A mattress is a major purchase, and it needs to be cost-effective! Protecting your mattress allows you to optimize its lifespan and therefore increase the quality of your sleep over time. A mattress should be changed every 10 years on average, but that was without counting on our advice! Here are some examples to help you increase the lifespan of your mattress.
"The most important thing is to always be able to protect yourself."
Haruki Murakami / 1Q84, Book 1
Take the time to choose your mattress carefully
Allergy protection
The first tip is to opt for an anti-mite and anti-bacterial mattress. If it is hypoallergenic, it is even better. Be aware that mites alone are the cause of 50% of allergies.
Protecting your mattress means, above all, protecting yourself against allergies, respiratory risks, as well as health problems due to mold.
Certifications
To choose the best mattress, you need to know the different certifications that define the quality of manufacturing.
Here are some examples:
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ISO 9001 QUALITY
The ISO 9001 standard is defined by the organizational requirements required to be able to ensure a quality management system. Each ISO 9001 quality mattress is subjected to quality tests throughout the production process. -
CERTIPUR
This safety guarantee ensures the non-use of heavy metals and prohibited substances in mattresses. -
OEKO-TEX
This is the first label guaranteeing the ecological qualities of textiles: all mattresses and bed linen with the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certification do not contain any products that are toxic to the body and the environment. This applies to all raw and semi-finished textile products.
The full cover
The ideal protection for a mattress is the full cover: it will completely envelop the mattress by covering the top and bottom. Make sure that the material it is made of allows air to circulate, this is an important hygienic point.
A cover allows you to protect your bedding from dirt, mold, germs and even hair! Hence the importance of your choice when purchasing.
If you have a dust mite allergy, the medical grade full cover is a good item to look into.
Choosing your equipment: mattress or mattress protector?
Sheets and mattress protectors
Start by protecting your mattress by covering it. Indeed, when you sleep your body evacuates between 0.5 and 1L of perspiration. Without protection, a mattress can quickly become a nest of microbes.
It is recommended to insert an extra layer between the mattress and your body, for example with a cover or a mattress protector. Ideally, they should be treated as anti-mite, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.
There are also covers, mattress pads and protectors.
These preserve the hygiene of the mattress, especially when they are machine washable (at high temperature). The mattress protector has two advantages: on the one hand, it prevents the development of odors, bacteria and microbes; on the other, it prolongs the life of your mattress. These items are available in several sizes for one or two people, and will greatly increase the life of your mattress.
Mattress toppers
A mattress topper is, as its name suggests, a second mattress. It is placed on top of your mattress, and provides additional comfort by adjusting its firmness. It protects your mattress, provides more comfort, while protecting you from dust mites and other bacteria. This accessory also improves hygiene, because the water evacuated by the body during sleep is no longer absorbed by the mattress. Clearly, it is an essential product for sleeping better, while protecting your bedding. Be careful, however, a mattress topper should not replace a mattress protector. In fact, it is quite the opposite! The mattress protector is used to protect the mattress topper and is placed between the mattress topper and the fitted sheet.
Bed linen
Bed linen and sets also help to preserve your bedding, while ensuring good hygiene, for a restful sleep. It is recommended to wash your sheets and sets regularly to preserve this hygiene as much as possible. Summer and winter, sheets have the advantage of adapting your temperature: if it is too hot, a sheet will suffice, but if it is cold, bed linen will help to better retain heat.
The right actions for your mattress
Preserve your mattress with these 4 steps:
- 15 minutes of ventilation per day, and try to maintain a temperature of 18°C
- (If the mattress has two sleeping sides) Remember to turn it over mid-season!
- Don't forget to clean your mattress every time you change the sheets, and also remember to vacuum the slats of your box spring.
- When stains appear, don't waste time and clean your mattress as quickly as possible.
The ideal way to preserve the components of the mattress is to regularly turn it over (head-foot): if possible, try to turn it over at each change of season in order to keep it in the best possible condition (retention of heat and ventilation).
Children's mattresses
Due to nighttime incontinence, a child's sleep may be disturbed and may eventually affect the cleanliness of the mattress. It is therefore necessary to have suitable protection. A quality (and waterproof!) mattress protector is a start in this direction, you will just need to place it between the mattress and the sheet. Another possibility is to equip your mattress with a waterproof terry mattress protector.
If you need to clean the mattress after these incontinences, we recommend covering the stain with baking soda and then vacuuming the area. Repeat 2 to 3 times for maximum hygiene.
We really hope that this article has helped you in your choice of bedding. You now have all the information at your disposal to choose an item adapted to your needs, as well as advice on how to maintain it properly.
