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Bedbugs, mites and bacteria are getting the chance to multiply unchecked in Beijingers' mattresses and duvets because many residents are not taking simple measures to kill them, according to results of an online survey.
The polling by Sina.com shows that almost 50 percent of city residents are not airing their bedding under the sun - a practice that was common until a few years ago.
About 44 percent of respondents said they did not even know that placing mattresses outside under the sun could be beneficial.
The online survey was released after a BBC report said millions of mites can live in a single set of bedding - even bedding that is washed regularly.
The Sina.com survey revealed that about 30 percent of Beijingers never put their bedding under the sun. More than 66 percent who do air their bedding do so on their balconies.
Nearly half of those who do not air their mattresses said the weather was not conducive.
"Most of the time in Beijing, the weather isn't good enough to dry things in the sun," said Zhang Qi, a 20-year-old student at Peking University.
"The summer is too dusty and the winter is too cold and the spring and autumn are too short. Even if I could get my bedding outside, there are only a few days when it would work during the year."
Zhang, who is from Hangzhou, said it is much more common in her hometown to see people airing bedding under the sun.
"My mother and grandmother do it once a month. They say the sunshine makes the bedding soft and warm," she said. "More importantly, it can kill some of the bacteria and parasites that harm your health."
However, to some foreigners, the idea of putting mattresses out in the sun is an oddity.
Michael Blare, 31, from the UK, said he seldom saw people in his country airing their mattresses.
According to Sohu.com, small flakes of shed skin and the residue from perspiration feed mites and other parasites.
The extra inhabitants in the mattresses can cause an allergic reaction among some people.
Sunshine, with its ultraviolet rays, will kill the tiny bugs.
According to Beijing Evening News, the optimum time to air a mattress in the capital is between 10 am and 2 pm.
For cotton bedding, three to four hours under the sun is enough. For woolen blankets, two hours should suffice.
（中國日報網(wǎng)英語點津 Helen 編輯）
About the broadcaster:
Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is also fluent in Korean.
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