Mattress maintenance
Supporting our weight for about 8 hours a night is no small task; this strain wears down the mattress's elasticity after just a few months if it is of poor quality, and after a few years if it is well-made. Let's help it with a few simple steps.
- Rotate or flip the mattress;
- Daily ventilation;
- Positioning;
- Bonus: wash your sheets once a week.
1. Rotation
How often should you flip and rotate the mattress?
Pocket-sprung mattress rotation: once a month; Latex mattress rotation: at least twice a month; Memory foam mattress rotation: once every 2 months. |
Rotating the mattress is more beneficial than flipping it. By changing the orientation of the head and foot ends, we distribute the stress across the entire length of the mattress, not just on the top where most of our weight is concentrated. If your mattress can be flipped over, for example for seasonal reasons, rotate it as well when you do.
2. Daily ventilation
Make the bed, but not right away!
You get up, ready for the new day, stretch, open the curtains, and make the bed. Wrong! Give the condensation you generated time to evaporate from the bed. If you can, open the windows, but in any case, leave the mattress uncovered by the duvet for at least 15 minutes.
3. Positioning
Correct position
When changing the sheets, check that the mattress is resting properly on the bed base or slatted base. If it protrudes by a few centimeters, it could become deformed, especially at the edges where you sit.
4. Cleaning
How often should you wash your sheets?
Once a week, to prevent the proliferation of mold, fungi, and other microorganisms that feed on the debris we leave in bed simply by sleeping, breathing, and sweating.
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Don't forget to use a waterproof mattress protector to keep it clean, without having to remove the cover and wash it.
Next-generation waterproof mattress protector.
In summer, the mattress protector should be temperature-regulating. It will help you sleep better by maintaining a constant temperature for as long as possible, so you won't need to change positions as often, making your sleep more continuous and regular.
Go to the page THE BEST COOLING MATTRESS PROTECTORS
What should I do to keep a memory foam, latex, or pocket-sprung mattress in good condition? What damages a mattress over time?
General guidelines for maintaining pocket-sprung and memory foam mattresses;
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How to keep the mattress clean and wash mattresses;
How to choose the right mattress protector and what precautions to take, and how to wash the mattress;
Mattresses, dust mites, mattress protectors, and vacuum cleaners;
General Mattress Maintenance
If you were asked which mattress you sleep on, would you know the answer? Is it climate-controlled, meaning does it have a summer/winter side? If so, did you flip it when the seasons changed? Or perhaps it shouldn't be flipped because it is single-sided? Do you have a mattress pad or bed base under the mattress?
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Knowing your mattress is important so you can properly care for and maintain it, prolong its life, and keep the warranty valid.
Two rules for perfect maintenance, index:
2. Next-generation waterproof mattress protector.
Why do mattresses need maintenance? The reason we look for a quality mattress, as well as a comfortable and convenient one, is that the sense of well-being provided by an excellent mattress will last, meaning it won't lose its characteristics after a few months or years, but will start to decline after at least 6/8 years and then be replaced after 10 or 12 years. Without proper maintenance, the mattress will last much less! Everyone should aim to prolong the life of their mattress as much as possible, not just those who spend a lot on it, because it affects our health. This is why mattress maintenance is important, and it's good to remember to put it into practice every now and then.
Every time a child jumps on an independent pocket-sprung mattress, a mattress maker dies...
The scene in the image is very funny, but pocket-sprung mattresses are the least suitable for this! Especially if they are medium-support mattresses)
Remember in the distant past (but not too long ago) when we used to fold the mattress (made of wool) in half, without sheets, or leave it outside in the garden/balcony? That was an almost daily task, tedious, but it revitalized the mattress. With the advent of spring and rubber mattresses that cannot be deformed, have we gotten rid of those practices? How do you keep a mattress in good condition today?
What you need to prolong the life of your mattress:
Would you wear the same T-shirt for weeks? Definitely not,
but you need to know that regular mattress protectors are not enough to maintain the hygiene and cleanliness of the mattress. Here is a barrier mattress protector to protect against dust mites, liquids, and microorganisms while remaining breathable:
Dead skin cells and sweat are the main causes of premature yellowing of the mattress and bad odors, and by attracting dust mites, they compromise hygiene even after a few months. Even if your mattress has a removable cover, it is important to have a waterproof mattress protector like this one, because it can be washed frequently at 90°C. Made of 100% cotton on top and a waterproof membrane underneath, it does not get as hot as PVC-coated fabric and is breathable.
Miglior Materasso recommends: do not use just any mattress protector, but a protective one. It costs a little more, but the protection is complete.
Keeping the mattress clean
Forget about mattress waxes and the rigid, hot covers from when we were children. Today, waterproof mattress protectors are not made of PVC (insulating plastic) but of waterproof, breathable foam on the bottom and soft cotton on top (only quality mattress protectors have this feature; here is one)
And the bed base cover? We still call it a "net," but it is now a slatted base of a different type, no longer made of iron mesh. However, the cover between the base (slatted base) and the mattress is still necessary. It protects against dust and the fraying that a poorly sanded slat could cause in the mattress fabric.
