Take proper care of your pillow-top mattress to extend its useful life. Even though the experts at The Better Sleep Council recommend replacing your existing mattress every seven years, a pillow-top mattress may have an even shorter life span if you don't properly maintain it. Because a pillow-top mattress has an extra layer of soft cushioning attached to the mattress surface, it requires special care to keep the plush top from breaking down. Extend the life of your pillow-top mattress by switching up the pressure points, keeping it squeaky clean, and protecting its cushy top. Housekeeping Please Vacuum your mattress periodically to remove dust mites, food crumbs, skin flakes and other debris. The vacuum's suction also plumps up the cushy pillow top. Avoid dry-cleaning agents and spot removers, as the chemicals in these products may damage the pillow-top fabric as well as the underlying stuffing material. To remove a mattress stain, lightly rub the area with a clean rag dampened with a mixture of mild dish detergent and cold water.
Wash your sheets weekly to keep your pillow top smelling fresh and clean. The Right Moves Prolong the life of your pillow-top mattress by rotating it 180 degrees once every month. By rotating your mattress, you help avoid uneven wear, which can result in dips and sags from the same body weight in a similar position every night. If your mattress has a pillow top on both sides, you should also flip it every three months. A one-sided mattress has the plush top on only one side, with the bottom covered in an unattractive, non-skid material, and a two-sided pillow top looks the same on both sides. Avoid sitting on the edge of your pillow-top mattress, which can cause unsightly lumps and uneven wear. Call for Backup Protect your pillow-top mattress with a zippered cover or pad. A waterproof cover encases your mattress to prevent staining, while preserving the shape of your pillow top. A plush, protective mattress pad stretches over the top and sides of a pillow-top mattress to provide an additional layer of soft comfort.
Some mattress pads are washable and repel moisture to keep your pillow top fresh and clean. Use a high-quality bed frame with strong center supports and supportive box springs to save your pillow-top mattress from bowing or breaking. Buy a Trampoline Substitute an outdoor trampoline for your pillow-top mattress for your kids to jump on; rough-housing by kids and pets on your pillow-top mattress can result in a crushed and flattened pillow top with additional damage to its interior construction. If the interior core and plump pillow top are damaged, you will have to buy a replacement mattress. : : Can You Flip a Pillow Top MattressThe Better Sleep Council: Caring for a MattressReader's Digest: 4 Secrets to Make Your Mattress Last LongerLove Lifestyle: How Often Should You Wash Your Bed Sheets? Photo Credits Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionYour use of the Forums confirms your acceptance of our terms of use and forum guidelines has anyone flipped a pillowtop mattress?
Posted 06 February 2013 - 12:36 PM Posted 06 February 2013 - 12:41 PM Posted 06 February 2013 - 12:43 PM I guess you could do that, but my dh and I simply rotate it 180 degrees and that helps significantly. We have done that. Divots are still there, just a different spot. Posted 06 February 2013 - 12:44 PM Posted 06 February 2013 - 12:53 PM Posted 06 February 2013 - 12:58 PM Posted 06 February 2013 - 01:27 PM Posted 06 February 2013 - 08:03 PM Posted 06 February 2013 - 08:05 PM I'd check the underside of your mattress, but most of them don't really have padding on that side if they have a pillow top on the other.It's sad to say, but this is why I said, "Never again" to a pillow-top mattress. They always seem to develop buffalo wallows. Everyone I know who's had a pillow-top mattress has developed big buffalo wallows. Somedays it feels like I am crawling out of a ditch! I am thinking they don't have much padding, but since I already have a 3 inch gel foam topper, I am thinking we would be ok with out padding.
I was more wondering abou it feeling unblanced or something because of the mattress resting on the topper part.I guess we won't know unless we try. Posted 06 February 2013 - 08:40 PM The Well-Trained Mind CommunityI’ve been in the sleep business since 1970 and a retailer of mattresses and bedding since 1972. Since the Private Equity Firms (the wonderful folks that helped bring about the recent financial troubles in the U.S.) bought up all the major mattress companies (Simmons, Sealy, Stearns & Foster [owned by Sealy], Spring Air, and Serta) the industry has taken a “consumer be damned” attitude. The introduction of “can’t flip” mattresses or “no need to flip” mattresses in 2000 is an insult to consumers who can now expect three to five years out of their new mattress. That’s one third of what can be expected from two-sided mattresses. Curious About 2-Sided Mattresses?They’re all we sell. Explore the possibilities & start sleeping better right away.
CLICK HERE FOR FLIPPABLE MATTRESSES Like many industries, the mattress industry has gone through a period of cheapening products in order to save on manufacturing costs. Problem is, they market the cheapened product as a benefit to consumers — which couldn’t be further from the truth. Think about home appliances, another industry where the majority of companies are now owned by private equity firms. Depending on your age, it used to be that you would buy an appliance — a fridge, a washer/dryer, an oven — expecting it to last 20 years. If something broke, a repairman would come to your home and fix it. Now, if you get five to seven years from an appliance you’re lucky. And you can forget about repairs; parts either aren’t or won’t be available. The profits manufacturers make on selling half a mattress are too great to go back to two-sided mattresses. Companies can save 25-30% by not including the second side cushioning layer, which is the most expensive part of most mattresses.
Companies don’t pass these savings on to the consumer. As you may have noticed if you’ve done some research, some “can’t flip” mattresses sell for several thousands of dollars! They’ve just used the savings to increase their profits and then resell the company to another investment firm. Simmons, for instance, has now been sold many times over. The added benefit (to them) of selling “can’t flip” mattresses is that the consumer is back in the marketplace for a new mattress every three to five years. Their only other option is to put up with a saggy, uncomfortable bed, and the achy back and body that can result from it. Recently, on a day when we delivered 10 new mattresses, we took away three “can’t flip” mattresses. All three were from one of the best known “S” brands, all just three years old and all completely worn out. Not even homeless shelters or charities will take mattresses so saggy, so they ended up in a landfill. These were not inexpensive mattresses — they retail locally for over $2000 each!
You’d think that such dramatic wear and tear after just three years would be covered under warranty, but no. These companies consistently deny all but the most extreme breakdowns. They have PLANNED for the failure or obsolescence of their mattresses after 3-5 years. It’s how they do things now. Most manufacturers DO still make two-sided mattresses, they just don’t sell them to the consumer. They make them only for the hotel/motel industry. Owners in this industry avoid one-sided mattresses because they know that they won’t last more than a few years. Doesn’t that show the manufacturers’ true stripes? In order to be sold on our floor, mattresses need to have TWO sleeping surfaces. That, or they need to have zipper access to the inside so that components can be flipped or refreshed. It is not right to sell mattresses that wear out so quickly. A consumer should be able to expect their new mattress to last and be comfortable for at least 8 to 12 years. If they purchase a 100% botanical latex mattress model, it should last even longer.