A mattress is an investment: maintain it properly, and it will pay dividends for many years to come.
Congratulations on your new mattress!
You’ve gotten it shipped to your house (like our bed-in-a-box!), you’ve gotten it in the bedroom, it’s in the frame. Now, how do you make sure you don’t need to replace it again in five years? By maintaining it properly, of course!
A mattress is an investment, both financially and health-wise. If you start taking care of your mattress as soon as you buy it, it could last you for at least a decade and probably longer. So don’t pitch those manufacturer’s instructions – you’re going to need them!
Here are a few easy ways to keep your mattress in good condition for years to come:
According to Sleep Foundation, rotating your mattress by either flipping it over or head-to-toe, helps break in the mattress’s sleep surface evenly.
MattressNerd, a mattress information blog run by certified sleep coaches and other “sleep geeks,” that rotating should be done more frequently after you get a new mattress (once a month for 2-3 months), then 3-4 times a year after that.
Be aware, however, that many new mattresses shouldn’t be flipped over and should instead be rotated head-to-toe only. Read the manufacturer’s instructions before flipping.
While washing your sheets is hygienic and will increase the longevity of your other linens, it’s also good practice for your mattress.
Bedding accumulates sweat, dirt, dust, and oils that can, over time, seep into the mattress if they aren’t washed regularly. If you have allergies, this is doubly important because washing sheets can also remove allergens.
Check your manufacturer’s instructions for how to wash your linens. If you don’t have those, here’s a good rule of thumb: sheets and pillowcases should be washed and replaced weekly – more often if you sleep with pets (whom we love, but… they bring in just as much dirt, oil, allergens, etc. as we do). Wash your duvet covers once a month, comforters every 2-3 months, and pillows themselves every 4-6 months.
Lots of mattresses today have special gels or foams to provide back support and comfort for better sleep. However, these gels and foams need special protection since they are especially susceptible to body oils, fluids, and regular humidity in the air. If these materials aren’t kept dry, they can sag and stop providing all those benefits you bought them for.
To keep them dry, use a mattress protector between your mattress and the fitted sheet. MattressNerd relates a mattress protector to a case for your smartphone – it’s an obvious security measure for an expensive and important investment.
For years and years, supporting a mattress usually meant having a set of box springs to help distribute uneven weight across the surface of the mattress. Nowadays, it’s a little more complicated – but the wrong choice could void a mattress’s warranty. So be careful!
Do some mattresses still need box springs? Sure! But you’ll want to make sure you have box springs that are designed to hold the weight of your mattress. Older box springs were made to deal with mattresses that were MUCH lighter than the ones we use today. So it’s not a good idea to use old box springs with a new mattress.
In addition, there are some platform beds with cross slats that can do the job of box springs just fine. Talk to your local mattress retailer or manufacturer for recommendations about supporting your mattress.
As long as the manufacturer’s instructions allow for it, it’s a good idea to clean the mattress itself every 6 months or so. The manufacturer may have its own recommendations for keeping the mattress clean and specific care instructions.
If you’re not sure what your instructions might be, these are some general steps you can take to clean the mattress: after stripping the bedding, use an upholstery attachment for a vacuum to clean the surface and sides of the mattress. If you have stains, you can blot them with a clean cloth dampened with cold water. Don’t get the mattress too wet, especially if you have memory foam or gels (see “Keep it covered” for reasons why!). Let the mattress dry, then you can do the other side.
If you still have smells after cleaning the mattress, you can use baking soda to eliminate some of them. Sprinkle baking soda on your dried-out mattress, let the soda sit for a few hours, then vacuum it up with the upholstery attachment. If you need to, you can repeat the process on the other side.
To be extra-careful, make sure you check your mattress’s manufacturer’s instructions about cleaning and care for the mattress.
Ready to invest in the best sleep of your life? Contact us at Wolf! Buy direct from the factory to get ZZZs and save some $$$ while still getting a mattress that’s an investment worth protecting.
Sweet Dreams Since 1873
3434 S. Maplecrest Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN
