Will allergen cover impede breathability of latex mattress?

[phoenix]

Hi sybil,

First, a thousand thanks for this site! After many hours on here, I’ve made a decision for Sleepez Organic 10000 Latex.

As you know I think very highly of SleepEZ and the quality/value of their mattresses and you are certainly making a great choice. Congratulations on your new mattress

\I’m looking forward to your comments and feedback when you’ve received it and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.

My next step is choosing a mattress protector: will my old non-membrane allergen cover affect the breathability of my latex mattress? I live in a climate that’s humid for half the year and don’t want to risk mold. I have good central air, but the bedroom has a bathroom, where the mold fight is never won. I’m buying the slatted wood frame that comes with the mattress; it has a cotton cover. I also have a box springs allergen cover, so I have the same question about it and breathability. I also wonder if removing the cotton cover on the frame is a good idea, both for breathability and less food for mites, if I don’t put the allergen cover on the box springs. I know the latex and wool resist dust mites, but I figure the cotton quilted cover is susceptible.

How a mattress protector or a mattress allergy encasement will affect a mattress depends on which type it is. There is a difference between a mattress protector (which are generally 5 sided and fit over the mattress like a fitted sheet and are easily removed for cleaning) and a mattress allergy (or bed bug) encasement which completely encloses the mattress on all sides and has a zipper to close it off and are much more difficult to remove (and aren’t meant to be removed on a regular basis).

There are different types and options for each of them that can be more or less breathable and can have a larger or smaller effect on the temperature and feel of your mattress which are part of the tradeoffs involved deciding which one to choose. In some cases it can be a good idea to use an allergy encasement to protect against allergens in the mattress as part of a larger process of allergen control that involves more than just a mattress encasement (a mattress encasement by itself isn’t generally enough to control allergens or reduce allergy symptoms unless it’s part of a larger strategy) and also use a mattress protector that can be easily removed and cleaned to protect the mattress against stains and accidents (and to protect the warranty because any stains on a mattress will generally void a warranty) and keep your sleeping surface in a more hygienic condition.

In any case there is more about the pros and cons of different types of mattress protectors and the tradeoffs involved in each of them in post #89 here.

There is also more about dust mites and allergies in post #2 here and about mattress allergy and bed bug encasements in post #2 here that can help you choose between different products or combinations of products that best fit your own specific needs and criteria.

Phoenix