Mattress expert reveals why you shouldn't make your bed first-thing in the morning

We all know we spend about a third of our lives in bed, so it’s worth thinking about how to keep your mattress clean. Experts at MattressNextDay have warned against making your bed in the morning as soon as you wake up. In the morning rush, many of us make our beds straight away, but here's why we should think again.

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‘Dust mites love the warmth of your bed,’ say MattressNextDay (opens in new tab) experts. ‘So in the morning, you should pull back your bed covers for thirty minutes and leave them to air and cool down, before you make your bed.’

Now, you may be thinking that this doesn’t apply to you because you've invested in a mattress topper. But the people at MattressNextDay say otherwise.

‘Although mattress covers are capable of protecting your mattresses from stains, they do not make your bed immune from dust mites and other allergens.’ They recommend cleaning your mattress every six months, using the change in the main seasons (summer and winter) as a reminder. As for your bedsheets, they advise making washing your bedsheets a Sunday ritual.

If you forget to wash your bedding, MattressNextDay suggests keeping it clean by 'not eating in bed, not allowing pets on your bed, and using skincare products at least thirty minutes before bed'. This is so your skin absorbs them as opposed to your bedding.

The CEO of Mattress Online (opens in new tab), Steve Adams agrees that it's ‘not a good idea to make your bed straight away when you wake up, as this traps the dust mites and bacteria which are naturally left behind after sleeping.

'Instead, pull back your duvet and open your curtains to let the sun in, as direct sunlight will kill dust mites,' Steve says. 'To regularly get rid of dust mites, wash your bedding on a hot wash over 60°C to kill germs. Make sure to maintain your mattress and clean it often for better bed hygiene.’

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So, although we might love the very adult feeling of having a tidy bedroom with a neatly made bed, let's slow right down and give the bed some air, and light, first.