You spend about a third of your life on your mattress. When was the last time you gave it a good, deep clean? The seldom-used living room sofa probably feels the bristle of a vacuum brush more often than your trusty mattress. It’s time to change that. Besides promoting a more pleasant and productive night's sleep, a clean, cared for mattress can last longer—and it might even help prevent nasty, not to mention costly, pest infestations. Back when most mattresses could be flipped over, the conventional wisdom was that you should turn it twice a year, and take that opportunity to clean it as well. These days, a lot of mattresses, including the pillow-top variety, can’t be turned because they have a proper top and bottom. But cleaning your mattress two times a year remains a good rule of thumb. (Check the mattress label for instructions since the manufacturer might recommend rotating the mattress head to foot to ensure even wear.) Start the cleaning process by stripping the mattress of all sheets and bedding and tossing the items in the wash.
To remove tough stains, always use a Consumer Reports top-rated laundry detergent and the hottest water setting on your washing machine; dry on high heat as well to zap any surviving critters. Next, vacuum the entire mattress surface with the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Pay attention to seams and crevices, where dirt, dust, dead skin, and other icky stuff collect; switching to your vacuum’s crevice attachment can help get in deep. Our tests have found that a normal vacuum cleaner provides capable cleaning, but if you’re fastidious, consider investing in the Dyson V6 Mattress Handheld Vacuum, a $250 device designed specifically for the job. In a Consumer Reports at-home mattress test, we cleaned half of a foam Tempur-Pedic mattress with a top-rated canister vacuum and half with the Dyson handheld. The Dyson sucked up 3 grams of material, including dead skin cells that dust mites like to nosh on, compared with the 1 gram that our regular vacuum removed. Once you’re finished vacuuming, check for stains and spot treat them with an appropriate cleaner.
An upholstery cleaner or enzyme-based pet-odor remover can do the job on many bodily fluids. You can also try a simple solution of 1 teaspoon mild dish detergent and 1 cup of warm water. Next, deodorize the mattress by sprinkling baking soda over the entire surface. Especially if this is your first cleaning, don't be afraid to empty an entire 1-pound box onto the mattress. For best results, leave the baking soda there for 24 hours. That means you might need to plan the project around an overnight trip—or be willing to sleep elsewhere in your home. If you can place the mattress near a window, the sunlight will add its sanitizing power. After the baking soda has had a chance to tackle odors, go back over the mattress with your vacuum’s upholstery attachment. If you don't already own a mattress cover, we recommend buying one. And adding a mattress pad between the cover and bottom sheet will help absorb moisture. Along with the periodic deep cleaning described here, these extra layers of protection will help prevent mites, fleas, and other pests from sharing your bed.
That should really help you sleep tight. Once upon a mattress How often do you clean your mattress? Getting a Good Night's Sleep Why Americans Can't Sleep How to Fall Asleep the Natural Way The Problem With Sleeping Pills Does Melatonin Really Help You Sleep? What Is a Sleep Coach, and Do You Need One? The Dangers of Drowsy Driving What Can Happen When You Drive Drugged Can the Sleep Shepherd Sleeping Cap Lull You Into Sweet Slumber? Sleep Tracker: Gimmick or Great Gadget? 3 Blue Blockers Put to the Test Smartphone Apps Can Sound as Good as a White-Noise Machine Should My Pillow Become Your Pillow? Mattress Buying Guide and RatingsOur bed is sagging: Can we fix it? August 27, 2012 Subscribe My now-wife (then-girlfriend) purchased a new queen-sized mattress from Macy's about 3 years ago. We've recently noticed that the bed is sagging on both sides where we sleep, and the middle and sides are firmer and the way they were when she purchased it.
It has a split box spring so that it could fit up her narrow staircase in her former apartment. We no longer have that restriction. So, is this the fault of the split box spring (and should we replace it with a normal one), or is it simply a problem with the mattress? What can we do to fix it, if anything?Buying a new mattress is a lot like buying car insurance. Comparing features and price from brand to brand is challenging because there are so many variables. Inner spring or latex, organic or natural, euro-top, pillow-top or luxury-plush – the combinations are endless. And because buying a new bed isn’t a frequent purchase (thank goodness!), the learning curve will always be painful. Being able to sort through the clutter of information in the mattress industry and hone in on what matters to you – a GREAT night’s sleep – will help you make an informed purchase. Before you visit a mattress retailer, arm yourself with a healthy dose of common sense and learn the difference between myth and truth.
The Better Sleep Council recommends replacing your mattress every 7-10 years, depending on comfort and support. The truth is that the life of a mattress varies wildly, which depends on how you take care of it, how you sleep on it and how often you rotate it. Think of your mattress as performance gear for your sleep. Just like a good pair of running shoes can help you run faster and prevent injuries, a supportive mattress can deliver better, healthier sleep. You’ll know when it’s time to get a new mattress based on how you feel when you wake up. To minimize pain and discomfort and help your body relax into healing, regenerative sleep, you need a mattress that conforms to your favorite sleeping positions while supporting all areas of your body – conformability and support. In general, mattresses fall into three categories. Babies start rolling over in their sleep at around 4 months of age and by adulthood we’re moving as much as 75 times a night – whether it’s a simple twitch or a full-out roll.
We move during the night to alleviate pressure point pain and to reduce stress and strain on our backs and joints. A good mattress will reduce how much you move at night by providing pressure point relief, which will allow you to slip into deeper, healing REM sleep. Most people need at least a month to adjust their bodies to a new sleep surface. Considering how long we spend in bed in a 24 hour period, it’s no wonder that our muscles and joints have a memory of how to find the most comfortable spot on the mattress. Does that mean you should only buy from a mattress retailer that offers a comfort guarantee? If you’ve done your research, shopped around and spent time testing out a variety of mattresses, your mattress purchase should be a natural progression of those activities. Most mattresses today are made one-sided, which means they should never be flipped. So, how can you ensure maximum enjoyment of your mattress and reduce body impressions? Please note: when you first start sleeping on your new mattress, rotate every two weeks for the first two months.
And remember that body impressions are normal up to 1 ½ inches and not a structural defect. The upholstery materials are conforming to the weight and shape of your body, which is a good thing. Mattress warranties do not refer to the life expectation of your purchase. The warranty covers workmanship and materials and just like many products used with extreme regularity, you’ll notice wear and tear before you reach the end of the warranty. When buying a new mattress, read the warranty carefully even though there’s very little difference in the terms and conditions of warranties from manufacturer to manufacturer. It’s good to note that transportation costs (to and from the factory) are usually not covered in the case of repair or replacement. As well, a new warranty is normally not issued when the mattress is replaced. The warning against removing the law tag of your new mattress tag can be intimidating. The truth is that once you’ve bought the mattress and it’s in your home, you can do whatever you want with it.