[Marni]

We coverd my daughter's queen sized mattress in one of those nylon-type zippered wraps that help prevent allergies. We got it for free, so thought we'd give it a try (since she seems to suffer a bit from allergies anyhow) -- AND I thought it would help protect the mattress from pee-pee accidents.

Well, she had an accident yesterday. The bed has been wrapped for about a year, and over that wrap is ALWAYS a cotton mattress pad, and over THAT of course, are sheets. But here's the thing, when I went to wipe up the pee that seeped through, I noticed that everywhere I wiped BLACK STUFF come off. It was sooooo gross! What is that? Is it soot, dust, mold??? But like I said, this thing is under two layers of protection -- how could it be so dirty? Is this just normal build up for mattress wraps? Stuff that would be absorbed into the mattress if it were not wrapped? We DO live in the city afterall (well, sort of. Santa Monica, CA).

I think we better get her a wool protector. But I am curious to know if anyone has had this experience with a nylon mattress wrap.

Thanks!!!!!

 

[Marni]

I'm starting to think it was mold too. It was brand new (my husband is a buyer, and often gets samples of things -- this was one, so thought we'd try it).

DD DOES sweat a lot. But you'd think the cotton mattress cover OVER the wrap would absorb that. And if not, and we did not have the wrap on, then wouldn't the MATTRESS be moldy instead. Hmmm -- which would be worse.

There was a definite circle of darker black right underneath where she wet -- but anywhere that I wiped with a wet cloth, soot-like blackness came up.

She is still sleeping on the mattress --- without the wrap. I think I will get a wool blacket and make that the cover for now, and then hopefully get her an organic mattress soon. I just hope the bed itself is not moldy right now. It is 10 years old -- used to be our family bed. Now perhaps its life is over anyhow. SCARY!

Any more advice would be greatly appreciated!