It is one thing to invest good money in purchasing a quality latex mattress. However, the maintenance of that mattress determines if you enjoy the benefits from it. Misuse or lack of proper care for the mattress may mean purchasing a new one sooner than planned or dealing with body aches.

Normally, latex mattresses are built to last – to remain in the satisfying condition they have always been – for a long time. These mattresses are made to last up to 10 years, providing comfort all the way.

However, many things consumers do will shorten the lifespan of a good latex mattress. We will explore a few things not to be done on and around your mattress. We will also look at how to keep your newly bought mattress in ideal conditions so you reap good benefits for your investment.

Things You Should Do and Not Do on Your Latex Mattress:

There are several actions which we undertake when making use of the Best Latex Mattress that is harmful to the overall longevity. They are:

Avoid Sitting on the Edge:

In fact, you should avoid sitting on the edge altogether. For many people, the edge of the mattress is the regular sitting spot to tie their shoelaces, get dressed, or even apply makeup to the face. We advise not sitting on the edge altogether because it is very easy for the act to become a habit; and not just the act of sitting on a random spot along the edge. It is easy for you to sit in the same spot every day.

If it continues, that is sitting on the same edge every day, your mattress starts to lose its appeal. That area will flatten out faster than other areas giving your mattress a slope-like figure. If that area is where you place your pillow or your head, it can lead to neck aches and strain.

Simply get a chair or short stool in your room and sit on those. Your mattress will last longer that way.

You should also try as much as possible not to concentrate your weight on point or spot. It will put a strain on that spot and cause it to deepen faster than surrounding areas. Many people wrongly think that mattresses are made to handle regular sitting, standing and jumping on (your mattress will not pass for a trampoline). Wrong! You should not use your mattress as a sofa to watch Netflix or a chair to read a book.

While latex mattresses are built to be durable and withstand a few things, there is a limit to what you can do on your mattress.

 Food and Drinks on the Bed? Bad Idea:

While you may already know this, it is important we remind you: do not eat on your mattress. Better still, do not drink on your mattress. Water, fluid, any type of drink can ruin your mattress.

Keeping your mattress dry at all times is a very important aspect of bad hygiene. Water is the bane of your mattress. With water, the deteriorating of your mattress and mattress fabric occurs faster.

There is every possibility you may spill something and be unaware. Mold and mildew set in and with these come all kinds of odors and discomfort. And while water will not destroy your mattress outrightly, the discomfort alone is enough to make you long for a new one.

If something happens and you spill drinks on your mattress or it gets stained, spot cleaning will do; and do it gently too. Dampen a piece of clean cloth and spot-clean with a mild detergent. That will do. Never soak your mattress extensively.

We Cannot Say That You Should Not Sweat:

Sweating can also ruin your mattress. Drinks and water aren’t the only forms of fluid that can get on your mattress. You can manage these and be conscious of not drinking or eating on your mattress. On the other hand, you cannot really control it if you are going to sweat on your mattress.

Sweating can be a result of the weather, the temperature of your bedroom, bad dreams, the state of your health, and even your mattress. Latex mattresses, due to the way they are made, will usually allow good ventilation: this is one reason to buy a latex mattress. However, for most weather conditions, room temperatures, and physiological and psychological reasons (for instance, nightmares), it is usually not enough.

While you might be led to thinking that you hardly sweat through the night, your mattress, and pillow might have harbored a lot of moisture. It is good to air dry your mattress the next morning when you wake up. Pointing a fan in the direction or opening the windows and allowing air in is good and hygienic practice. Switching on the air conditioner for a while is not a bad option. On weekends, you can sun dry your mattress too.

Regularly Vacuum Your Mattress:

Keeping your mattress clean is imperative. According to BBC Science, we generally lose a lot of skin cells every day, shedding about 600,000 particles of skin every hour. Dust and tiny air particles in the house are composed majorly of dead skin. Going by this estimate, if you spend 7 hours in bed, you would have shed some potential 4,200,000 skin particles.

Not that it is a worrying amount per se since these cells are usually tiny and largely microscopic in nature. But imagine 4,200,000 dead skin cells accumulating on your bed over the course of 1 month. Two months? Three? A year?

