How important are pillow protectors?

Pillows are a breeding ground for dust mites (millions of them), and we bury our noses in those little critters every night! You can kill the little beasties by taking your pillow and freezing it, steaming it, dry cleaning it, or washing it in extremely hot water. The best way to reduce dust mites and other allergens in pillows, is to use a waterproof pillow protector.