How often do you change your mattress pads?

[The Farmers Daughter]

Do you change mattress pads each time you flip a room or less often? If less often, then how often?

 

[egoodell]

I don't understand - do you mean how often do we wash them? Once a month.
RIki

 

[Morticia]

If you're talking about washing them, then every 2 weeks in the summer and once/month in the off season. Obviously more frequently if needed.
And the mattress pads we use are very thick, not just a 'barrier' between the mattress & the sheet.

 

[EmptyNest]

at least once a month..but if it needs it..whenever it does

 

[muirford]

Are you sure it's not fleas? They are really bad this year - the winter was not cold enough to kill them in the ground in a lot of places. We are struggling with them and we have an indoor cat. I have bites all around my ankles and I'm sure I have carried them inside at some point in time. Bombed our quarters and flea-bathed the cat plus advantage on him but they're not gone yet. Ever since we lost our other indoor cat they have been worse - it seems they lost one meal ticket and have now settled on me as a replacement.

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

We're in sync with everybody else on how often we launder them.
We're in the start of our fifth year and am on our second set in each room with a few from the most booked rooms being on their third set.
We buy good ones and check them all the time on every flip. If its a five night or longer stay, we generally will throw them in the wash even if it had recently been done.
Its been a few years since we lived near a coast, but I remember when living in Oregon that there were "sandfleas" on the beach that were pretty aggravating at times. Is there a similar critter on the east coast?
A practice we've started since the news about the bedbug story broke is to put a fine mister with plain water in the bathroom cleaning caddy and if we have any inkling of someone bringing them in, we'll lightly spritz the fitted sheet before stripping it. The tipoff is if you see tiny little reddish dots.
Do most folks use the waterproof mattress pads?
At first, we thought they'd be real "crinkly" feeling, but they generally fit the mattress so tightly that one doesn't feel anything different.

 

[muirford]

They look similar to my flea bites which I also have on my legs up to my thighs and my arms. Most are around my ankles, though. Fleas also leave 'dirt' or poop that turns red when moistened due to the high blood content. Mine, unfortunately.
Flea larvae can lay dormant for a very long time - months, even - and then they hatch when they sense movement or a blood source nearby. They don't like light so they often lay eggs under beds and in blankets/bedding that pets sleep on.
I'm not saying they weren't bedbugs but you were in a place with your pets, so others might have brought them in. Cat fleas (which live on both dogs and cats) are notoriously hard to get rid of once they're established. Your daughter may be one of us unlucky ones that they like to bite - my DH doesn't have an itchy spot on him because they all bite me.

 

[JBloggs]

They look similar to my flea bites which I also have on my legs up to my thighs and my arms. Most are around my ankles, though. Fleas also leave 'dirt' or poop that turns red when moistened due to the high blood content. Mine, unfortunately.
Flea larvae can lay dormant for a very long time - months, even - and then they hatch when they sense movement or a blood source nearby. They don't like light so they often lay eggs under beds and in blankets/bedding that pets sleep on.
I'm not saying they weren't bedbugs but you were in a place with your pets, so others might have brought them in. Cat fleas (which live on both dogs and cats) are notoriously hard to get rid of once they're established. Your daughter may be one of us unlucky ones that they like to bite - my DH doesn't have an itchy spot on him because they all bite me..

They look similar to my flea bites which I also have on my legs up to my thighs and my arms. Most are around my ankles, though. Fleas also leave 'dirt' or poop that turns red when moistened due to the high blood content. Mine, unfortunately.
Flea larvae can lay dormant for a very long time - months, even - and then they hatch when they sense movement or a blood source nearby. They don't like light so they often lay eggs under beds and in blankets/bedding that pets sleep on.
I'm not saying they weren't bedbugs but you were in a place with your pets, so others might have brought them in. Cat fleas (which live on both dogs and cats) are notoriously hard to get rid of once they're established. Your daughter may be one of us unlucky ones that they like to bite - my DH doesn't have an itchy spot on him because they all bite me.

not good

 

[Samster]

They look similar to my flea bites which I also have on my legs up to my thighs and my arms. Most are around my ankles, though. Fleas also leave 'dirt' or poop that turns red when moistened due to the high blood content. Mine, unfortunately.
Flea larvae can lay dormant for a very long time - months, even - and then they hatch when they sense movement or a blood source nearby. They don't like light so they often lay eggs under beds and in blankets/bedding that pets sleep on.
I'm not saying they weren't bedbugs but you were in a place with your pets, so others might have brought them in. Cat fleas (which live on both dogs and cats) are notoriously hard to get rid of once they're established. Your daughter may be one of us unlucky ones that they like to bite - my DH doesn't have an itchy spot on him because they all bite me..

They look similar to my flea bites which I also have on my legs up to my thighs and my arms. Most are around my ankles, though. Fleas also leave 'dirt' or poop that turns red when moistened due to the high blood content. Mine, unfortunately.
Flea larvae can lay dormant for a very long time - months, even - and then they hatch when they sense movement or a blood source nearby. They don't like light so they often lay eggs under beds and in blankets/bedding that pets sleep on.
I'm not saying they weren't bedbugs but you were in a place with your pets, so others might have brought them in. Cat fleas (which live on both dogs and cats) are notoriously hard to get rid of once they're established. Your daughter may be one of us unlucky ones that they like to bite - my DH doesn't have an itchy spot on him because they all bite me.

not good
.

