How to Care for a Mattress

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Your mattress may be hidden under blankets and sheets, but it still needs special attention from time to time. If well cared for, it will last about 10 years.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Allergy-free Bedding
Bed Linens
Beds
Bedsheets
Mattress Pads
Mattresses
Pillows

Step1

Cover your mattress with a cotton mattress pad, which will absorb perspiration and can be removed and washed to keep the mattress clean.

Step2

Rotate your mattress twice a year, or more often if instructed by the manufacturer. Flip it over completely after the first six months. Then, after another six months, flip it over and turn it so that the head is at the foot of the bed. Some new mattresses don't need flipping. Check with the manufacturer.

Step3

Use the handles on the sides of the mattress for positioning only - not for carrying. Lifting by the handles can damage your mattress.

Step4

Air out your mattress each morning by folding back the covers to the bottom of the bed for half an hour before you make it. This will also prevent moisture buildup.

Step5

Try not to sit on the edge of the bed in the same place every day, because this can lead to sagging.

Tips & Warnings

Leave the 'do not remove' tag attached to the mattress. You will need this for filing warranty claims.
Avoid spill and stain damage to your mattress. Many manufacturers void their warranties if there are stains.

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Comments

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 To remove most liquids that may affect the actual mattress, locate some extremely absorbent material (such as a large amount of good-quality paper towels) and lay it directly on the mattress where the liquid has been spilled. Then, place an extremely heavy object that has at least one flat surface wide enough to encompass the area of the spilled liquid onto the area where you have placed the absorbent material. Leave this in place for a minimum of a few hours, and adjust the time according to how much liquid was spilled. This will allow most of the liquid to be removed from the mattress and transferred into the absorbent material. Replace the absorbent material a few times, if the situation requires it.

Afterward, air out the mattress (preferably outdoors during a sunny day).

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