Question about the SnuggleWool 27x35 Baby Wool Blanket, Organic Back and the SnuggleWool Wool Baby Blanket, 27x36, Cotton Flannel Bk

Question: "What is the difference between these two wool baby blankets? I thought all wool blankets had to be washed by hand or dry-cleaned. Your website says these are machine waahable and line dry. Don't they shrink a lot? I am look for baby gift ideas for my best friend. Thanks. Robin."

Answer: The main difference is the backing. The first baby blanket has an organic flannel cotton backing and the second uses a cotton flannel for the backing that is not organic.

Both blankets are made from Merino lambs wool from Australia or New Zealand. The wool fibers are sliver-knit into a polyester backing. That means the fabric is sturdy yet machine washable. Of course, you want to use cool water and either a detergent made for wool or a mild detergent.

Merino wool has been proven to soothe children with a soft swaddling effect, thus reducing stress and restless movement.

The 27 by 35-36 inch size of lambs wool blanket is a favorite of mom's with new babies. My daughter-in-law  used this infant blanket to cover my grandson's when he fell asleep in his infant seat. She'd tuck it around him. It was also a great overwrap when taking him out on a cold Minneapolis day from the house to the car or from the car into a store when the wind was blowing hard. Or if he fell asleep when on the floor, she would cover him or move him onto the blanket and flip the side over him.  This is also a good size for a bassinet or cradle.

Snuggle Wool blankets are perfect for snuggling your child and can make a comforting play mat. A major advantage is that these wool blankets keep baby warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Wool absorbs perspiration and  is naturally disinfecting, too.

The blankets come in several sizes including crib blanket sizes. We also have other sizes of baby blankets for cribs, changing table covers, co sleeper pads , baby buntings and infant car seat covers. All make great baby gifts. Snugglewool products are made in the USA, too.

I hope this helped answer your questions.

Thanks.

Sincerely, Barbara

Question about the Rest-Guard fitted and zippered encasement mattress covers.

Q: "My family members have many allergies. We'd like to know how the Rest-Guard mattress covers differ from the cotton covers we are currently using. Thanks. Susan"

Answer: Rest-Guard are soft cotton bonded to polyurethane so they are cool to sleep on and also are water proof.  The Rest-Guard standard covers are fitted like a fitted bottom sheet. The Rest-Guard full enclosure covers are zippered. For most people, the fitted Rest-Guard covers are the better choice. These are also available in several thicknesses and many more sizes than the complete enclosure covers. For older mattresses and box springs or for those with bed bug infestation, the full enclosure covers are the better coice. The best way to show you the differences is via a comparison chart. 

 Mattress Cover and Box Spring Comparison Chart

Features	Rest Guard	Standard Mattress Cover	Anti-Bacterial Mattress Cover	Full Enclosure Mattress Cover
Stops the accumulation of microscopic organisms on the mattress cover.	YES	NO	YES	YES
Acts as a barrier against dust mite growth in the mattress and pillow.	YES	NO	NO	YES
Stops the transfer of microscopic particles from the mattress to the sleeping area.	YES	NO	NO	YES
Prevents mattress stains and maintains warranty.	YES	NO	NO	YES
Unique design allows the Body to breathe.	YES	YES	YES	YES
Wash in Hot Water.	YES	NO	NO	YES
Use automatic washing machine and dryer.	YES	YES	YES	YES
Contour shape reduces mattress condensation.	YES	YES	YES	YES
Recommended for allergy & asthma control.	YES	NO	NO	YES

NOTE: To effectively kill and remove mold, mildew, fungus, bacteria and dust mites, washing in warm water is essential. Dry on low temperature settings ONLY.

_{Rest-Guard Deluxe (Fully Enclosed) Mattress/Pillow Covers - Product Description}

The Rest-Guard Deluxe fully enclosed covers are manufactured from a unique fabric called a fluff fabric, which are made of a 100% high quality cotton blend. These covers have no seams, pockets or folds for bedbugs to hide in and lay their eggs, and are specifically designed to block out all allergens, and most other particles as small as cat dander, unlike sheets, they encase and protect the entire mattress and zip up tightly. Used beneath your regular bedding, our fully enclosed mattress covers will not only silently and invisibly protect against all allergens, but any soiling or liquid spills that might occur on the mattress through regular use as well.

