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September 20, 2018February 24, 2022

Lets talk Bed Bugs

No one wants nasty guests in their bed. Bed bugs are great hitchhikers. They hide on anything possible to travel from hotel to hotel to even your own home. There is nothing worse than having a vacation or trip ruined by these pesky little things. Follow these recommendations to prevent these un-welcomed guests crawling into bed with you.

Necessary tools:

Flash light and credit card or hotel key card. The flashlight will help you spot any signs of the bug. You can use the flashlight mode on your cell phone to help with this. Bed bugs like to come out in the dark, so shining the light on them will make it easier to spot. The card will be able to fit practically everywhere a bed bug can fit. Sliding the card along cracks and crevices will push the bugs out. Ew gross, I know!

What to look for:

Bed bugs are four to five millimeters in size. They are close to the size of a pearl. They have an oval- shaped body that allows them to hide in very small places. Their bodies are typically brown or red. As they come out at night, they can still be spotted during the day if you do some digging. They leave traces of their presence around. This could be stains of blood, white eggs which are about the size of a grain of sand, or dark almost black stains which happens when the bug excretes after a meal. These guys are good at hide and go seek so, really put effort into looking for their hideout.

Step one: Keep everything away from the bed

When you first get into your hotel room, the first thing you want to do is throw your luggage down and jump into bed. Bad idea! If there are bed bugs present in the room, throwing your bags on the floor or near the bed is an open invitation for bed bugs to hitch a ride back to your house! To prevent this, put your luggage on the rack far away from the bed or put your luggage in the bathroom. This is one area of the room that is cleaned thoroughly. If you want to take one more additional step, you can can carry along a large plastic bag to help keep your luggage sealed. This might seem over the top however, this can really help prevent bringing these little creatures home with you.

Step 2: Check the room

Bed bugs tend to live near their food, which is us. GAG! In a hotel, guests typically lay in bed even when they are not sleeping in a hotel room. Search within a 7 foot radius around the bed. They don’t just hide on the beds. The mattress and frame is the typical area for the bed bug to be but that does not limit them to just that area. Other furniture and carpet could also be places for them to hide. Bed bugs can fit into tight crevices which is why the frame and other furniture are great options for them. The flash light and card will come in handy while looking at all the crevices and corners throughout the room. On the mattress, you’ll need to check all corners and crevices and seams. They could be tucked in on any part of the mattress. Stripping the bed will help looking for these bugs. Checking the sheets is also a good idea. This is where you will be able to see any stains that the bug has left behind. Check the seams of the carpet around the bed, behind the sidetable and if there is a fabric chair or couch close by be sure to give that a good looking over as well.

Step 3: Any Presence of bugs

If you suspect any bed bugs after these steps, run! Go to the hotel front desk and request a different room in a different part of the hotel. Don’t feel bad about asking for a new room. It is not worth the risk of getting bitten by these gross creatures and bringing them home with you to share with family.

Photo credit: Future of Business and Tech

Do you have a bed bug story? Please share with us in the comments section. We would love to learn from people who have experienced these first hand.

January 22, 2018February 24, 2022

How Often Should You Replace Your Pillow?

5 Ways to Assess if Your Pillow Needs Replacing

If you can’t remember the last time you changed your pillows, know that you’re not alone. We don’t tend to think about the longevity or performance of our pillows when we lay down at night, exhausted from a long day. We’re just happy to be in bed, able to catch some shut eye – if only for a few hours. However, if you want to guarantee that the sleep you are having is top quality, that starts with your pillows.

Even though you aren’t a pillow expert, there are a few easy steps you can take to assess if your pillows are in desperate need of replacement.

Here are 5 quick tips for determining if you need some new pillows:

The Fold Test: Take your pillow, and attempt to fold it in half. If you fold it in half and your pillow quickly bounces back into shape once you let go, chances are you have a few more months with that pillow. However, if your pillow fails to assume its prior shape, and slumps sadly onto the bed, it’s definitely time to consider new, supportive pillows. These are the things that support your head throughout the night, after all.

Take a Peek: Sometimes, what we can see in plain sight is telling enough. Take off the pillowcase and observe your pillows. Do you see any yellowish stains? Those stains are the result of body oils, dead skin, and dust mites building up over time – yuck! If your pillows are discolored, you definitely need some new pillows and bedding.

Take a Whiff: Moving onto the next sense, smell, it’s time to get up close and personal with your pillows on a scent level. Take your pillows and smell them. If they have an odor, it’s likely due to a bacteria build-up over time. That’s both disgusting and detrimental to you and your partner’s health. Time for some new, bacteria-free pillows.

Feel It: Now it’s time to really feel around at the composition of your pillows. When you take and touch your pillow, can you feel lumps or feathers poking out of the pillow? Do you see foam or batting? If yes, that means your pillow has lost the supportive structure it once had. If the pillow is unable to contain its composition, it most certainly is unable to support your head and shoulders.

