@ProtectABed_Aus Giveaway – Act Now!

First Post and ‘No More Mouldy Pillows’ Giveaway by Protect-A-Bed®

Do you know what lives inside your pillows?

Thanks to SuperParents, we’re sure most of you have heard by now that we’re all about raising awareness on a range of family health issues. We’re just as excited about our two-month collaboration and would like to extend our thanks to SuperParents for giving us the opportunity to contribute to their blog.

As you might have guessed from the headline, our first post is about yes, what lives inside your pillows. As you tuck your bubs and tods into bed each night, do you know exactly what they’re going to be sleeping with?

So why is healthy sleep important for your child?

We spend an average of one-third of our lives asleep in bed. While this may be a fact we have all heard before, it’s a figure that still loses none of its impact.

Sleep is essential for each and every one of us, especially our kids as it is particularly important for their developmental growth. It restores our immune system, is required for laying down memory, renews energy levels, restores mental function and is essential for physical growth.

Last month we partnered up with independent health and hygiene specialist, Mycologia, who run the only laboratory in Australia for mould and fungi, and asked them to test some household pillows to determine their health and hygiene.

The lab took samples from four pillows – a 15-year-old pillow, a four-year-old pillow, a two-year-old pillow and lastly, a two-year-old pillow that had been encased with a Protect-A-Bed pillow protector from day one.

The report found all pillows had an extremely high amount of mould and bacteria inside them, with the exception of the Protect-A-Bed pillow, which had only natural levels of mould and less than half the level of bacteria in comparison.

Mycologia also tested mould levels on the outside of the pillows, with results indicating the Protect-A-Bed pillow had 78 per cent less mould than the other two-year-old pillow and four-year-old pillow, and a significant 92 per cent less than the 15-year-old pillow.

A Current Affair was so fascinated with the results that they did a whole story on it! Check out their story here. The video highlights the test results from three of the four pillows, however (understandably) doesn’t mention that the protected pillow is from Protect-A-Bed.

So what does this mean for your child?

Having a mouldy pillow isn’t desirable in anyone’s books, however other than the general ‘ick’ factor, it’s actually quite harmful for those who suffer from asthma, allergies and skin disorders. A lot of people don’t realise that not cleaning or protecting your pillows with protective pillow protectors can cause unnatural levels of mould to grow inside them, which can actually be making your child really sick.

One in four children in Australia has asthma and a child with asthma is often woken up during the night as a result of the condition. Allergies to environmental factors such as dust, dust mites, bacteria and mould can also lead to an increased risk of asthma as well as the potential to trigger symptoms for other allergic reactions like hay fever, sinusitis, eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.

The most important thing to highlight is that Protect-A-Bed’s pillow protectors have a built-in breathable and waterproof protective barrier that blocks out any liquid or skin from getting through to the pillow. It also prevents any allergens and airborne bacteria from escaping from the pillow. While you can clean your pillow, the easiest way to keep you pillow clean is to cover it with a pillow protector with a protective barrier. There are several pillow protectors on the market, but not all of them have that waterproof, impermeable barrier that’s essential for keeping your pillow healthy.

All of Protect-A-Bed’s pillow protectors come with a waterproof, breathable protective barrier called the Miracle Membrane®, ensuring a healthy sleeping zone for your child.

The No More Mouldy Pillows Giveaway

To celebrate our collaboration with SuperParents and to promote the importance of sleep health and healthy kids, we’re giving away a pillow protector to the first five people to ‘like’ the Protect-A-Bed and SuperParents Facebook pages. Here is how you’ll qualify:

1. Be one of the first five to ‘Like’ both Protect-A-Bed and SuperParents FaceBook Pages
2. Leave a wall post on Protect-A-Bed FaceBook Page about this post, which includes the phrase “No More Mouldy Pillows for Me”

Tips for Keeping Your Pillow Clean

Finally, we leave you with some tips for keeping your pillow clean and ensuring your kids stay healthy. Next time you put your child to bed, ask yourself…when was the last time you cleaned his/her pillow?

1. Wash pillows regularly with tea tree or eucalyptus oil or in 55 degrees C plus water, which kills bacteria and washes away allergens
2. Vacuum your pillow with a HEPA vacuum cleaner every two weeks
3. Use a pillow protector with a waterproof, impermeable barrier to minimise exposure to mould and bacteria

Til next time!

Winners announced on 29th July 2010 – Winners Get to Drool.

Related Links

• Dust Mite Infestation … In My House
• Drug Proofing Younger Kids
• Your Child’s Sleep Health

–
The Original SuperParent on behalf of Protect-A-Bed®
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