Finding a comfortable, quality mattress is essential for achieving restful sleep, but it is even more crucial to guarantee that you get the best out of your purchase.
As sleep experts, we know how important it is to have a comfortable mattress to achieve restful sleep. That’s why taking the necessary steps to ensure you get the best out of your purchase is essential. With proper care and attention, you can make sure your mattress will have a long life and maintain its high quality and optimum performance for years to come.
With this article, you will discover effective strategies for mattress care and maintenance, preserving your mattress so that it can last longer and not need to be replaced sooner than necessary.
Read on and follow these simple steps and ways to make your mattress last longer so you can enjoy peaceful nights without worrying about replacing your trusty old mattress for many more years ahead!
1. Maximise Your Mattress Life with a Mattress Protector
Using a quality mattress protector helps maintain a clean, healthy sleeping surface and offers protection against spills, stains, bacteria, and allergens. On top of that, it helps with breathability while promoting a longer mattress lifespan.
Considering buying a mattress protector? There’s three main types:
- encasements,
- elastic straps,
- and fitted protectors.
Each type provides varying levels of coverage and ease of installation.
Ultimately, mattress protectors save time and effort spent on cleaning, making them a cost-effective solution. They also help preserve your mattress’s cooling sensation for a comfortable sleep experience. With durability that lasts up to two years, protectors are a valuable investment for your sleep environment.
2. Keep the Mattress Supported Correctly
To prevent sagging and ensure longevity, your mattress foundation needs to provide enough support for your sleeping position and mattress. The right bed frame will provide better support, help maintain spinal alignment during sleep and increase your mattress lifespan.
A variety of bed frames, including slat ones, metal, and wood options, are available on the market. You can also use a box spring to amp up the comfort. But before purchasing, measure your mattress size accurately to find a compatible frame that offers sufficient support beneath the surface.
When choosing a frame, consider the material’s durability, stability, and any potential drawbacks, such as weight or susceptibility to damage over time.
Mattress Type’s Compatibility with Bed Frames
The type of mattress also plays a role in frame compatibility. Solid, flat frames work best with memory foam mattresses, while well-slatted foundations suit latex mattresses. By selecting the appropriate bed frame, you ensure optimal support, comfort, and adding years to your mattress’ life.
3. No Bouncing Allowed
When you jump on the bed, it may seem like harmless fun, but it can significantly shorten its lifespan as it puts concentrated pressure on certain parts of the mattress. This can lead to irregular lumps in the foam, making for an uncomfortable sleeping surface.
Beyond structural damage, bouncing on a mattress can also bring dirt onto the surface. Our feet can carry debris that may settle on the mattress, creating an unhygienic environment for sleep.
If you’re like me and have energetic young children, you know all too well the challenges of excessive jumping on their bed. Our child’s continuous jumping on my mattress caused irreversible damage.
Some of the springs broke, resulting in an uneven surface that made sleeping uncomfortable. Additionally, the bouncing compromised the mattress’s stable edge support, making me feel as if I might slip off the edge. So take note not to allow jumping, especially for spring mattresses.
4. Say No to Eating in Bed
Have you ever felt crumbs in your bed after enjoying a snack? Eating in bed can result in food residue accumulating on the surface, creating an uncomfortable sleeping environment.
I admit, I’m a bit of a sucker for eating biscuits while watching a movie on my laptop but the crumbs on my sheets make it difficult to relax, forcing me to shake them off before finally getting some restful sleep.
Me…. for the last decade
Beyond discomfort, food residues can also promote bacteria and germs, and even attract insects that may disrupt your sleep.
Additionally, the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School suggests that habits like eating or watching TV in bed can trick your brain into perceiving the mattress as a place for activities other than tranquility and relaxation, negatively impacting your sleep quality.
To maintain your mattress quality and ensure a healthy, comfortable sleeping surface, keep your mattress clean by avoiding eating in bed altogether.
5. Rotate or Flip Your Mattress Regularly
It might be amusing to see cartoon characters leave a body-shaped imprint on their mattresses, but it does happen. To prevent such indentations, regularly rotate your mattress, or flip it depending on its type and construction.
Rotating and flipping your mattress helps distribute its internal components evenly, delaying sagging and dips caused by constant pressure from sleeping in a single position.
However, not all mattresses can be flipped. For instance, pillow-top mattresses and some one-sided designs should only be rotated, not flipped. Always check the warranty and care instructions to ensure you’re properly maintaining your mattress.