I vote flea bites. I would think more likely with the cabin scenario and pets around. They are really bad this year here, too. Although my remaining dog (knock wood) is flealess to date. But he spends little time outside in his old age and I have him on oral and other meds for it. The outdoor cat is scratching mightily though. A trip to the vet is in order, I think for her poor thing.
Poor kids!

 

[Samster]

I think this is probably based on occupancy, use, and also the appearance of stains. ewwwwww....
I will change out everything on the bed if we have a longer stay (for instance, I just did this on a 4 day stay). Folks seem to really make themselves at home when they're here more than a couple of days, so it all goes in the wash down to the teflon mattress cover. Anything questionable on a mattress pad when I do a flip...in the wash. I would say on average, they get washed after about 7-10 room nights. They are thick ones, too. I am a clean freak....

 

[muirford]

They look similar to my flea bites which I also have on my legs up to my thighs and my arms. Most are around my ankles, though. Fleas also leave 'dirt' or poop that turns red when moistened due to the high blood content. Mine, unfortunately.
Flea larvae can lay dormant for a very long time - months, even - and then they hatch when they sense movement or a blood source nearby. They don't like light so they often lay eggs under beds and in blankets/bedding that pets sleep on.
I'm not saying they weren't bedbugs but you were in a place with your pets, so others might have brought them in. Cat fleas (which live on both dogs and cats) are notoriously hard to get rid of once they're established. Your daughter may be one of us unlucky ones that they like to bite - my DH doesn't have an itchy spot on him because they all bite me..

They look similar to my flea bites which I also have on my legs up to my thighs and my arms. Most are around my ankles, though. Fleas also leave 'dirt' or poop that turns red when moistened due to the high blood content. Mine, unfortunately.
Flea larvae can lay dormant for a very long time - months, even - and then they hatch when they sense movement or a blood source nearby. They don't like light so they often lay eggs under beds and in blankets/bedding that pets sleep on.
I'm not saying they weren't bedbugs but you were in a place with your pets, so others might have brought them in. Cat fleas (which live on both dogs and cats) are notoriously hard to get rid of once they're established. Your daughter may be one of us unlucky ones that they like to bite - my DH doesn't have an itchy spot on him because they all bite me.

not good
.

Do what we can, summer will have its flies. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

and fleas...

 

[seashanty]

each flip - the pillow protectors under the pillow cases, too.

 

[Samster]

each flip - the pillow protectors under the pillow cases, too..

Wow, you must have a lot of mattress protectors and pillow protectors!

 

[seashanty]

did have - i'm not there now. we started to do this when a family taking three rooms told me as they were checking out that they had seen bed bugs at the last place they stayed = meaning they brought them to my place! so we pulled them off like the sheets and pillow cases. it became second nature and i didn't freak any more.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Are you sure it's not fleas? They are really bad this year - the winter was not cold enough to kill them in the ground in a lot of places. We are struggling with them and we have an indoor cat. I have bites all around my ankles and I'm sure I have carried them inside at some point in time. Bombed our quarters and flea-bathed the cat plus advantage on him but they're not gone yet. Ever since we lost our other indoor cat they have been worse - it seems they lost one meal ticket and have now settled on me as a replacement..

I change them as needed or when there is a lapse of guests in a room so I can do the extra wash.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Change them to keep an eye out for bed bugs.

 

[kattrin]

The newer waterproof mattress pads and pillow protectors are so thin that you can wash them with the sheets ever time with no problems. They protect against any bugs, dust mites, body moisture and do not make the bed hot. I love mine. They are also great for people with allergies. I would look for someone who sells them wholesale and buy a case if you have an inn with more that 4 rooms. I think there are 12 in a case.

 

[JBloggs]

The newer waterproof mattress pads and pillow protectors are so thin that you can wash them with the sheets ever time with no problems. They protect against any bugs, dust mites, body moisture and do not make the bed hot. I love mine. They are also great for people with allergies. I would look for someone who sells them wholesale and buy a case if you have an inn with more that 4 rooms. I think there are 12 in a case..

ah a case...another reason to have all the same size beds in a B&B and save money in the long run. I have diff sized beds, 3 rooms of the 6 have a queen, but still...something to think about from the get go, aye.

 

[EmptyNest]

The newer waterproof mattress pads and pillow protectors are so thin that you can wash them with the sheets ever time with no problems. They protect against any bugs, dust mites, body moisture and do not make the bed hot. I love mine. They are also great for people with allergies. I would look for someone who sells them wholesale and buy a case if you have an inn with more that 4 rooms. I think there are 12 in a case..

What is the name of these? I am sure others would like to know. WHere did you get them? Are they really bed bug proof??? If so, they would need to encase the whole mattress not just the top. Anxious to hear what these are and how much they cost you.

 

[gillumhouse]

The newer waterproof mattress pads and pillow protectors are so thin that you can wash them with the sheets ever time with no problems. They protect against any bugs, dust mites, body moisture and do not make the bed hot. I love mine. They are also great for people with allergies. I would look for someone who sells them wholesale and buy a case if you have an inn with more that 4 rooms. I think there are 12 in a case..

Would you care to please tell us where to get them? What brand are they? Something we can use to find them?