A good mattress doesn’t necessarily come cheap. But since you’ll spend a third of your time sleeping on it, it’s not something you want to skimp on!
And like most things that require a significant financial investment, the best way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your mattress is to take good care of it. In order to do that, you’ll need to avoid certain habits and behaviors that can lead to your mattress’s untimely demise!
And that brings us to today’s post, where I’ll be sharing 7 ways that people (often unknowingly) end up damaging their mattress. Avoid these 7 things, and your mattress is sure to live a long and happy life!
Related: The One Thing You Need To Do Before Switching To Lighter Bedding
7 Ways You’re Ruining Your Mattress
1. You Don’t Rotate It
Sleeping in the same position night after night will eventually create a permanent dip or divot in your mattress. But you can slow down this process considerably by rotating your mattress 180° every three months or so!
Bonus Tip: Some mattresses have a pillow-top or quilted cover that indicates which side you’re supposed to sleep on. But if your mattress looks and feels the same on both sides, you can also flip it over to extend its lifespan even more!
2. You Don’t Use A Mattress Cover
A lot of unsavory substances can end up in our mattresses, including dust mites, dead skin cells, sweat, and body oil. All of this organic matter can lead to musty smells and even bacterial growth—yuck!
The simplest way to keep your mattress clean is to encase it in a mattress protector. Modern mattress protectors effectively seal out moisture and insects, and most only cost around $20 or less (which is a steal considering it could save you the cost of replacing your mattress!)
3. You Don’t Clean It
Cleaning your mattress regularly is vital if you want it to last as long as possible. Every three months or so, give it a good vacuuming to remove dead skin cells, dust mites and freshen it up.
I recommend sprinkling a simple baking soda mixture over the surface first for added cleaning and moisture-absorbing power—learn more about how to clean your mattress with baking soda here.
Related: How to Machine Wash an Electric Blanket
4. It’s A Part-Time Trampoline
As fun as jumping on the bed can be, it’s likely ruining your mattress! Box springs are not designed to withstand that kind of impact, which often results in broken springs and cracked supports.
A damaged box spring can cause your mattress to settle unevenly, which is almost guaranteed to shorten its lifespan. So make your mattress a “no jumping allowed” zone!
5. You Keep Your Bedroom Blinds Closed
Dust mites and bacteria thrive in dark, musty environments, which is why they love mattresses that are always covered up and kept in low light. That’s why it’s important to open the blinds and windows regularly and allow your mattress to “breathe!”
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Another good practice you can adopt is to wait an hour or two before making your bed in the morning. This allows warmth to dissipate and moisture to evaporate, which will help keep your mattress smelling fresh.
6. It Isn’t Properly Supported
Every mattress needs to be properly supported to maintain its integrity, but that support varies from mattress to mattress. While traditional mattresses require a box spring, denser foam mattresses are heavier and often require a sturdy platform-style support.
You can find out what type of support your mattress needs by searching for your mattress make and model online, or checking out the tags attached to it. Give your mattress the support it needs so it can keep supporting you!
7. You Don’t Wash Your Bedding Enough
As I mentioned previously, body oil and dead skin cells can do a number on your mattress. And while your sheets and bedding aren’t much of a barrier, keeping them clean can help keep your mattress clean too!
Aim to wash your bedsheets (and duvet cover, if you use one) about once a week. If your sheets are affected by stubborn body oil residues, check out this post for a simple method to “strip” them clean!
Related: How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs at Home
What sort of mattress do you sleep on?
I have a high end mattress which is extra thick and designed with each side being a firmness dependent on the sleeper and it is to be used on one side only. No way to flip that baby. As for waiting two hours to make my bed – nope, it is always done immediately. Sometimes our modern world is so intent on germs, mites and dust that they fail to see that God designed our bodies to function quite well even if exposed to most anything as long as one cleans now and then. My house is immaculate but I don’t think most folks have the time or energy to follow all the cleaning steps in each area of our homes BUT kudos to those that do and thank you Jillee for your posts!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I don’t think it is so much a danger as it is the fact that it makes people grossed out to sleep in a bed full of dead skin and mites! Have you ever seen pictures of the creepy, little critters? Guess this would be one of those, “to each his own” situations, huh?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Our mattress is encased in a plastic cover with a quilted pad over it. I rotate the mattress every couple of weeks and flip it, with help from my husband, every six months
I have had a sleep number bed for about 3 years. They are a little spendy, but I would never go back to a regular bed. And no dip where we sleep!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We love our Sleep Number bed too. When we upgrade we are going with the split head King because I need to sleep with my head slightly elevated due to asthma and my husband prefers to sleep flat.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How do you make a leather seat cleaner and conditioner?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.There are leather cleaners sold in hardware stores and maybe even Walmart. It is a cleaner and conditioner. It is always a good idea to wipe it down at least once a month; more if you use it daily.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We purchased a custom designed mattress..one side for my style of sleeping and body type…the other for my husband’s specific needs..it was very costly..very and after just one year it already has low spots. I cannot turn it since then I would be sleeping on the “wrong side”. If I had it to do over again I would purchase another sleep number bed and top it with a gel topper.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My point..$$$$$ doesn’t guarantee much anymore.
