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Posted on: August 15, 2007

Good Night and Good Health

Antibacterial and antimicrobial sheets can turn your bed into a safe haven, warding off dust mites, allergens and other interlopers that aim to disrupt your slumber. Here are the A's to Zzzzz's on the latest bedroom breakthough

By Kate Sullivan
CTW Features

In a world filled with chaos and busy schedules, finding time to live a healthy lifestyle is challenging in the best of circumstances. We constantly search for shortcuts when it comes to cleaning. We've all seen the infamous television exposÃ©s on what's really lurking between the sheets in hotel rooms, but what about when we investigate closer to home?

The same dust mites, pet dander and allergens lurk and live in our favorite linens. But with today's technology, you can win this war on germs in your sleep.

Antibacterial bedding gives a competitive edge to those with microbes on their mind. While originally targeted for health-care facilities, from hospital beds to dentist chairs, today's manufacturers make the same sterilizing technology consumer friendly

Considering the average person spends about one-third of his life in bed, it's important to make this resting place a clean one.

But what does it mean to be antimicrobial or antibacterial? In simple terms, fabrics are either treated chemically or woven with natural bacteria killers like bamboo.

For a fabric to be labeled as such, it must contain an "EPA-registered antimicrobial element ... an additive that will make the fabric resistant to growing mold, mildew and bacteria," explains Shaya Prunier, director of business development and design for Low Impact Living, LLC, a Los Angeles-based environmental-impact awareness company.

Most synthetic fibers are inherently antimicrobial, Prunier says, and as long as natural fibers are cleaned and treated properly - and "as long as there's not a food source for mold" to feed off of - they will be fine.

Michael Guidry, vice president of product development for Duquesne, Pa.-based American Textile explains, "antimicrobials are showing up on everything, from mops to dishtowels. It's only natural in today's cleaner-is-better society that we would make the shift to bed linens for the average person."

At Home Source International, an Atlanta distributor of antibacterial products, not only do the bamboo woven sheets offer a healthier option but also an eco-friendly one. "The bamboo is flattened into a slush and then spun into thread that is then woven to make the sheets. No chemicals are used during this process," according to Home Source International's Mary Beth Byington.

Users cannot tell the difference by touch, and overall prices are comparable to traditional cotton sheets. So with undetectable differences and potential environmental benefits, should everyone jump on the antibacterial bandwagon?

Ultimately, regularly washing cotton bedding in hot water and drying on high heat will keep bacteria at bay, but for some, these science-infused sheets are the way to go.

"Anyone with pet allergies (think Cocker Spaniel or calico), respiratory allergies or skin irritations like eczema, would benefit from this protective bedding," according to Guidry. And Byington adds that the fibers naturally pull moisture from the body. But at the end of the day, using antimicrobial sheets is more of a lifestyle choice than one rooted in health benefits.

As guarded bedding gains popularity, science meets the demands of style. Designs shift from functional to fashionable. Working an antibacterial look into your home is easy. You can change a bed without changing the room's entire look; most sheets come in basic colors that agree with most room designs.

As the trend of antimicrobial bedding increases, so do the style options. Home Source International's bamboo sheet selection comes in a variety of color choices. Go beyond the crisp whites and open your room up to a soft array of shades. Jodi Ruggeri, the company's Midwest representative, likens the collection to the spa look.

With ivy, taupe, blue and green, you can channel your inner Zen with an instantly calming bedroom. Home Source International carries quilted blankets and soon will launch duvet covers to complete the bamboo bedding experience. For about $225, nature lovers can walk away with a queen set. Go green without spending a lot of your own green.

According to Guidry, "Anytime 'Oprah,' 'Dateline' or some morning show does a segment on 'what's really in your bedroom' we see an instant spike in sales." Consumers are more aware of their choices and options in today's germ-conscious society.

When it comes to getting under the antimicrobial covers, for anyone with a health concern or germaphobic tendencies, the shift to sterile is clear. But for the average consumer there is more to consider.

Guidry points out: "Ask why you want to make the shift. What are you protecting yourself from?"

But for Byington, there is no choice. "Once you use bamboo sheets, you'll never go back. You get the soft feel of silk or satin sheets but without the flimsiness." And Byington not only develops and distributes, but she practices what she preaches - all her beds are bamboo-covered and will be for all nights to come.

Linen life cycle

They might kill bacteria but will they last? Can you wash the effectiveness out of your antimicrobial and antibacterial sheets?

Washing and drying instructions for the germ-killing sheets mimic those of traditional cotton sheets. But for chemically treated antimicrobial bedding, the life cycle depends on the brand and type of treatment the fabric went through.

"The lifetime ranges anywhere from 15 launderings to life," according to Michael Guidry, vice president of product development for Duquesne-Pa.-based American Textile. But he warns, most consumers don't know where to read the fine print to learn about a particular linen's life cycle.

But according to Home Source International's Mary Beth Byington, the company's antibacterial bamboo sheets are not chemically treated so the germ-repelling effectiveness lasts as long as the sheets do. "You treat bamboo sheets just as you would cotton sheets, so long as you don't put them though excessive wear and tear, they will last a lifetime."