Mattresses that do not retain moisture
Which mattresses retain moisture? Non-porous mattresses, which are therefore insulating. Some types of mattresses are more prone to moisture problems. You may have heard stories of mold and latex mattresses on storage beds, for example, or mold stains under mattresses resting on wooden bases, like a classic wooden board. The release of excess heat and moisture from the mattress is the fundamental characteristic a good, quality mattress must have, because it is healthier and less prone to material deterioration in the short term.
Pocket-sprung mattresses are better for moisture and mold
Pocket-sprung mattresses are certainly more ventilated internally, but if the box enclosing the springs, which is always made of rubber, is not breathable, the air circulation problem remains the same. In fact, it is even worse, because the mattress will develop condensation internally, creating an ideal environment for dust mites and other microorganisms. Therefore, mattress quality must come first in all cases.
The most suitable mattress for a loft without a slatted base or for damp environments is the Waterlily 100% mattress
Remedies for a damp mattress
How to solve the problem of a damp mattress? To protect the mattress from moisture and mold, the solution is to separate it from the base, creating a layer between the bed base and the mattress to promote air circulation. Whether it is a storage bed base or a wooden board, using a bed base cover solves or at least delays the problem of mold on the mattress.
Certainly avoid PVC mattress protectors, but only use next-generation waterproof mattress protectors.
Change the air
In the home, we produce more than 10 liters of water particles a day by doing the laundry, ironing, breathing, and simply living! Proper home ventilation helps keep the environment dry, but sometimes it's not enough. In those cases, it's a good idea to use a more ventilated and breathable mattress, with through channels if it's memory foam or latex, or with springs. A spring mattress is the one that fears moisture the least of all.
Protect and maintain it from underneath too, between the slats and the mattress
Once it was essential because the bed base was just a wire mesh that, by rusting, wore out the mattress. But even wooden slats can damage the fabric, and dust and pet hair get under the bed, carrying dust mites. The bed base cover or slat cover is still an active element of mattress maintenance today.
Is the maintenance of a memory foam mattress, a latex mattress, or a spring mattress different? Let's see below:
Mattress rotation
Why do you rotate the mattress head-to-foot? How often should it be turned or flipped? The mattress structure is stressed for 8 hours a day with all our weight and should be turned to stress different points with our weight. If you have a memory foam mattress, it only needs to be rotated; obviously, the correct side of the memory foam mattress is the one with the few-centimeter memory foam layer, also distinguished by the label positioned at the head or foot of the mattress, or recognizable by touch or by removing the cover. In fact, by pressing your hand on the memory foam side, you will notice that it takes longer to regain its shape.
The mattress doesn't last longer because you turn it often; it's enough to do it from time to time. For example, rotating the mattress every 3 months is sufficient; I achieve my goal and also allow it to get a little more air than usual.
Miglior Materasso recommends: rotating and flipping
Flipping the mattress is another thing. When I put the new mattress on the bed base, on the bed, on any base, I ask myself "is it the right side?". This is because today many mattresses are "no flip", meaning they are not turned over, like 90% of memory foam mattresses, which have memory foam only on the sleeping side, which is the correct side to use, marked with a tag, or they have a summer and winter side, with different fillings (cotton on the summer side, wool on the winter side), highlighted by a Wool, Pure Wool or Cotton, Organic Cotton, etc. tag. A question I am often asked:
Should a memory foam mattress be turned over?
A memory foam mattress can be turned over; many models have a summer side, but memory foam mattresses have memory foam on only one side, so by turning it over I lose a little comfort, but gain freshness.
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If you flip your mattress seasonally, you could also take advantage of it and rotate it, that is, put it upside down (flip it) and at the same time rotate it by putting the foot part at the head. Once a year is little, but better than nothing! Most of the customers interviewed admit to putting the mattress there, on the bed base, and forgetting about it!
Miglior Materasso recommends: Use the positioning handles carefully.
The handles are called "for positioning" meaning they should be used to position the mattress on the bed base and are not suitable, for example, for carrying the mattress from one room to another. Especially when the mattress is large and very heavy, like those with springs or latex, you need to use them keeping in mind that they could come unstiched or tear the fabric they are sewn into. It is good to move the mattress in pairs, using all four handles, thus dividing the weight of the mattress.
For transport during a move use a nylon cover and grab the mattress by the cover and not by the handles!
And the right bed base? All double mattresses, especially pocket-sprung mattresses, must have a base without a protruding center beam, because the pressure exerted by our bodies creates, after only 6 months, a hump, a raised center line that deforms the mattress. To learn more about mattress bed bases, we refer you to this page Suitable bed base
