How Do You Know When Its Time
If you notice any of the following, then it may be time to replace your mattress:
- Signs of wear and tear. Signs of wear include sagging, lumps, and coils that can be felt through the fabric.
- Noisy springs. Springs that squeak when you move is a sign that the coils are worn and no longer providing the support they should.
- Muscle stiffness. When your mattress isnt comfortable and no longer supporting your body the way it did, you could wake up feeling sore and stiff. A
You may be able to prolong the life of your mattress with some extra care. The following are things that you can do:
- Use a mattress protector to protect against spills, dust, and debris.
- Make sure your mattress is properly supported with the right box spring or foundation.
- Rotate the mattress every 3 to 6 months to promote even wear.
- Clean your mattress as directed by the manufacturer.
- Open your windows regularly for better ventilation, which can reduce dust and moisture buildup.
- Keep your mattress upright when moving it to prevent creasing or damage to the springs.
- Keep pets off the bed to reduce the risk of damage from claws and chewing.
- Dont let your children jump on the bed as this can damage coils and other mattress components.
- Remove sheets and mattress covers occasionally to air out your mattress.
Regular vacuuming can help keep allergens and dust mites to a minimum. You can also sprinkle your mattress with baking soda and vacuum it 24 hours later to help remove trapped moisture and odors.
Do You Really Need A Mattress Protector
Heck yes.
A mattress protector is one of the absolute best ways to protect your mattress on a nightly basis. And given that the annual expenditure on mattresses in the US has risen since 2011, theres never been a better time to start investing in protection for your mattress.
But did you know that a mattress protector can also be the key to getting a more comfortable nights sleep?
Its true.
Certain mattress protectors can actually help regulate the temperature of your mattress, helping you cut down on night sweats and waking up clammy or overheated.
Beyond that, a mattress protector also helps prevent allergens from irritating your eyes, nose, and throat. For instance, a mattress protector can stop dust mites, which feast on your dead skin cells, from claiming your mattress as their home.
And if youre like one of the 20 million Americans that suffer from allergies to these microscopic pests, a mattress protector can mean the difference between coughing, sneezing, and wheezing all night and finally getting a good nights rest.
There are plenty of other signs you need a mattress protector too.
Getting Rid Of Your Old Mattress
Throwing your mattress away so it ends up in a landfill is only one option, and it’s not great for the environment. There are several other options that are not only better for the planet, but may help others.
- Donate: you may know someone who could benefit from your used mattress. If not, there are many organizations that will take your mattress. Make sure it’s in relatively good condition, doesn’t have bed bugs, and some organizations may even pick it up. Some choices include the Salvation Army, The Furniture Bank Association of America, Habitat for Humanity, or Goodwill. You can also ask local churches or religious organizations, women’s shelters, homeless shelters, or refugee resettlement groups.
- Sell: if your mattress isn’t in bad shape, and local laws don’t prohibit it, you might be able to get a little money for it. Craig’s List is a popular option to sell any items you no longer need.
- Recycle: all major North American cities have mattress recycling programs.
- Upcycle: You can break down a mattress yourself and use the materials inside for a new purpose. Box springs can create a wine rack or table. You can get creative and have unique items in your home that came from your old mattress.
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Change In Sleeping Preferences
Its not unheard of for your mattress preferences to change over time. The bed that felt comfortable a year or two ago may not be the best mattress for you anymore. If your body has changed or youve switched sleeping positions, your needs are most likely different from when you last shopped for mattresses.
You Wake Up Feeling Stiff Or Sore
This is the most important criteria in deciding when to change your mattress. The manufacturer may claim that your mattress will last 10 years, but if you’re in year 5 and you wake up with tightness or soreness, it’s time to look at a new mattress. The most common areas where people feel tightness or soreness after waking are in the back, hips, and shoulders.
Understand that this is usually a gradual process. Your mattress won’t wear out overnight and the tightness and soreness that you have in the morning will slowly and gradually get worse over time. Be sure to take other factors into consideration, such as your exercise routine. If you just started CrossFit and you’re waking up sore, it may not be your mattress.
Most people who need to change their mattress find that it takes a few hours after they wake up to start feeling loose again. If you’re not sure if your mattress is the culprit, notice how you feel when you wake up after sleeping in a hotel or in a different bed, and not if that mattress is softer or firmer. Or you could take it a step further and do your research and then order a mattress online that offers a risk-free in-home trial.
