Taking Care of Your New Mattress

If you recently bought a new mattress, the last thing you’re probably thinking about right now is taking care of it, but it's important to consider what factors can help your mattress last as long as possible. It's expensive to replace your mattress, which is why a bed can last a decade if it's well taken care of.

How To Maximize The Lifespan Of Your Mattress

USE A MATTRESS PROTECTOR

It’s important to make sure your mattress is protected – not just from spills, but from pet dander, dust mites, or worse. That’s why it makes sense to purchase a good mattress protector. The protector covers your new mattress completely and protects against dust mites and mold, two things that could cause serious health problems. 

ROTATE IT CAREFULLY

For a new mattress, it’s recommended to rotate it end-to-end every two weeks for the first four months, then once every three months afterwards. Don’t forget about your box spring, which should be rotated every six months. Rotating the mattress regularly helps the bed wear more evenly, so you don’t have as many lumps and craters. Be careful though. Most new mattresses have handles on the side to help rotate it, but they weren’t designed for you to use to move the mattress.

GET RID OF ODOR

If you didn’t pick up a mattress protector, there’s a chance that, over time, your mattress will start to smell funny, and not in a “ha ha” way. The best thing to do for this is to sprinkle baking soda over your mattress. After 20 minutes, use the nozzle feature on your vacuum and suck up the baking soda. That should help get rid of any funk in the air.

KEEP IT CLEAN

Again, if you didn’t purchase a mattress protector, you’ll have to make sure you do a good job of keeping the mattress clean and dry. Moisture in a mattress, over time, is a breeding ground for mold, which can cause serious health problems, especially if you have asthma. Try to keep the mattress dry and, if it looks dusty, go ahead and vacuum the mattress with the nozzle extension.

BE REALISTIC ABOUT YOUR MATTRESS LIFESPAN

A mattress should give you good support for at least eight to 10 years. However, if it smells, there are coils poking out, you wake up with back pains, or if you’re just not sleeping well enough anymore, it might be time to go ahead and check into getting a new mattress. Remember, it’s something you’re going to have for the better part of a decade, so be sure to get the one that’s just right for you.