This is just one reason to regularly vacuum your mattress regularly. There is another: a dirty mattress (or room) is a fertile breeding ground for dust mites. Dust mites particularly feed on dead skin cells amongst other tiny things.

Use the regular vacuum cleaner you use for household upholstery. There is no special vacuum cleaner for mattresses.

Like You, Your Mattress Needs Its Own Clothing:

Do not use your mattress without a bed cover or a bedsheet. While you might not get them for the comfort they provide – you have your mattress to do that – they can be another level of protection. They can be soft materials that can absorb moisture and spillage, or waterproof and hypoallergenic materials. If the material is soft and absorbent, then it will need regular washing. Waterproof bed covers also need regular laundering too.

Waterproof and hypoallergenic bed covers or mattress protectors can also help protect the user from allergies. This is because of their non-absorbent nature. The materials are usually non-permeable and can be zipped, fully clothing your mattress. And if they get torn or irreparably damaged, you can simply change them, keeping your mattress intact. That way, mites, dust, and pests generally have little or no access to your mattress directly again, keeping your mattress intact.

While your mattress may still look good, new, and sturdy, bed bug infestation will lead to you changing it rather quickly. The good news is that natural latex mattresses are resistant to these sleep devils. But it does not mean that your bed cannot get infested.

Using a bed cover should be non-negotiable. You need one and your mattress needs one. Your mattress is the main provider of the cushioning and comfort you need. Getting a mattress cover to protect it will not get in the way of that comfort.

Should You Flip or Rotate or Do Nothing?

After sleeping on one side of your mattress for some time, you should flip or rotate your mattress, depending on whether it is a flip or non-flip mattress.  You can find and research the best flippable mattresses online if you want. This ensures that whatever flatness or sagginess or wearing out that will occur affects your mattress evenly.

Most mattresses made today are made such that you cannot use them if you do flip them. There is just one right or correct side. The other side is designated as the base and is usually firmer than the top. If you do have a mattress like this, don’t fret. You can simply rotate your mattress.

Rotating the mattress is easy (though it can suck a bit of energy if the mattress is heavy). You simply turn it 180 degrees such that the side you have slept on becomes where your feet stay, and the same surface remains on top.

Latex mattresses are made such that flipping them is not necessary. For a good number of brands out there, the base is made thicker so that you can have adequate support. Flip mattresses usually have an unstable base such that body impressions form all too quickly and it is easy, for layers to shift every now and then.

Additionally, latex mattresses are made to outlast other types of mattresses. The latex material does not break down fast. So, all you will most likely need to do is to rotate the mattress say, every 3 to 4 months to keep even.

Off the ground! On proper support!

Your mattress is not a carpet or a mat. No pun intended. If you like to sleep close to the floor for one reason or another, get a low bed. But physically placing your mattress on the floor, as a permanent site, is not a good option. Placing your mattress on the ground can ruin the quality of air surrounding you when you sleep.

When you place your mattress on the floor, there is no airflow under it. Remember, latex mattresses are notable for their ventilated properties. Allowing airflow around and below the mattress will enhance this property and reduce night sweats to a reasonable degree, extending the life of your mattress too.

Use proper bed support and beams too. A bad piece of bedroom furniture that does not properly support the base of your mattress especially, will let it sag and deepen quickly. Make sure that your bed has a good framework for the head, foot, and cross- or midsection beams for proper support.

One Last Thing…

 The saying has always been true, that “as you lay your bed, so will you lie upon it”. And it has always been true even literally.

Always make sure that you lay your bed neatly and properly every morning before stepping out of the house. Never leave it rough and untidy and say you will get back at it.

In summary,

Conclusion :

 A good way to keep things in use and in ideal conditions for a long time is to maintain them and take proper care of them. Same with your latex mattress. Knowing all that you know about how beneficial one is to your health, why get one and miss out on the benefits because you could not properly take care of it?

Be deliberate and follow the dos and don’ts in this article and see your latex mattress last a good while.

Read Also:

• Natural, Synthetic, or Blended: A Guide to Latex Mattress Benefits