Sleep Quality Test: This one is more figurative in nature. Sit down and really ponder if you are catching quality sleep at night. Do you wake up with a sore neck or headaches in the morning? Are you tossing and turning all night, struggling to find a comfortable sleeping position with your pillow? Is your pillow giving you the support it used to, a long time ago? If you suspect your pillow is linked to your sleep quality, it’s time for pillow replacement.

Here at Pillows.com, we’re happy to provide you with new, clean, structurally sound pillows that are complementary to a sound night of sleep.

Pillows.com

References

https://blog.pillows.com/

https://greatist.com/grow/when-buy-new-pillow

April 18, 2017April 18, 2017

Mother’s Day Buying Guide

It’s time to start planning for Mother’s Day! Finding that perfect gift for your mother or grandmother can be a daunting task. If you are tired of sending flowers year after year, bedding is a soft and cozy alternative. Not sure what she might like? Not to worry! This bedding guide will walk you through the different options of bedding, and provide links to products that might delight your mother on her special day.

Pillows

Give your mother the gift of a peaceful night’s sleep with pillows that support and cradle her head. In this section, we’ll break down our pillows on Pillows.com by fill. Each fill offers its own set of support levels.

Feather/Down

Feather and down pillows are probably some of our best selling pillows. These pillows have a cloud-like feel and compress under the head. If your mother is a little “old-fashioned”, she might prefer a feather and down option. They are offered in varying support levels as well. Generally, a good rule of thumb for determining the support level of a feather and down pillow is to look at the ratio of feathers to down. A 100% down pillow is going to be the softest and most compressible pillow you can get, whereas the firmest is a 95% feather/5% down or 100% feather pillow. Below are some pillows under each support level category:

Soft: Pacific Coast Feather Company Natural Down Pillow (Good for stomach sleepers)

Medium-Soft: Phoenix Down 50% White Goose Feather/50% White Goose Down Pillow (Good for stomach and back sleepers)

Medium: Manchester Mills Down Dreams Pillow (Good for side back, and some stomach sleepers)

Medium-Firm: Pillowtex Triple Core Pillow (Good for side and back sleepers)

Firm: Down Dream Classic Firm Pillow (Good for side sleepers)

Polyester

Polyester pillows have several advantages over the traditional feather and down pillows. The first is that they are great for people who suffer from allergies. Many people are allergic to the dust particles that tend to cling to feathers, and polyester doesn’t retain dust. The second reason why polyester is a good option is that it doesn’t need frequent fluffing like its feather/down counterparts. Polyester has a more springy quality to it, so it helps the pillow maintain it’s loft and form. Below are some pillows under each support level category:

Soft: Pillowtex Down Alternative Pillow (Good for stomach sleepers)

Medium-Soft: Restful Nights Conformance Supreme Pillow (Good for stomach and back sleepers)

Medium: Down Alternative Eco Pillow (Good side, back, and some stomach sleepers)

Medium-Firm: Dream Surrender Pillow (Good for side and back sleepers)

Firm: Dream Surrender Firm (Good for side sleepers)

Extra Firm: Infinity Pillow (Good for side sleepers with a wider shoulder width)

Memory Foam

Memory Foam is certainly an acquired taste for many sleepers. These pillows tend to be firmer and a little warmer than the traditional pillows. Of course, memory foam technology has come far in recent years. Many manufacturers are making memory foam more dough-like, and some introduce cooling gel to combat the heating qualities of this material. Below are some of our favorites:

Soft to Medium-Soft: Malouf Zoned Dough Low Loft Plush Memory Foam Pillow (Good for stomach and back sleepers) This pillow is also offered in High Loft Plush, Low Loft Firm, and High Loft Firm)

Medium: Technogel Deluxe Pillow (Side and back sleepers)

Firm: RemFit 400 Series Pillow (This pillow is adjustable, so it can potentially be good for all sleep positions)

Comforters

Another excellent Mother’s Day gift is a new comforter! Depending on where you mother or grandmother lives, she may need a comforter to fit the climate. Below are some great comforters for summer, winter, and fall:

Summer

These comforters are very lightweight and feel more like a blanket or throw. They are excellent for summertime sleeping or for areas that stay warmer for longer during the year.

Down Comforter: Phoenix Down Brussels Comforter

Polyester Comforter: Tempo Duvet Insert

All Season/Fall

These comforters are very versatile and are great for the fall, or climates that generally stay in the mid-range temperatures.

Feather and Down Comforter: Pillowtex Classic Weight Feather and Down Comforter

Polyester Comforter: Malouf Down Alternative Microfiber Comforter

Winter

These are the heaviest comforters that keep you warm, even in the dead of winter.

Down: Down Lite Premium White Goose Down Comforter

Feather and Down: Pillowtex Arctic Weight Feather and Down Comforter

Although we carry many different pillows and comforters, these are some of our favorites. Hopefully, this guide can lead you to find the perfect gift for your mother or grandmother! Happy Mother’s Day!