows for the first time in seventy years and discovered that these pillows were hot beds of fungal spores. After dissecting both feather and synthetic pillows in regular use between several months and 20 years, they've "identified several thousand spores of fungus per gram of used pillow -- more than a million spores per pillow."
Well as one who has struggled with asthma forever I find this interesting news and could offer potential explanations for the ratcheting up of symptoms when going to bed (always, weird). It would have been nice if the article offered up more ideas about approaches to attenuate the exposure and risk of the fungi. For those who scanned, the best and only tidbit I could find in the entire article was this indirect advice: " Fortunately, hospital pillows have plastic covers and so are unlikely to cause problems, ..."
Hey, I'm 21 and have been using the same pillow since I was 3 or 4. It's hard to break a pillow, so it makes sense that they can last many years. Just like with a computer- as long as it keeps doing it's job, there's no reason to replace it (Unless you want more power, but I dare you to find me a more powerful pillow than the one I've been using for 18ish years.)
My son has dust allergies, and the Dr. recommended wrapping his pillow in polyethlyene and taping it. With a good thick pillow case over it, you barely notice it, yet retain the comfort of the pillow.
I would imagine that would go a long way towards reducing fungus and other pillow-dwellers.
Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
Well, I'm probably guilty of not cleaning or discarding my pillow often enough, but I think a regular wash would do the trick. How many people clean their bathrooms every day? And they aren't cesspools of disease. I'm willing to admit that I only clean my bathroom when needed (usually a quick clean every 1 week, and a thorough clean every 2 weeks), but it isn't used all that often, and only by 1 person (me). But still, there are no fungus colonies running rampant in there. Weird stenches from rogue bacteria do not emanate from there. In fact, it smells and looks cleaner that other people's bathrooms that I've been in. So what's the point? Wash your pillow once every 1 or 2 weeks and discard it every 2 or 3 months. Feel free to change those numbers as you wish. I'm not an expert, just speculation. Besides, pillows are cheap. Although my problem is that once I've broken in a pillow and it has that nice soft cushiony feel to it, I don't like to get rid of it and start over with a new annoying-fluff-in-your-face pillow.
Warning, IANAPE - Pillow Expert
*1950's housewife* Why, I never knew I could throw away everything in my house, every day, and get fresh, new things! And it seems every product works this way. My family will never be happier. Thanks, capitalism!
Intelligent Design: because MATH is HARD.
I read this in school when i was a child.
;))
It's Horacio Quiroga's short story The Feather Pillow.
http://www.horrormasters.com/Text/a0568.pdf
So much for fungal spores...try this and you will throw your pillow out the window (or buy synthetics, like the one I have
I have an old expensive 100% down pillow that is more than 15 years old. It's never really been washed. It has a nice 'musk' smell to it - like an old tent. I have 3 other pillows - all newer - and they're all 100% down, but they just don't feel near as nice. I like my old pillow.. it's yellowish/tan in color (used to be pure white).
I read this article and then hugged my old pillow.
Next thing you know, I'm gonna read an article that says "OMG OMG STOP EVERYTHING.. There's fungi in cheese!"
--- We need more Ron Paul!
This is only phase one, called "spreading pillow-FUD". Phase two is called "sell new anti-fungal pillows", closely followed by phase three, "Profit!". Watch my words.
I will probably die of a traffic accident, cancer or (my favorite) old age. A stupid spore is no match for my immune system. If I'm sleeping with them every night, they are most probably well known to the immune system, I trust it will take care of any intruders.
"It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful." - Anton LaVey
I wonder if putting your pillow in the microwave for a few seconds would help?
The real question is who uses a pillow for 20 years. That fungus could be older than your kids.
Frack pillows. Stuffed animals are made of similar construction. How many of us have grandma's first stuffed animal in their child's crib. My mother-in law had this elephant. My wife had it as a child. Now our oldest child is the new keeper of the elephant. People throw pillows because they have little emotional investment in them. The same isn't true for our beloved animal shaped pillows/stuffed animals.
Blessed are the pessimists, for they have made backups. -- 0 1 My two bits
I, for example, am prone for some reason to muscle spasms in my neck, and have settled on a combination of two pillows, one extremely old and probably irreplaceable, that I've found prevents them in me. I take these with me when I'm traveling, and throw the hotel's or host's pillows on a chair. I will keep them until they are pried from my cold dead fingers.
Attention zealots and haters: 00100 00100
I've got a pillow I know is at least 60 years old. Had at least 3 different covers sowed on over the years. Hasn't killed anyone yet.
The bit about the chlorine may be true. I'm from a country where we have great water straight from the mountains and I find the water in large parts of the US undrinkable. To me it tastes and smells like a swimming pool. In my experience it's especially bad in southern California and parts of New England. The first time I tasted tap water in Boston I really thought that it's not safe to drink.
I actually did see a study done in Germany regarding allergies -- they were asking why it's primarily a disease of the first world.
They followed kids from German farms (where allergies* are less common) and kids from cities (where allergies are more common). One difference was the kids from the country side were exposed more to fecal matter and other "dirty substances" from farm animals, whereas city kids had a tendency to live in much more antiseptic enviroments.
The conclusion was that the human immune system, much like everything else about us, needs to be exercised to properly develop. This seems to be critical at a young age.
So, I think there is something to what you say -- we're actually hurting ourselves (in more ways than just creating resistant bacteria) by obsessing with living in a totally antiseptic enviroment.
*allergies, of course, are nothing more than a malfunctioning immune system, which is over reacting to pollen, etc.
As I've grown up, I've started questioning the fundamentals of beds and beddings. First off - "soft is good." I went through a period of sleeping on the floor. So long as I had a layer of the duvet between me and the carpet I actually found it quite easy to sleep on the floor. For the sake of company, I've now gone back to beds, but I need to have the hardest matresses available, otherwise I feel like something's trying to eat me. My back always feels a little off in the morning if I sleep on a soft matress. Not using a bed also saves on a lot of floor space in studio apartments. You just roll up your duvet(s) and you're done.
Sleeping without a pillow feels odd at first, but you quickly get used to it and now, sleeping with a pillow can make my neck ache a little in the morning. Sleeping on your side requires one, but on your front doesn't and on your back is definitely better without. I'm seriously considering trying one of those wooden blocks the old japanese use.
Aide-toi, le Ciel t'aidera - Jeanne D'Arc.