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Which Mattress Type Lasts The Longest
On average, a natural latex mattress has the longest lifespan, lasting for about 12 to 15 years. A quality memory foam bed is close behind, lasting about 10 years or more.
The trade-off to the durability of a natural latex mattress is its one of the more expensive types of mattresses on the market.
When To Toss Them: 15 To 25 Years
Luckily, we can expect comforters to last longer. Because it doesn’t have to support weight the way pillows and mattresses do, according to Stewart, your comforter should last 15 to 25 years if you keep it covered and air it regularly. No way you’ll remember how long you’ve had it? Replace it when it begins to look limp and flat or starts leaking bits of filling, she says.
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Become An Informed Consumer
If you suspect you need a new mattress, do your homework, and educate yourself before you buy. Understand the lingo and gimmicks employed by mattress firms so that you get the product you need that fits your budget and gives you the best nights sleep. Theres no prescription for which mattress will best fit your unique needs.
Look for a mattress that offers adequate support for spinal alignment. Comfort is subjective its how a bed feels to you. You might find a firmer mattress superior to a softer one or vice-versa. Mattress selection is highly personal and should be your preference at the cross-section of proper alignment, support, and comfort.
The Beloit Mattress Company Offers A Large Variety Of Mattress Protectors To Suit Your Needs
Your mattress is a big investment, so it pays to put a protective layer between your sheets and your bed. Bedwetting accidents, dust mites, mildew, and even bed bugs dont stand a chance when you follow proper mattress care.
Here are just a few of the mattress protectors we offer online and in our mattress stores:
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Can You Wash A Mattress Protector
You sure can!
Most quality mattress protectors make washing your mattress protector as easy as cleaning your regular sheets.
In general, that means you can pop it right into your washer and dryer without thinking much of it.
However, thats not the optimal strategy for all protectors.
And if you want to ensure your mattress protector lasts for years to come, there are some rules to follow.
Your Allergies Flare Up
Every normal human sheds dead skin cells. Considering we spent 7 to 9 hours on the bed, numerous skin cells accumulate in our mattress. Dead skin cells attract dust mites, fungi, bacteria, and other indoor allergens. These allergens can trigger symptoms such as itchy throat, runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, breathing difficulties, and skin irritation. Old mattresses may have a lot of allergen build-up. If its not allergy season and you are waking up with aggravated allergies, then its time to consider replacing your mattress.
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How Much Should A New Mattress Cost
Once youve committed to buying a new mattress, you may be wondering how much you should budget for it. You can find mattresses for less than $100 and more than $3,000. So whats a fair price to pay for a quality mattress?
We recommend budgeting roughly between $1,000 to $1,500 for a queen-size mattress, although its quite possible to find a quality mattress for under $1,000. Be careful of any mattress costing far more than this, as it may not last significantly longer than a mattress in our suggested budget and may just have unneeded extra features. And a mattress that costs far less, under $500, is unlikely to last you more than a few years.
There are a couple of ways you can cut down on mattress costs. You can buy your mattress online rather than in-store. Online mattress brands have fewer business expenses than a storefront business, so they can offer their mattresses at a lower cost.
You can also keep an eye out for mattress sales. Some of the big sales days are New Years Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day, and of course Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
A Flimsy Or Improper Foundation
Almost all companies will communicate the best foundation for their mattresses on their website because the foundation is key to maintaining the warranty.
Foam mattresses shouldnt be used with a box spring because they can change the feel of the mattress and damage it. Always use foam beds on a mattress foundation or platform bed frame with slats no more than 3 inches apart or with a single piece of plywood under the mattress. You can even use your foam bed directly on the floor, but this can decrease airflow through the mattress.
If youre planning on using your mattress with an adjustable bed foundation, foam, latex, and some hybrids are the best mattress types for adjustable frames. Innerspring mattresses arent pliable or compressible like some other types, and using them on an adjustable frame can damage them.
While a comfortable mattress can help alleviate pressure points, they offer only a fraction of the benefits best adjustable bed frames can provide. Read our guide to learn more.
