Quote:
Originally Posted by Shell
I don't have any of the problems you mentioned but I watched an Oprah show about bedbugs aka dust mites that totally freaked me out so I threw out all my pillows, washed my down comforter and blankets in hot water and extra detergent, and vacuumed my mattress. Not that I had any bedbugs to begin with but I wanted to be sure (you can't see them and they can happen to anyone that has dust in their house...and that's everyone).
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As an entomologist, I can't help but correct this.
Bedbugs are in the order hemiptera, and do actually bite you. They feed on blood generally, and ARE NOT associated with dust.
Bedbug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dust mites are not insects at all (mites are arachnids), and do not bite in any way. They are microscopic. They can however contribute to allergies, and I have heard they can literally fill a mattress over time, along with the microscopic dust and other small particles that penetrate the mattress material.
House dust mite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I've been talking to my wife about replacing our 10 year old mattress. Maybe we'll get a tempurpedic as well.