It’s true that no mattress will last forever, but a few simple steps can significantly extend the comfort life of your mattress, helping to keep it comfy and supportive for longer. If you want to get the maximum value out of your new or existing mattress, proper care and maintenance can make a meaningful difference over time.
While a mattress’ age, design, build quality, and quality of materials will always play a major role in how long a mattress lasts, how you use it, support it, and protect it also matters. Taking a handful of easy steps now can help reduce premature wear and help your mattress perform better for years to come. Let’s count down the 4 easy steps below..
1) Start With the Right Support Underneath
One of the most overlooked parts of mattress care is the foundation underneath it. A mattress needs proper support in order to perform the way it was designed to perform. If the mattress foundation, base, box springs, or bed slats underneath it are worn out, broken, or simply incompatible with the mattress, that can put avoidable stress on the materials over time.
Different mattresses may require different types of support, so it is always a good idea to follow the manufacturer’s specific recommendations. For instance, some mattresses may require a mattress base or foundation, while others can sit right on the slats of a platform bed. In many cases, using the wrong foundation can not only shorten the life of the mattress, but may also violate the manufacturer’s warranty.
To avoid this potential issue when mattress shopping, be sure to ask your salesperson about compatibility with different kinds of beds, bases and foundations. To sidestep this issue entirely, you can’t go wrong purchasing a mattress and mattress foundation (i.e. “box spring”) together as a set.
2) Always Use a Mattress Protector
A mattress protector is arguably the simplest and most effective way to protect your mattress from regular wear and tear, including spills, moisture, body oils, accidents, dust, allergens, and everyday mishaps.
Even when a stain seems minor, they can work their way into the comfort layers and become difficult to remove. In fact, certain types of spills can compromise the structure of the foams typically used in mattress comfort layers and cause them to break down, reducing comfort and support. Liquid spills also have the ability to turn your mattress into a breeding ground for allergy-triggering mold or bacteria. For these reasons, as mattress retailers ourselves, we actually require the purchase and use of a mattress protector in order for customers to qualify for our 90-day mattress comfort guarantee.
Ultimately, a good mattress protector helps create a barrier between the mattress and your daily life. This can be especially helpful in homes with kids, pets, allergies, or anyone who wants to keep their mattress cleaner over time.
3) Rotate the Mattress Regularly
How a mattress is used can also affect how evenly it wears over time. Whether sleeping in the same exact spot every night, or putting pressure on the same edge repeatedly, your sleep habits can contribute to uneven wear. This does not mean you need to overthink every little habit. It simply means that a little attention to how the mattress is used can help it hold its shape and feel more consistent over time.
The solution? Regularly rotating your mattress.
While flipping the mattress over a couple times a year is largely a thing of the past, many modern mattresses should still be rotated 180 degrees on a regular basis to help encourage more even wear. Rotating the mattress from head to foot every 3 to 6 months can help reduce the risk of deep body impressions developing in the same spot over time.
That being said, not every mattress needs to be rotated. A number of newer mattresses are not only designed to be one-sided, but also built with a specific top-to-bottom construction. However, unless the manufacturer says otherwise, rotating the bed every few months is still recommended.
4) Keep It Clean & Follow Care Instructions
Routine care also matters. In conjunction with the use of a mattress protector, washing bedding regularly, addressing spills promptly, and vacuuming the mattress surface occasionally, can all help keep the sleep surface in a better condition, for longer.
Lastly, please remember to follow any specific care instructions provided by the manufacturer. Different mattress materials can have different needs, and using the wrong cleaning method can sometimes do more harm than good.
Remember, a Good Mattress Still Needs Good Care
If you want your mattress to last as long as possible, the best place to start is with a few practical tips — use the right foundation, buy (and use) a quality mattress protector, rotate the mattress regularly, and follow the manufacturer’s care instructions. That’s it! These steps may seem simple, but they can go a long way toward helping your mattress stay cleaner, more supportive, and more comfortable over time.
Remember, even the highest-quality mattress benefits from proper care and maintenance. Better materials may help a mattress maintain comfort and support for longer, but that does not mean maintenance stops mattering. Protection, support, and regular upkeep all play a role in helping a mattress reach its full comfort life. In other words, taking care of your mattress helps protect both your comfort and your investment.
Got questions about mattresses, mattress care, or just generally getting better sleep? Our experts would love to help. Drop us a line on our easy and convenient live webchat, give us a call, or come visit at one of our Metro Atlanta or North Georgia furniture and mattress stores. See you soon!