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When To Toss Them: 1 To 2 Years
And how about where you lay your weary head? The National Sleep Foundation tells us to plan on replacing pillows every year or two. Why so often? Apparently they absorb body oil, dead skin cells, and hair, which can create the perfect environment for dust mites . They also recommend washing your pillows every six months and using a protective case between the pillow and pillowcase. How do you know when it’s time for a new pillow? Fold it in half and see if it stays that way, they say. If it does, its time for a new one. If you spring for a quality down pillow and take good care of it, lifestyle guru you can get 10 or 15 years out of them.
If you’re over 40 you can expect even less time out of a bed, since your body tolerates less pressure as it ages.
How Often Do People Buy New Bed Sheets
The more often you wash your bed sheets and the more roughly you treat them, the more often theyll need to be replaced. Quality will also play a role in the equation, too. Once they become worn and frayed, or the elastic of the fitted sheet deteriorates, its time for them to go.
Some high-quality bed sheet brands can last twenty years or longer, while cheaper varieties may not last more than a year or two. If you ask the general population, most people will agree that the best time to buy new sheets is when theyre redoing the décor of the bedroom.
Get More Info: What to Look for When Buying Sheets
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The Cost Of Poor Sleep
If you need a new mattress and you don’t want to spend the money, you should look at what sleeping poorly could be costing you. Poor sleep affects so many systems in the body that there can be a serious toll:
- lower productivity at work
- more irritability and moodiness that can negatively affect relationships
- higher risk of anxiety and depression
- lowered self-control resulting in poorer diet and lifestyle
- higher risk of obesity
- higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease
- poorer skin
- poorer immune function
- higher rate of inflammation
You could always look at the cost of a mattress broken down over the expected life of the mattress. A memory foam mattress lasts an average of 8-10 years. If you spend $500 on a mattress that will last you 8 years, this breaks down to an average of $62.50/year or $5.20/month. If you committed to buying one less Starbucks coffee every month, you could afford a new mattress.
Damage To The Mattress
Any mattress with visible damage such as cracking or exposed foam layers should be replaced immediately. A damaged cover leaves a mattress exposed to the environment. This can cause an accumulation of dirt, moisture, and even insects like bed bugs.
If a mattress cover is ripped or broken, consult your warranty immediately. You might be covered if the damage is considered a defect in construction or materials. In either case, you should replace your mattress right away for health reasons.
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Signs You Need A New Mattress
Before you look for evidence that your mattress is finished, you should think about how long youve owned it. The average mattress lasts between seven and 10 years, so f it has been over 10 years since you purchased your current mattress, its probably time for an upgrade.
Even if that number is closer to the seven-year mark, it may still be time to purchase a new one. To know if its time to replace your mattress, look for the following signs.
Change Your Mattress For A Good Sleep
If you wake up in the morning with stiffness, or aches and pains it could be that your mattress isnt providing the level of support and comfort it needs to. Feeling tired throughout the day and sleeping better in a hotel bed than your own bed are also signs that your mattress might be on the way out.
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What To Do With Your Old Mattress
Once youre ready to upgrade to a new mattress, there are a few things you can do to get rid of your old one. Some people like to keep it as a backup bed in a guest room. However, if the mattress is damaged beyond repair, its better to donate it or throw it away.
Some mattress companies offer a White Glove Delivery option with the purchase of a new mattress along with delivering and setting up your new mattress, they will remove your old one. You can also donate your mattress to a local charity just make sure to contact them beforehand to make sure they dont have specifications for what can be donated. You can also look into recycling the mattress.
Is Your Mattress Older Than 8 Years Old
This is the clincher. Both the mattress industry and the Sleep Council strongly recommend that you replace a mattress every eight years, because by this time it will have lost much of its original comfort and support.
We appreciate that a mattress is hidden under sheets and blankets for most of its life, so its not always obvious what condition its in, but if its starting to give you any of the problems weve mentioned then its probably time to say goodbye and buy yourself a new one.
Do you think you need to change your mattress? A better sleep could be just a mattress away . . .
About the author
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How Often Should You Replace Your Mattress It Depends
Find out when to replace each type of mattress. Plus, how to tell when it’s wearing out and how to make it last longer.
The average mattress lasts somewhere between six to 10 years — but many folks can and do keep them longer due to their cost. Truth is, there’s no single way to tell for how long every mattress will actually last. Plenty of factors play into that fluctuating number of years, including the type of mattress, the quality of its materials and how well you take care of it. Below, we explain how often to replace your own mattress and how to shop for longevity, plus a few ways to extend the life of the bed you already have.
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