How to Pick a Mattress Pad?
A mattress pad provides a buffer zone between you and your mattress. Mattress pads not only make your bed more comfortable, they also protect it from tears, spills and dirt.
Some mattress pads are made of materials that can protect you and your family from dust mites and other household allergens. They can also be an economical alternative to buying a new bed.
Check the size and depth of your mattress, figure out your personal tastes and needs, and decide how much money you want to spend. These are the basic steps to picking the right mattress pad for you.
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Instructions
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Size Up Your Choices
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Purchase a mattress pad according to its size (twin, full, queen or king) and depth.
If you have a pillow top mattress, be sure the mattress pad you choose can accommodate this style of mattress. A standard mattress depth is around nine inches, but the depth of a pillow top (also known as 'deep' mattress) ranges between ten to fifteen inches. Measure your mattress if you don't know for sure, and you'll potentially save yourself a trip. Check the packaging of the mattress pad for the right dimensions before you buy.
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An 'anchor' pad is the most basic type of mattress pad, consisting of a flat quilted cotton top section with elastic bands that stretch over each corner. These are good mattress pads, and less expensive than the other types. However, they're also more prone to slipping off the mattress corners than the other types of pads.
A 'fitted' mattress pad resembles a fitted sheet. It covers the top and sides of the mattress, and has elastic sections sewn into the corners that grip the mattress.
'One-size-fits-all' mattress pads have stretchy sides that can accommodate both the standard mattress depths and the extreme depths of pillow tops.
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Choose a pad with protective plastic sheet for a young child or home-care patients. These come in all sizes and types. If you want to reduce the effects of dust mites and allergens, pick mattress pads made of all natural materials such as wool and silk. See 'Resources' below for examples of hypoallergenic mattress pads. If you have back and joint pain, some mattress pads have foam rubber cores in different densities that can provide relief. Magnetic mattress pads are another type of therapeutic device for relieving joint and back pain.
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Check consumer reviews of mattress pads. Mattress pads are a good investment, because they're cheaper to replace than a mattress, and can potentially increase the life of your mattress by several years. Prices and quality vary greatly, and one way to wisely. See 'Resources' below for consumer review links.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Toulouse-Lautrec