The rotation or flipping frequency depends on your mattress type. Memory foam, latex, and new pocket-sprung mattresses typically require rotation once or twice a year, while older pocket-sprung mattresses should be turned or flipped two to five times yearly. By doing so, you’ll ensure a longer-lasting and more comfortable sleep surface.
6. Vacuum Your Mattress
The mattress fabric can collect dust, allergens, food residues, and dead skin cells. To ensure your mattress stays clean, we strongly suggest vacuuming it regularly using a vacuum cleaner with a suitable upholstery attachment or a dedicated mattress vacuum. Ensure the vacuum cleaner is set to low suction to avoid damaging the mattress fabric.
Vacuuming the mattress sucks the dirt out, preserving its pristine condition. Furthermore, doing so improves the air quality inside your bedroom. It extends the lifespan of your mattress to last as long as possible, as particles can damage the upholstery over time, leading to premature weakening of the mattress.
Properly vacuuming your mattress can be tricky, as you should know a few things about using your cleaning tool correctly.
7. Address and Spot Clean Stains Immediately
Spotting stains and immediately cleaning them helps prolong the appearance and hygiene of your mattress. Different types of stains, such as blood, urine, sweat, and food spills, require specific cleaning techniques to effectively remove them without damaging the mattress.
Additionally, removing stains will help keep your mattress from forming a foul smell. After all, who wants to rest and sleep on a dirty and smelly surface?
To spot clean and remove stains from your mattress, you can use a bed cleaner or an upholstery shampoo to spot-clean the stains. For blood stains, use a mixture of cold water and salt, while for urine stains, use a mixture of white vinegar and water. Always blot the stain and avoid rubbing it to prevent spreading.
If you’re seeking a budget-friendly alternative to upholstery and bed cleaners, try combining detergent and warm water for an effective DIY solution. Furthermore, you can also mix dish soap, laundry detergent, vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide diluted in cold water in a spray bottle to remove mattress stains.
8. Try to Keep Pets Out of Bed
Cuddling with your furry companion in bed may be tempting especially when it’s cold, but it is wise to keep pets out of bed as much as possible to maintain the cleanliness of your mattress.
Not only can animals shed their fur while they sleep on your mattress, but keeping them from sleeping beside you aids in preserving the hygiene of your mattress while keeping you safe from allergens.
Doctor Kunjana Mavunda, a renowned pediatric pulmonologist, warns that pet hair or pet dander can penetrate mattress layers and trigger allergies when you share the same bed as your pet.
Also, they’re most likely to spend the day walking outside, and inside the house, so it’s pretty unhygienic to let them sleep beside you.
You can train your pet to become accustomed to sleeping in a crate or on their bed to ensure you and your pet’s safety. This way, there is no risk of them becoming injured through falling while they sleep, and your sleep won’t be disturbed due to allergies.
9. Deodorise Your Mattress
The accumulation of sweat, dirt and moisture over time inevitably produces unpleasant odours that can be difficult to eliminate, so it’s essential to deodorise your mattress regularly. Deep cleaning will further address the root cause of these smells.
One way to eliminate odours from a mattress is to sprinkle some baking soda over the surface and allow it to rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
After this, let the mattress air out for one day and vacuum it afterwards. Baking soda helps neutralise bad smells. People can also use essential oils for an added fragrance to their mattresses.
I recommend using lavender, chamomile, jasmine, rose, and lemon-scented essential oils to provide a calming sleep surface that can help improve your sleep quality.
You can also sprinkle baking soda and cornstarch on the surface and wait two hours before vacuuming to eliminate odour-causing body oils.
Another deodorising alternative is mixing a solution of white vinegar with one part of water in a spray bottle and spraying it lightly over the affected area, and then letting it dry.
If you just finished spot-cleaning your mattress, you can try deodorising by mixing laundry detergent with baking soda to create a paste. Spread the mixture over the stains and let it rest for a while before scraping away using a spoon.
10. Don’t Let Bed Bugs In
Bed bugs are notorious for leaving behind reddish stains and dark spots due to their excrement and blood, which can discolour the mattress. What’s more, these pests will lay eggs on the surface of mattresses leading to an infestation you will never wish to have in your home.
United States Environmental Protection Agency | Bed Bug Spots and Bites
Not only do bed bugs damage the mattresses’ appearance and quality, but they can also cause uncomfortable itchiness. The bites these blood-sucking parasites leave behind are why they are deemed as “public health pests”.
