Maximizing Your Mattress Life

Buying a bed is an investment in good physical and mental health. You spend about half your life on your mattress, so of course you would want to get the most out of it.

A box spring, or foundation, is a bed base with a wooden frame and either springs or metal rods that provide support to a mattress. They raise the height of a mattress to make it easier to get in and out of bed, and they also absorb shock and reduce wear. Mattress coils, also known as mattress springs, are coil springs used in a mattress. They are primarily used in the core of innerspring mattresses.

In order to keep assisting your mattress wear evenly, it is often recommended to both flip and rotate the mattress regularly. For newer beds that might have just one “right side up”, you can avoid bumps and lumps by rotating it end to end every two weeks for the first four months. Thereafter, you can rotate it every 3 months. Don’t forget about your box spring, which should be rotated every 6 months.

Jumping on the bed may sound fun for you and the kids, but it can cause serious damage to the coils of the mattress.

While a fitted sheet can help to protect the mattress, you’ll keep it even safer from dirt—and stains—if you first cover it with a waterproof, washable mattress cover. You might not think of taking a vacuum to your mattress, but you should. Regularly giving it a clean sweep helps to keep dust from becoming ground into the mattress. Spilled something? You can dab at it with warm soapy water, but avoid getting it any more wet than you have to since moisture creates a breeding ground for mold. Then, let it dry completely before making the bed.

Your mattress may have straps on the side, but they’re actually not made for carrying it. If you need to lift it completely, do so from underneath. Lastly, your mattress is only as good as the foundation that it’s placed on—ideally a good-quality frame that you purchased at the same time as your mattress.