Its internal cavities are home to dust mites, mold, skin cells, etc., all factors that can cause common allergies. If you start buying foam mattresses, you'll find that most manufacturers claim that foam mattresses don't harbor dust mites. After adjusting for the relevant confounding factors, the risk of finding dust mite feces was four times higher in foam compared to spring mattresses (odds ratio of 4.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) of 95% of 1.1-15 and eight times higher in foam mattresses without covers (OR 8.1, 95% CI: 1.8-36). A washable mattress cover creates another layer of protection for the mattress against bacteria and dust mites.
Dust samples were collected in a standardized manner on 24 foam mattresses without covers, 68 foam mattresses with covers and 24 spring mattresses, and the presence of mite faeces was detected by means of a colorimetric test with Guanine paper (Acarex). Regardless of which mattress you choose, the key for people with allergies and asthma is to seal it with a high-quality mattress cover. The type of mattress you buy matters less than the type of special dust mite proof covers you buy for your mattress and pillows. Buying a memory foam mattress is a guaranteed improvement, due to the natural hypoallergenic qualities of memory foam.
Memory foam or latex foam would be a better option than traditional interior spring mattresses if you are looking for a mite-proof mattress.
