On average, every person spends one third of their lives in bed, which just so happens to be the dirtiest object in your room. That means that you've probably been inhaling and rolling around in a combination of some pretty nasty particles. These could include dust mites, fungal spores, bacteria, flame retardants, sweat and human skin cells. And it's happening for 8 hours a day, 365 days a year.

While most of these things aren't exactly harmful enough to kill you, the accumulation of some of things things - like dust - can lead to serious problems over time. These include allergies and asthma.

But dust isn't the only nasty thing that calls your mattress home. Here are five more substances that could be living in your mattress:

1. Bacteria - Staphylococcus, Lactobacillus and Streptococcus are just three fancy names for the millions of different kinds of bacteria that are produced in our body's saliva, skin and intestines. 
2. Sweat - The average human being produces up to 6 gallons of sweat in bed in just one year! Combine that with the natural body heat that occurs when you're sleeping, and you've given fungi and bacteria a nice comfy place to breed and grow.
3. Skin Cells - On average, the human body sheds around 500 million skin cells per day! After sweat provides fungi and bacteria with a nice comfy place to breed, skin cells provide them with a rich and nutrient diet. (Yeah - they eat them).
4. Allergens - By definition an allergen is considered any substance or material that causes an allergic reaction. Allergens can come in the form of pet hair, dust mites, dead skin and even cockroaches. Allergens are the most obvious contributors to health issues like asthma or respiratory issues.
5. Food Particles - Even if you're not eating in bed, food particles can hang around on your clothes or skin and end up seeping into your bed's mattress. The worst part of this is knowing you've provided even more nutrition for those nasty fungi and bacteria.

If you are ready to send dust mites, pet dander and other allergens packing contact the experts at Gator Clean for a free quote on mattress cleaning.