Homeowner Forum / Cleaning / May 2005

I sleep on one of those "air beds" -- the ones that are the same
sizes as regular mattresses but of a higher quality than a common
air mattress. The one I have has a "velour top." I also have an
egg-carton type foam pad on top of the mattress. I cover both with
a typical mattress pad, then a sheet. I also sleep with two pillows.

Today I decided to wash the sheets and the mattress pad. When I took
the mattress pad off the foam pad lifted off too.

To my surprise and disgust, there was mold/mildew (which is which?)
on the air bed/mattress where my head goes!

My questions:

How the heck does this happen, and why only under my pillows/head?

What's the best way to clean it? (I don't want to have to inhale
bleach fumes when I'm trying to sleep.)

Is there some way to prevent this from happening in the future? (Aside
from airing the bed out every day.)

Thanks in advance.