One reason that memory foam mattresses are popular is the fact that memory foam molds itself to your body when you lie on it. People usually purchase a memory foam mattress for the support it provides. What many people do not know is that those benefits do not come right away. The memory foam mattress that you bring home will always be firmer than the one you tried out in the showroom. It will take a little while to decompress, which means that patience is essential. Use the tips below to break your memory mattress in. Related Blog: How Healthy Are Memory Foam Mattresses? Memory foam will eventually soften without you having to do anything, aside from sleeping on it. The compression from your body weight alone will be enough to soften the foam. And you won’t have to wait for very long as memory foam only needs a few days to a couple of weeks to break in. In most cases, a mattress will soften up in under a week, though it can take longer. If you decide to wait, you will want to avoid using a mattress topper.
While these may make the mattress more comfortable in the short term, they will shield it from your weight and slow the break-in process. This is an effective way to break in your mattress. You can try this by walking on it or kneading it with your knees. This is the method is sometimes used to soften display mattresses for mattress showrooms. Memory foam is temperature sensitive. Its temperature sensitivity is why it reacts to your body heat. When temperatures in the room are higher, it will react by becoming more viscous and thus more flexible. At cooler temperatures, it will be firmer and less flexible. As a result, a memory foam mattress in a cooler environment will feel harder until it can warm up. Raising the temperature in your bedroom can soften the foam to make it mold to your body more readily.If your new mattress is causing you discomfort, use the tips above before giving up on it. Many new owners of memory foam mattresses experience initial problems only to find that their issues go away after the mattress has been broken in and you will get the perfect restful night's sleep.
Add a Mattress Topper You'd probably add a mattress topper to a regular mattress, so why not take the same route when trying to make a futon bed as comfortable as possible? Check out traditional egg carton-style foam mattress toppers, or see whether a mattress topper made of luxurious memory foam might be your best choice. Slip your mattress topper inside the futon cover, or layer it on top of the mattress, and cover both the futon mattress and the topper with a fitted sheet to hold everything together. Add Supports Under the Futon Mattress Sometimes the best way to make a futon comfortable is not to add something on top of the mattress, but to support it from underneath. Sofa sleepers of all kinds, including futon beds, often could use a little extra support, so consider adding wooden bed slats to provide firmness and prevent any sagging in the middle of the mattress or around the edges. Change Your Futon Mattress A comfortable futon mattress can make all the difference when you want a good night's sleep.
Futon mattresses come in different thicknesses, with thicker mattresses obviously being more comfortable. However, take a look at the material making up the mattress as well. Foam mattresses hold their shape over time better than cotton ones do. If your mattress has to fold up when you turn your futon bed back into a sofa, make sure that your new mattress fits your sofa in its folded form. Add a Featherbed to the Futon Mattress Bring the best of multiple cultures together when you combine your Japanese futon with the European tradition of a featherbed. A featherbed is like a down comforter that you sleep on top of rather than pulling it over you at night. Usually a featherbed is divided into sections to keep the down from migrating to one side of the bed or the other, and it adds a blissful layer of softness and warmth between you and your futon mattress. Layer Comforters on the Mattress Another way to add comfort to your futon sofa is to be literal about it, and turn to a comforter.
Whether you prefer the airy lightness of down or opt for a down alternative to avoid any possible allergies for your overnight guests, layering comforters on top of your futon's mattress can give you that extra layer of cushioning that makes all the difference. An extra benefit of this method is that, if two people are sharing the futon bed, you can customize the extra padding to the preference of each of your guests. Add an Air Mattress Futon beds are often only a foot or less off the ground, and some people find it difficult to sit down that low. To help out your guests who need a more comfortable futon experience, consider placing an air mattress on top of your opened-up futon. This combination can provide a double dose of comfort and support as well as adding that extra bit of height. Look for an air mattress that fits your futon perfectly, and opt for a model that inflates and deflates automatically to make your guest room chores as easy as possible.Edit ArticleHow to Soften Stiff New Sheets
Two Methods:Using Baking Soda and VinegarUsing Other SubstancesCommunity Q&A There's nothing worse than stiff, scratchy sheets which ruin your night's sleep. This often happens with new sheets, where the stiffness is caused by chemical residues left over from the manufacturing process. Luckily there are several easy ways of softening your sheets, so you can have a luxuriously comfortable night's sleep! Start with Step 1 below to find out more. Place the sheets in the washing machine. After removing your new sheets from their packaging, place them directly into the washing machine. If they are queen size or larger, you may want to wash the top and bottom sheets separately to give them enough room in the machine. Add one cup of baking soda. Instead of your normal laundry detergent, add one cup of baking soda to the machine. It's important to omit the detergent, as it tends to lock chemicals into the sheets. These chemicals contribute to the stiffness of the sheets, so it's better to remove them.
Wash on a regular cycle. Add a cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle. When it's time for the rinse cycle, turn the temperature of the machine to cold and add a cup of white vinegar. This will help to soften the sheets further, but is completely optional. The baking soda will work on its own. Line dry the sheets. When the rinse cycle is finished, remove the sheets from the machine and hang outside to dry in the sun. This will help to soften them further. If you don't have space to dry them outside, place in the dryer and dry on a low setting - drying at too high a temperature can cause shrinkage.Once the sheets are dry, you can wash them a second time using the regular amount of detergent. Although washing them twice sounds like a lot of work, it really helps to soften the sheets. Dry outside or in the dryer, then iron them (if you like) and place them directly on the bed. Remember that your sheets will become softer every time you wash them. Good quality sheets will become softer after every washing, drying and ironing cycle.
For ultimate softness (and durability) buy good quality cotton sheets with a high thread count.In addition to a cup of baking soda, you can add the recommended amount of your favorite fabric softener to the machine when you wash your new sheets. This provides extremely soft sheets. Alternatively, you can just use the softener on its own.Add half a cup of turpentine to the washing water with the sheets and wash on a regular cycle using warm water. Rinse thoroughly to remove most of the turpentine. Hang the sheets outside or on a clothes horse to dry. It is very important that you do not put the sheets in the dryer after washing with turpentine as turpentine is combustible and could cause a fire.Fill a laundry tub with cold water and add 50g of Epsom salts. Stir the sheets around in the tub for two minutes (use a wooden spoon if you don't want your hands to get cold!) Leave the sheets to soak overnight in the Epsom salts mixture. The following morning, rinse the sheets out thoroughly, then hang them outside to dry.