You spend a lot of time in your bed. You probably spent a lot of money investing in a quality mattress.
To keep getting that sweet, rejuvenating sleep you bought the mattress for, you’ll need to be proactive in taking care of your mattress.
We respect your sleep and your investment more than you can imagine, so we’ve gathered up 5 tips to help you get the most life out of your mattress.
1. Don’t Wear Shoes in Bed
Unless you are a cast member of a sitcom, wearing your shoes into bed realistically isn’t a great idea. If your shoes touch your mattress, you’re directly applying the great outdoors to your most sacred place of rest. Not only are you bringing a staggering amount of germs into your sleep space, but you’re also exposing your mattress to some rough handling.
The soles of your shoes aren’t made of cotton or poly-blend like your sheets are. If your shoes hit your mattress, you risk staining the fabric on your mattress. If you’re wearing boots with heavy-duty soles, you could snag and damage the soft fabric that covers your mattress.
2. Use a Mattress Protector
Spills happen. Accidents happen. Sleeping with wet hair happens.
By using a mattress protector, you are doing exactly what the product title says: you’re protecting your mattress.
Most mattress protectors are waterproof or at least water resistant, and they are a good idea even if you don’t share a bed with any two-legged youngsters or four-legged seniors. Mattress protectors save you and your investment from the messiness of life. Should a spill occur, just strip your sheets and bedding to wash them, clean up any extra liquids, and then take off the mattress protector to wash that as well.
If you sleep with wet hair, consider a waterproof pillow protector. It’ll extend the quality and life of your pillow if you tend to let your hair air-dry overnight.
Note: Pay close attention to the cleaning instructions on the mattress protector! It might ask you to wash the protector separately and in cold water.
3. Wash Your Bedding
Dust mites, seasonal viruses, and all the cells you shed each time you touch your bed build up! In fact, dust mites love being in your bed and probably thank you for delivering your own hair and skin cells on a nightly basis.
No fearmongering here—shedding cells is natural, normal, and nothing to be ashamed of. All you have to do to be hygienic about this reality is wash your bedding regularly. If you need help prioritizing what to wash first, start with washing your sheets and pillowcases each week.
Next, you can make it a point to wash your blankets and comforter at least once every two months. Set yourself a reminder on a calendar if washing your bulkier bedding is a task that slips your mind!
Taking better care of your bedding means you’re exposing your mattress to cleaner materials and less organic build-up.
4. Deep Clean Your Mattress
Speaking of organic build-up, when is the last time you deep-cleaned your mattress? According to Consumer Reports, you should deep clean your mattress at least twice a year.
Deep-cleaning your mattress entails:
- Stripping the bedding
- Vacuuming the mattress with the crevice-tool attachment
- Sprinkling baking soda onto the mattress
- Letting the baking soda sit for (ideally) 24 hours
- Vacuuming up that baking soda
This activity not only reduces organic build-up, but when it’s done periodically, protects your sleep space from dust mites and similar pests. It’ll also refresh the smell of your mattress!
5. Rotate on a Schedule
Rotating and flipping your mattress isn’t just a chore your parent made you do for the sake of making you do chores. Rotating a mattress gives it a chance to recover from nightly pressure in the same spot.
Depending on the type of mattress you own, you probably don’t need to flip it, but you should rotate it regularly. Today’s mattresses are mostly built to be one-sided, so unless the store or brand you bought it from told you to flip it, you likely do not need to. Rotating is another story!
Think about it: You lie in bed every night, probably in the same spot, or at least the same-ish spot. You might have a toddler or pet who also sleeps in the same spot every night. Maybe you and your sleep partner stick to your own sides, too.
By rotating your mattress, you give it a break from your specific pressure points, and you also get to experience a new quadrant of your investment! Rotate it a minimum of two and up to five times per year.
Call Us or Stop By!
Whether you have questions about these tips or are in the market for a new mattress, give us a call or stop by. Helping you get good sleep is our passion. We’re happy to help and dedicated to getting you the restorative rest you deserve night after night.