Additionally, the Rest-Guard encasings can be used for bed bug protection**. Independent test data proved bed bugs and their eggs could not get through our fabrics or zippers. They offer complete protection while remaining soft and breathable beneath your sheets, so you always sleep comfortably. And we take extra care in the design and construction of Rest-Guard encasings with features such as concealed zippers and a waterproof, shrink-proof polyurethane backing which will give them a perfect fit even after repeated washings. We believe you won't find a finer, more comfortable encasing anywhere at any price. Mean pore size of 1.2 microns. 5-Year Warranty.

Rest Guard Pillow Protector: pillow cover is waterproof, dust mite & bedbug proof. Size available: 21"x30".

Unique Design of Bed Bug Blocker Covers

The Bed Bug Blocker design incorporates a 3-sided zipper operation with a re-enforced zipper liner which also comes with our unique bug blocker patch which is located at the end stop were the zipper closes, this provides added protection even if the zipper is left open by a few teeth for an effective barrier and peace of mind against Bed Bugs, dust-mites and allergens and is also 100% waterproof. Our fabric is also soft and smooth to the touch, which makes the covers very comfortable to sleep on.

• 3 Sided zipper design for easy installation & removal, which fully-encases the mattress or box spring.
• Designed with 100% cotton fluff fabric top for total comfort with a waterproof polyurethane backing which prevents all mattress stains and the transfer of moisture between the mattress and body.
• Can be Machine washed at high temperature and tumble dried at a low heat setting.
• Listed as a Class 1 medical device by Health Canada.
• Proven protection against Bedwetting problems.
• Breathable backing for Superior Comfort, which is both waterproof & moisture Absorbent.
• Designed to fit most mattresses' including deep pillow-top beds.
• 5 year warranty against defect in workmanship and materials.

Sizes Available in Full Enclosure Covers.

TWIN

TWIN XL

DOUBLE

DOUBLE XL

QUEEN

KING

Thank you again for your question.

Sincerely, Barbara

 

Question abou the Restguard  King Sized Mattress Cover and the King allergy pillow covers.

Q: "We have a pillow top king bed that is less than a year old. My allergies to dust mites are getting worse. We change the sheets once a week, wash all the blankets and quilt once a month and run an air cleaner and use a HEPA air cleaner. Would these mattress and pillow covers help?" Thanks. Linda

Answer: Dust mites love the warmth and moisture your body provides while you are sleeping on a mattress with your head on a pillow. Their favorite food is dander (human skin flakes). The advantage of using Restguard covers is that dust mite populations cannot multiply in the mattress or pillows due to the polyurethane backing. Yet the cotton/poly terry surface is comfortable and cool to sleep on. Plus your pillow is made allergy proof if you prefer feathers or down to which many are allergic. You'll protect your pillow and bedding against stains as well.

And you can launder the covers as often as you choose since they have a 10 year warranty and are hot water safe for your washer and low dryer setting or line dry safe. You may need to wash them weekly if your allergies are severe. We wash ours every few weeks when we wash the blankets and comforter to get rid of dust mites and animal hair. (Yep, the cats and dog share the bed despite my allergies.)

I do suggest, from personal experience, that you put the pillow cases on with the non-zippered side first. It is easier. We put our Restguard mattress cover over a memory foam pad to protect it from the animals and us.  The memory foam pad units two extra long twins in a king frame: much easier to flip a twin than a king mattress over.

Thanks again for your question. Remember that mattress covers and encasements as well as pillow covers and encasements from RestGuard come in sizes from crib to California King.

Sincerely,

Barbara

 

Question about how the memory foam lumbar cushion and regular foam lumbar seat cushions differ from the skin protection and positioning seat cushions.

Q: "Which seat cushion is the better choice for a person who must spend hours daily in a chair? Is the fleece coccyx wedge seat lumbar ortho cushion or the memory foam, etc. cushions a better choice or the Lumex skin protection positioning cushions? My mom has back problems, spends most days in a wheelchair and is in her 80's. Thanks. Steve."

Answer: The lumbar cushions have a cut-out that takes the pressure off tailbones. The memory foam are more firm than the regular foam as memory foam is more dense. These generally sell for $20 to $50, have no attachment strap (just place on the chair and sit on it). In contrast, the Lumex are retailed at over $275, have a gel center layer plus foam layers on top and bottom and have both side wedges for lateral stability and a center pommel for medial thigh support. More important they have a waterproof cover made to reduce shear/friction plus a strap for firm attachment to the chair. The purposes are to provide long-term skin protection and positioning for high-risk patients plus seating comfort.

There are also lumbar support cushions available to give her support in her lumbar region. For example, the memory foam lumbar cushion by Mabis Health Care and the Care Apparel polyurethane foam velour lumbar cushion can give her better back support in her wheelchair.

