206 lines
5.1 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
206 lines
5.1 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
health
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healthnews
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7253872
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-----
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# Britain's dirty bedrooms: some people 'wash their sheets three times a year'
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## Half a million dirty Britons wash their bed sheets only three times a
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year, a survey discloses laying bare the disgusting bedroom habits of the
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nation.
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![A woman in bed: Britain's dirty bedrooms: some people 'wash their sheets
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three times a year'][1]
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Experts say a dirty bed can have about ten million bedbugs. Photo: ALAMY
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7:30AM GMT 17 Feb 2010
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One in six people also admitted waiting at least a month before washing their
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bed sheets.
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Experts say up to ten per cent of the weight of an unwashed pillow can be made
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up of dead skin and mites, with a dirty bed having about ten million bedbugs.
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It would come as no surprise to most mothers but under 25s were found to have
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the dirtiest bed sheets with one in 10 admitting to washing theirs only six
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times a year.
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In contrast, house-proud over 55s air their dirty laundry on average three
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times a month.
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Londoners were the worst culprits when it comes to unwashed bedding, the
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survey of 1,029 men and women from across the UK, found.
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## Related Articles
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* [Pillow talk: how to buy a bed][2]
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26 Feb 2010
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* [Creepy crawlies up close][3]
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03 Aug 2010
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* [Quilting: How to get started][4]
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17 Feb 2010
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The capital was closely followed by Brits in the North East, and the South
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West, also keeping dirty sheets on their bed for more than a month.
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Dr Lisa Ackerley, Environmental Health Practitioner, said unwashed sheets were
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a breeding ground of disease.
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"An unsavoury (amount) of the British population regularly enjoy a bite to eat
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in bed... with over 500,000 Brits washing their bedding just three times a
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year.
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"It's estimated that 10 per cent of the weight of a two year pillow is
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comprised of dead skin and dust mites - so it's no surprise that your bed can
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become a minefield of bacteria, viruses, sweat and hair which can cause or
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exacerbate asthma.
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"Beds are a prime habitat for dust mites."
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She said America's Environment Health and Safety Online found a typical used
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mattress had anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites inside.
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"Washing your bedding takes time and effort but to reduce levels of unwanted
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organisms and mites, you need to wash your bed linen at least once a fortnight
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- preferably once a week," she said.
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Jacky Brown, of Sheilas' Wheels home insurance, which conducted the study,
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said: "With the cold weather making our beds more irresistible than ever,
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Brits are currently spending more than 49 hours a week sleeping in.
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"The bed is one of the most used and expensive items in the home - so it's
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astonishing that more Brits aren't keeping it clean.
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"With many beds being used as an alternative to the kitchen table for a place
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to breakfast or snack, it is crucial homeowners have accidental damage cover
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in the event of a major spillage."
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She added: "The average person forking out up to £1,020 on their beds, an
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unpleasant 10 million(4) bed bugs and dust mites sleep alongside you every
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night."
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**Regions with the dirtiest bed sheets: **
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1. London (24 per cent)
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2. North East (22 per cent)
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3. South West (21 per cent)
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4. East Midlands (19 per cent)
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= 4. South East (19 per cent)
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6. North West (18 per cent)
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= 6. West Midlands (18 per cent)
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8. Wales (17 per cent)
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9. Eastern England (16 per cent)
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10. Scotland (15 per cent)
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11. Yorkshire (13 per cent)
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12. Northern Ireland (8 per cent)
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Note: per cent based on those washing their bedding just once a month or less
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frequently.
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Source: Sheilas' Wheels Home Insurance
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7253872/Britains-dirty-bedrooms-
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some-people-wash-their-sheets-three-times-a-year.html
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Telegraph
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## [Health News][10]
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* ### [News »][11]
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* ### [How about that? »][12]
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* ### [UK News »][13]
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In health
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your body][14] ][15]
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[![Spring hay fever season: scanning electron microscope pictures of pollen
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grains][16] ][17]
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### [Pollen grains up close][17]
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[![Wolf child: Supatra Sasuphan, 11, is happy to be named the world's hairiest
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girl][18] ][19]
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[![Methamphetamines user. Left image taken in January 2008 and right image
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taken in August 2008. Drugs to Mugs : shocking before and after images put
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together by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office in the US state of Oregon
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show the cost drug addiction takes on the human face][20] ][21]
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### [From Drugs to Mugs][21]
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[![Dairy farmers lose more than 3p on every litre of milk they produce][22]
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][23]
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### [The end of BSE][23]
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[X][5] Share & bookmark
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[What are these?][6]
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Share:
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* [ ][5]
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* [ ][7]
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* [ ][8]
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* [Tweet][9]
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* Advertisement
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![][24]
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Advertisement
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[TELEGRAPH MEDICAL INSURANCE »][25]
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* [Calculators][26]
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* [Advice][27]
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Loading
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var puffs_8122050 = new Array();
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