To prevent a bed bug infestation, regularly inspect your mattress for spots and stains. Furthermore, examine your mattress where the bed bugs have nested.
United States Environmental Protection Agency | Bed Bug Infestation
If you find that your bedroom is heavily infested, it’s essential to inspect the drawers, furniture, appliances, and wallpapers for any signs of pests.
Additionally, it’s also vital to search for their nest in hard-to-reach places such as between walls and ceilings or behind electrical outlets. In this situation, you need the help of a licensed pest control company for complete and effective extermination.
To protect yourself and your home from bed bug infestations:
- Launder your sheets and pillowcases in hot water before drying them on the highest heat.
- Before removing the parasites, ensure that you have a paper bag close to you for secure disposal.
- Use a heavy-duty brush to clean away any of their nests thoroughly.
- Then vacuum them every day to ensure no traces of bed bugs.
- Declutter the surrounding of your mattress, and move it away from walls and other pieces of furniture.
Furthermore, you can also protect yourself from infestation by investing in a mattress cover, regularly cleaning your mattress and removing any clutter from the room.That way, there won’t be many places for bed bugs to nest.
11. Transport Your Mattress Properly
For those who have moving to a new place, make sure to carry and transport the mattress carefully to avoid damaging the structure of the mattress while keeping it clean.
To do this, protect your mattress by cleaning it first and then wrapping it in plastic to ensure no dirt or debris will get on it. Cover your mattress using thick blankets to provide extra protection during transport.
After you and your mattress have made it to the new location, seek assistance in carrying it safely. Double-check that there are no hindrances like steps or furniture so you don’t risk having an accident and avoid any unfortunate slips or trips when bringing your mattress inside.
Then put it down on its bed frame before unwrapping your mattress.
When I recently moved into my new apartment, something not only practical but helpful was using my old mattress bag to cover up the newly brought mattress for extra protection – if yours isn’t around anymore a plastic bag will do!
12. Let the light in occasionally.
Like what Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis mentioned, Sunlight is a “best disinfectant,” and this is due to the natural UV that can help eliminate bacteria. Doing so helps freshen up the mattress while it lightens the stains, preventing it from yellowing.
According to Doctor Euan Tovey of Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, placing your mattress to air out will only kill the dust mites (and bacteria), not the allergens.
And to effectively air out your mattress, remove the cover, dab the stained areas with your preferred cleaning mixture, place it under sunlight to further disinfect your mattress, and then vacuum it to remove the dirt.
13. Changing Your Sheets and Bedding
By changing the sheets regularly, you can prevent bacteria build-up that may cause skin irritations. Moreover, regular mattress cleaning maintains your sleeping area hygienic and healthy.
However, if this is not done routinely, it could contribute to asthma attacks, allergies, and rashes on the skin.
Regularly changing your bedsheets and pillowcases lengthens the life and quality of your mattress and provides advantages for those who sleep on it.
So how often should you wash and change your sheets?
Wash and change the sheets once a week if you’re a busy person to ensure that the mattress stays hygienic, help prolong its lifespan and quality. However, you can wash them every three to four days if you regularly experience allergies and asthma.
You should also regularly machine wash mattress protectors and mattress sheets and letting them dry under the sunlight to dry quickly while the UV aides disinfection.
14. Add a mattress topper
Mattress toppers are incredibly useful. They mostly come in 2-4 inch sheets, offering medium support and providing a layer of protection from stains. What’s more, is that their absorbent quality makes them ideal for keeping mattresses clean!
Investing in a mattress topper is one of the “worth it” ways you can make to prolong the life of your mattress by evenly distributing pressure points throughout its surface. It helps maintain the structural integrity of the mattress and prevents sagging over time.
You can also save money and reduce waste with a mattress topper. Instead of buying an entirely new mattress, you can splurge on something that’s more cost-effective in the long run. With adjustable firmness levels and types, mattress toppers provide a clean, supportive surface for sleepers who are looking for even support from their existing mattresses.
In addition to being inexpensive – it also helps extend your current mattress’s life expectancy – making you not only comfortable but eco-friendly as well!
If you’re looking for plush cushioning, I recommend that you opt for feather or wool mattress toppers. They add a layer of softness to relatively firm mattresses so that you can enjoy the ideal level of comfort.
On the other hand, if your current mattress is too soft and lacks proper support, I suggest that investing in latex mattress toppers will be beneficial since they offer superior body support while still providing comfortable surface layers.