She probably would be most comfortable with the Lumex seat cushions and either of the lumbar support cushions. Do realize that the Mabis cushion does have a strap for the back of the chair if slippage is a concern.

Thanks for your question. Please contact us if you need more information.

Sincerely, Barbara

Question about the GF convoluted foam mattress pads

Q: "I'm interested in your 4 inch convoluted foam mattress pads for king sized beds. I do not see a density of foam given. I've seen other pads advertised at 1.2 as soft, 1.5 as medium, and 1.8 as average. How dense are these?" Thanks Will

Answer: Thank you for your interesting question. According to G F Health, the density of the 7-4000 mattress topper is given in Indentation Load Deflection (ILD). This pad is 34 ILD which the customer service rep says is firm.

A check on the internet indicates this density is considered a 2.6 visco foam density. Bariatric foam has a 45 ILD rating. To understand what this means, see below. Definitions: Density is based upon the weight of one cubic foot of foam. 2.6 thus means the weight of one cubic foot of this 4 inch foam. Indentation Load Deflection or ILD: the unit of measure to indicate degree of firmness.

One website says the ideal ILD reading for a cushion would be 25 to 50 lbs at 25% ILD reading (the weight an indenter must weigh to compress a 4 inch thick piece of foam to 3 inches) If fifty square inches of 4 inch foam is compressed to 3 inches, that is 25% ILD. If the foam is compressed to 1.4 inches, that is a 65% ILD. For seating comfort, the ideal ILD reading is 25 to 40 pounds at 25%, and 45 to 100 pounds at 65%.

Thanks for your question.

Sincerely, Barbara

Question about the product Rest-Guard Twin 15 Inch High Mattress Cover

Q: "We are moving our son from his crib with its vinyl covered mattress to a twin bed within the next month. He was recently toilet trained and we guess he may have a few accidents yet in the next year. Is this mattress cover the best choice for us?  The new mattress is 15 inches high." Thanks. Susan

Answer: I do recommend this mattress cover. To make your life easier, I suggest you buy at least two covers. That way if he does have an accident during the night, you can change the bed then, if he wakes up, or the next morning and have the bed ready for his afternoon nap. These mattress covers are comfortable to sleep on, too. In the days when my sons were young, the only options were a plastic mattress cover which was either hot or cold unless you topped it with a mattress pad. I recall having quite a collection of mattress pads and sheets.

The Rest-Guard covers are virtually identical to Protect-A-Bed covers. They are hot water washable and dryable on low or line dry. My grandkids find them quite comfortable since they are cotton and polyester and absorbent. They keep dust mites in the mattress, too. We also sell total mattress encasements in all sizes and heights.

Thanks for your question.

Sincerely, Barbara

 

Question about the king bedbug mattress and box spring protectors

Q: "What do I do now? My husband must have brought home bedbugs in his suitcase. We are itching and scratching. We've called an exterminator but he says there is no way to treat the mattress and box springs which were very expensive pillow tops." Thanks. Karyn

Answer: I recommend you cover both the mattress and box spring with individual Rest-Guard Deluxe King Bed total encasements that are 20 inches high. Also use Rest-Guard total encasement pillow covers on all your pillows in the bedroom and then cover your mattress with a fitted Rest-Guard waterproof mattress cover.

Any bed bugs you seal up in the Rest-Guard "Fully-enclosed" mattress covers will be trapped inside and will not be able to escape and will eventually die, the reason is because the inside of our covers are specially designed with a waterproof polyurethane backing on all six sides and have a re-enforced zipper liner which have smaller teeth, this prevents bedbugs and their eggs from escaping through the zipper teeth, which means you will not have to dis-guard your bed bug infested mattress or Box spring. Our manufacturer Rest-Guard recommends keeping the mattress covers intact for at least 12 months (bed bugs can live a very long time without feeding). The bed bugs and eggs inside will die, and the mattress is protected from further infestation.

Below are some notes from their website:

** Note: For cleaning & hygienic reasons, we suggest purchasing the Rest-Guard Fitted sheet Mattress protector, and place this cover over the fully-enclosed cover, simply remove the fitted sheet protector cover every 2-3 weeks and machine wash & dry as mentioned above and replace for continued protection.

** Note: Mattress covers can only trap bed bugs that are hiding on your mattress. You should also fully enclose your box spring as well to complete your bedding protection for both bed bugs and allergens. However, these covers will not protect you from other bed bugs hiding in your bedroom. For complete elimination of bed bugs from your bedroom and your home, you will need to contact a pest extermination specialist who understands how to rid your home of bed bugs.

