As if your current roster of household chores isn’t enough, I’m going to suggest a new job. If you keep reading, I think you’ll be only too happy to add it to your to-do list.

A bit of a content warning though: put that sandwich down before you continue. Unpleasant revelations lie ahead.

If you wake up with itchy skin or allergy symptoms such as sniffles or watery eyes, if you suffer from asthma or eczema, or even if you just want a nice clean bed, you should regularly vacuum your mattress. Here’s why.

Every month, we shed a golf-ball-sized amount of skin cells. Some of these are sloughed off outside or around your home but a good proportion will wind up in your bed. Over time, they sink into your mattress, along with pollen and dander, ageing it, affecting its springiness and weighing it down.

That, in itself, is gross enough to have you running for a vacuum – but there’s more. Dead skin cells encourage the growth of fungi and worse, they’re the preferred food of dust mites.

What are dust mites?

Dust mites are microscopic creatures, typically measuring only 0.2-0.3mm in length and unlikely to be visible to the human eye (although you can see one in the image at the top of this article, which was taken through a microscope). They’re known for causing allergies and are associated with asthma development.

Don’t get them confused with bed bugs, which are much larger micropredators that feed on blood. Bed bugs can’t be vacuumed away.

A mattress can contain thousands, or even millions, of dust mites. A dust mite will live for around 65-100 days and female mites can lay up to 100 eggs in their lifetime. Dust mites also produce thousands of particles of excrement and leave partially digested dust particles in their wake, all of which can contribute to breathing problems and itchy skin in people who are simply trying to get a good night’s rest.

How can you get rid of dust mites?

Washing your bedding in hot water (at least 60°C/140°F) will kill dust mites, but that won’t help when it comes to your mattress, which can’t be dumped in the washing machine.

For that, you need to vacuum your mattress thoroughly. Here’s how to do it:

• If your vacuum has a motorised upholstery tool or pet tool, use that. Otherwise, the main floor attachment is fine – but make sure it’s clean before you use it on your bed.
• A cleaning attachment with bristles can help to agitate fibres and dislodge dust for a deeper clean.
• Use the high-suction mode of your vacuum.
• Strip your bed and go over the surface of the mattress slowly – dust mites can be tenacious.
• Pay extra attention to seams, buttons and anywhere that dust could settle. Use a crevice or brush tool to get into these spots if needed.
• Flip your mattress and do the same on the opposite side.
• Set a reminder to vacuum your mattress regularly – at least every six months, but monthly is best. Dust mite season lasts from May-October but you should continue vacuuming your mattress throughout winter.
• Once your mattress is done, do the same for your sofa.

Which vacuum cleaner is best for cleaning your mattress?

Where this type of cleaning is concerned, power isn’t enough. To give your mattress a thorough clean, you’ll need a vacuum with powerful suction and, ideally, a HEPA filter.

A HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter is one that meets the HEPA standard, which is to say that it removes at least 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns and traps them inside the vacuum bin.

Without a HEPA filter, small particles will be blown back out into the air, including dust mite allergens. This means that people with asthma and allergies will still experience symptoms, even after vacuuming.

Here are some of the best vacuums we’ve tested that feature a HEPA filter:

Other trusted models include:

Even better is a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter and whole machine filtration. This means that the entire machine is sealed to ensure that no dusty air is blown from the cleaner. Dyson is an expert in this area. Have a look at our Dyson cordless vacuums round-up to find the one that’s best for you.

You can see all our top vacuum cleaner recommendations in our round-up of the best vacuum cleaners.