9 Ways You’re Destroying Your Comfortable Mattress
Quality mattresses are not inexpensive. Follow these mattress care guidelines to keep yours comfortable for years to come.
How to Keep Your Mattress in Top Shape
You need a good night’s sleep to wake up relaxed and rejuvenated each morning, and nothing affects sleep quality more than a mattress. If you’re tossing and turning at night, it might be time for a new mattress. However, shop with caution because a good mattress, which normally lasts between 6 and 10 years, may be a big investment—one that you’ll want to last a long time. However, if you’re like most people, you can be destroying your mattress without even realizing it.
Your Mattress Isn’t Being Rotated
If you don’t rotate your mattress on a regular basis, it will gradually droop and develop valleys that adhere to the contour of your sleeping body. Mattresses do not need to be flipped over anymore because most are made for sleeping on only one side, but they do need to be rotated. To minimize troughs and other deformities and to lengthen the life of the mattress, rotate the top end of the bed to the foot of the bed every three months or so.
Leaving Out a Comfortable Mattress Protector
Dust mites, dead skin cells, perspiration, and body oils can easily pass through thin sheets and onto the top layer of your mattress, causing odors and bacterial growth. What is the solution? A mattress cover. Mattress protectors today are a far cry from the steamy vinyl coverings of yesteryear; they’re soft and moisture repellent, and many have an extra layer of cushioning for added sleeping comfort.
Jumping on the Bed
We all know that jumping on the bed from time to time is enjoyable, but it concentrates weight in small regions, and your bed’s box springs aren’t built to take the stress. Broken springs or cracked horizontal rails cause the mattress to settle unevenly, diminishing the mattress’s support foundation and hastening its demise. Don’t jump on the bed, as your mother warned you!
Having Forgotten to Clean Your Mattress
Even if it’s covered, dust mites can get through and settle on the surface of your mattress over time. Vacuuming on a regular basis will keep mites at bay and remove any other unpleasant tiny organisms. When you rotate your mattress, make it a habit to vacuum it every three months. Vacuum the entire surface, including the sides, with the upholstery attachment. Pay careful attention to seams and buttons, which are common places for mites to hide.
Keeping Your Mattress in Darkness
Mushrooms flourish in the dark, but beds do not. To combat stale odors, expose your mattress to sunlight and allow it to air out on sheet-changing day. It may be tempting to remove one set of sheets and immediately replace them, but wait a few minutes to allow your mattress to breathe before remaking the bed. Your mattress will remain fresher, and you will sleep better as a result.
Not Washing Your Bed Linens Frequently Enough
To prevent perspiration, pet hair, crumbs, and other undesirables from migrating from your bed linens to your mattress, change your bed sheets once a week, or at least every other week. That also applies to blankets! If you have a comforter that cannot be easily laundered, consider protecting it with a duvet cover and washing the duvet cover along with the sheets and blankets.