Hope this helps. All is saved, not lost.

Thanks for your question.

Sincerely, Barbara

Question about the Medline ML-MSC281264LB 150 Protection Plus Deluxe Fluff-Filled Underpads 23 x 36 and the Medline ML-MSC281225 Protection Plus Fluff-Filled Underpad, Economy Weight, 23" x 24" (200 Each/Case)

Q: "I have a 10 week old puppy who will grow to no more than 12 pounds. Often, I am gone for 10 hours a day. My neighbor stops in some days to let the puppy out. I don't want to crate her all day. I tried the puppy pads but she prefers the bathroom rug. Would these underpads work? I see that similar pads in the store cost at least $6 for 18 pads that are 23 by 36." Thanks. Mary

Answer: Yes, I recommend the incontinence pads by Medline. My Boston Terriers refused to use the "scented" training pads. The smaller one came to me at 18 months from a home breeder and was completely house trained from the age of 7 weeks. Problems started after she was spayed. She cannot "hold it" like the other, larger Boston female I have. Ellie May also believes throw rugs are preferable to ceramic tile.   More...

Question about the product:Total Chair and Wheelchair Cushion , Skin Protective Gel Cushions and other cushions that help to prevent pressure ulcers.

Q: "My mother is in a memory care nursing home and cannot walk or move herself. She is getting pressure sores on her bottom from the sitting. She has lost so much weight and it's just skin covering bone. Will this pad help? I have tried every cushion on the market that I can afford and nothing works. Am looking at this pad or maybe sheepskin pads. Also, will this fit in a recliner chair? Thank you very much. Bonnie"

Answer: There are several cushions and cushions designated as skin protective cushions that might help your mom's comfort. One is the total wheelchair cushion that one of my employees gave her grandma for her 100th birthday last year. At that time Grandma weighed only about 70 lbs with no fat: she found the cushion comfortable: the shape allows this cushion to be adjusted for any chair.

A better option is a gel cushion made especially for wheelchairs and to prevent pressure sores. We can suggest two cushions at this time.

The first is the Lumex 17 inch gel cushion, 3 inches thick. This seat cushion pad is pre-filled with a non-toxic gel and surrounded by high-density, non-allergic foam with a tear resistant vinyl bottom cover and vinyl top cover that are fluid-proof, antibacterial and fire-retardant. It has a 250 lb maximum weight capacity and a one-year limited warranty.

The second is an 18 inch by 3 inch thick by 16 inch deep Lumex Gel wheelchair cushion, the Lumex skin protection cushion is a gel cushion with foam base. There is a moderate slope from front to back to make the seat more comfortable. This cushion is considered for people who are deemed at moderate risk for pressure sores. This is a non-aqueous gel filled cushion with a 300 lb. weight capacity and a fluid-proof stretch cover. The warranty is 18 months.

The third type are called Akros® Damped Fluid Displacement Cushions. An example of this is the GF-8114250, the Akros® D.F.D. Cushion 811 Series - 16" x 16" x 2" thick cushion. This is made for those who have temporary or chronic conditions that require prolonged seating and increased risk of pressure ulcers or by persons who experience discomfort when seated due to arthritis, lower back pain or other conditions,
Design minimizes bottoming out, reduces pressure and provides an extremely stable and comfortable seating surface.

The gel skin protective cushions come in many sizes to fit various sizes of chairs or wheelchairs. We offer a complete line of these plus we also sell the gel skin protective and egg crate mattress overlays.

I hope this helps with your mom's comfort. Thanks for your question.
Sincerely, Barbara

Question about the GF-753000 AltaDyne® Air Flotation Mattress- 80" x 36" x 8".

Q: "I am buying the air flotation mattress for my father so he won't get bed sores. What comes with it, what bed linens are recommended, etc.? If incontinence is present, what type of protective pad is most beneficial? How does this system work?"- Thanks. Alieca

Answer: This is an alternating pressure mattress that helps prevent and treat pressure ulcers. Primarily usage is those with chronic back pain and those who are confined to a bed full-time or for many hours each day. This is a portable unit with a washable cover. There is a static switch so that air loss is minimal in the sacral region.

Since this is an 8 inch thick mattress, you'll need a contour fitted sheet for a hospital bed. (80 x 36). Use incontinence pads if that is a problem. Disposable ones are available in many sizes.

This mattress system has individual transverse air cells that allow for maximum support and pressure distribution. The pressure control knob allows the mattress firmness to be adjusted for comfort. This unit has a 300 lb weight limit.

Thanks for your question.
Sincerely, Barbara