Millions of mattresses are swarming with bacteria, mould

Experts have warned many mattresses are hotbeds of microscopic activity – with germs including the Escherichia coli stomach bug sharing our beds.

IT not the stuff sweet dreams are made of: millions of us are sleeping on beds swarming with bacteria and mould.

Experts have warned many mattresses are hotbeds of microscopic activity – with germs including the Escherichia coli stomach bug sharing our beds.

Other uninvited bedfellows revealed during testing include the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium – a cousin of Multi Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) – that can cause nasty skin infections and fungi that can trigger coughing and exacerbate asthma and eczema.

Researcher Lisa Ackerley, an environmental health officer turned hygiene consultant, said: “Most people would be rather surprised about the things you can find in an old mattress.

“Mould and bacteria build up over the years and, although invisible, you could be breathing in harmful spores at night.

“Finding bacteria such as E. coli indicates the presence of faecal contamination, which shows that if someone was carrying an infectious disease, it could be passed onto to someone sharing the bed.

“Some staphylococcus aureus bacteria can cause skin infections and there are some strains that are antibiotic resistant, including MRSA. People tend to focus on cleaning the things they can see – pillows and sheets – but the mattress itself can be a “hotbed” of potential illness.”

It is estimated that a mattress that is around a decade old will contain more than 10lb in dead skin – equivalent in weight to a miniature dachshund. This provides food for up to 10million dust mites, which can trigger allergies including asthma.

The tests were done on mattresses that are eight years old. However, an estimated eight million Britons have mattresses that are older than this and some have not been replaced for decades.

Tens of thousands are thought not to have been mattress shopping since before 1975 – the year Margaret Thatcher became leader of the Conservative Party and the film Jaws was released.

Lisa Bond, of the bed company Dreams, which commissioned the study and recommends replacing mattresses after eight years, said: “This research has surprised us. Many of us sleep on an old mattress and have no idea who we may be sharing our bed with.”

Tips for cutting bacterial growth include using a washable mattress protector and leaving the duvet pulled back during the day, to keep the mattress cool.

*Culled from DailyMailUK online