Agree, one hundred percent with you, Doodlebug!!!! We have a mattress that we bought at least 20 years ago, maybe more, it cost $399. and it has no dips or bulges. I did cover it with a plastic cover and use a quilted cover that has plastic under it. I do wash that mattress cover occasionally, but not often. I change the sheets every week. I love it when I can hang my sheets on the clothesline outdoors, but those days are going until spring.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.#4 should say “AREN’T”, right? …Although, you just made A LOT of friends in the under 20 crowd…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hahaha! Thanks for catching that, Becky! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a Tempurpedic mattress, can I still clean it with baking soda? Wouldn’t that gum up and ruin mattress?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.One of the worst things for your mattress’ lifespan is sitting on the edge of it even for a few seconds to put your socks on or in your case, to take a picture for your blog. It breaks down the mattress by putting stress on the sides from the force of sitting down and getting up. Beds are made to support your weight when it is spread out evenly while sleeping. When you use it like a chair, it makes it sag. That’s why they have sitting rooms in many master bedrooms or why people put a chair–for sitting to put your socks on or for reading.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How true, how true..Unfortunately there is no room in my room for a chair. I do turn my mattress. A lot!!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do you have room for a small ottoman or foot stool? That would work. Or, if you have an on-suite you could sit on the edge of the tub. Mother told me years ago to not sit on the edge.
Where is your box spring? Looks to me like you have a cheap bed with slats only and no box spring. A good mattress are always sold as sets with a matching box spring. Your thoughts?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Inner spring mattresses need a box spring, but memory foam doesn’t require one, just lots of support slats or bars.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s exactly right, Stacey! This memory foam mattress only requires slats. :-)
I agree, Susie, we have had our mattress for nearly 30 years.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ll tell my husband that we can’t jump on the bed anymore ;).
I’ve considered a mattress cover but I assumed these were mainly for children and others prone to “accidents”. Also the ones I’ve slept on have an obvious, “crackly” feel that make it obvious I’m sleeping on a sheet of plastic. The product link is for one made of polyester and PVC; from a quick search it appears that the ones made of natural materials (especially organic) cost quite a bit more – over $200 for a queen size.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Terry, they make really good mattress protectors that do protect against moisture that aren’t crackly. I know what you mean about those but you can get ones that don’t have that. They are pricey but worth it. You tend to find them at mattress stores and not in the big box stores. My mattress has a lifetime guarantee from the company from which I bought it but only if I purchased their mattress protector. That was worth the 50.00 cost!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The rubber/plastic ones are for children for accidents or even the elderly. I have always used a mattress cover that is cloth with perhaps a little fiber fill. I just don’t like the thought of putting a fitted sheet on the bed without one.
Check out the mattress protector I use in the post (just click the underlined words “mattress protector”). They’ve come a long way! This one is not crackly, it’s more of soft almost tee-shirt sheet quality. And the queen is only $23 :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve always used the plastic cover with a washable quilted top mattress cover, then sheets. With the plastic cover, is there any reason for step 3? Mites can’t get through the plastic, can they?
As a former owner of mattress stores, I can tell you putting plastic under your sheets stops air circulation, which can make you /your partner hot. You can purchase a good mattress protector that is waterproof without the plastic. I am no longer in business, however, I always recommend buying a really good mattress and really good shoes, if you aren’t in one, you are usually in the other.
I never liked the feeling of plastic feel or sound in my bed!! And, I always believed that a mattress needed to “breath” or it would eventually feel like an old, hard, packed down pillow. Guess I kind of had the right idea? :-)
I have a Bissell steamer that I absolutely love. I use the bottom holder and use it to steam my mattress top to kill dust mites and bacteria. Makes it smell really good.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.wHY WOULD YOU NEED TO CLEAN YOUR MATTRESS, IF YOU USE A MATTRESS PROTECTOR?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That was exactly the question I was going to ask!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Nope!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Because no protector/liner or anything else you put under your sheets is 100% dust mite free.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You should also use pillow protectors, especially if you have allergies. I have SEVERE allergies to dust mites, so I do more than the average person, but once a month or so is good to “freshen up” and remove those DEAD dust mites….I used to be in the mattress business and I can almost guarantee 95% of people do not clean/freshen their mattresses and pillows. By the way, you should wash your pillows monthly and dry on low heat. (When drying, put in some tennis balls or clean tennis shoes to make sure they don’t bunch up).