Be it in the form of a small bolster, a pillow, a blanket, or a stuffed toy, having a ‘smelly pillow’ or bantal busuk seemed to be a perfectly normal thing to anyone who has it.
According to a statement by Public Health Malaysia, the pillow has residual skin cells, saliva, dandruff, and various types of bacteria and fungi. Did you know 500 million skin cells left on the pillow are food for mites and small lice?
After they eat, lice and mites will leave their feces and waste that will cause allergic to our skin such as flu, cough, and sneezing.
Below is the statement by Public Health Malaysia regarding why it is important to make sure that bantal busuk is always clean.
“We have spend 1/3 of our lives for sleep. It is important to make sure our beds are clean especially pillows. Pillow actually still have dead skin cell, mites, saliva, dandruff, and many bacteria or fungus. Dead skin cell that been left at pillow it is for bacteria and fungi food.
After they eat they will leave their feces. Feces can cause asthma, cough, and sneezing. You should change your pillowcases at least once every 1-2 weeks and keep washing every 6 months.
When you sleep, your oily face, your sweat, and saliva are absorbed by your pillowcase. Constantly sleeping on a dirty pillowcase can cause you to break out.
Using the sun is a great way to freshen all kinds of pillows. It can help to kill any dust mites on them, as well as deodorize any smells from sweat or body odors.”
Public Health Malaysia also reminds to make sure the bantal busuk is always clean and always change the pillowcase.
Sources: Public Health Malaysia