Turn Your Mattress Around
Start your sagging mattress journey with an easy solution: rotate your mattress. But, how often should you rotate your mattress to maintain even weight dispersion? Every three to six months, you should rotate your mattress, switching the top and bottom of the bed. This can both prevent sagging from happening and reduce sagging thats already occurring.
Since sagging is a result of body pressure, rotating your mattress changes the primary pressure points. Notice that we didnt say to flip your mattress. Thats because most newer mattresses are one-sided and shouldnt be flipped, given a one sided built-in comfort layer.
What Makes Your Mattress Sag
Mattresses mostly sag due to natural wear and tear. The more you use it, the more shape it loses. Thats just how it works. Sagging is more common and happens quicker in 100% foam mattresses, or mattresses that use any kind of foam layer.
As pressure is applied to the foam every night, it becomes harder and harder for the foam to bounce back, and eventually, it simply sits in the shape of your figure.
The same occurs with an innerspring mattress or hybrid. Foam layer aside, after a while the coils at the bottom of the mattress lose their tension. Once this happens, theyre not so great at supporting the weight of your body anymore.
Sagging will happen where pressure is applied most. For back and stomach sleepers, the pressure is quite even over the surface. For side sleepers, there is greater pressure applied near your waist and shoulders.
If weight is applied unevenly over the mattress surface, then its going to sag. This happens a lot to edges when people sit there or when they sit upright in bed.
Sagging mattresses dont provide the support you need at night, since the surface and strength are uneven and awkward now.
What Causes Mattress Indentations And Sagging
Even the strongest mattresses eventually sag, but with the right materialslike super-durable latexa mattress may maintain its firmness and support for up to 20 years. But as the chart below shows, some mattress types and materials sag faster than others.
In most cases, mattress indentation and sagging result from:
- Prolonged use
- Using an improper or low-quality foundation
- Inadequate care
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When Can You Flip A Memory Foam Mattress
Weve said that you should always rotate your mattress, but flipping is another issue. Unlike traditional innerspring mattresses, many memory foam beds are not the same on both sides. If you flip them, youll end up with a much firmer mattress on the other side. This issue may not be a problem for some, but for most, it wont work. There should be instructions on this in the manual you received with your specific mattress.
How To Prevent A Mattress From Sagging
If your mattress is still reasonably new and in good shape, it is always easier to work on preventing sagging than to fix a bed that has already started to decline. You can also use several of the above tips to extend the life of your mattress before it starts causing you problems. Try implementing some of these strategies to maintain your mattress quality:
- Sleep in a different position.
- Regularly rotate your mattress.
- Ensure that youre using a supportive foundation or box spring.
- Maintain the foundation of your mattress regularly.
- Add a mattress topper to your bed.
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Change The Box Spring
The coils of the box spring of your mattress can loose its spring due to wear and tear. If you find that your mattress has lost its firmness, it may be that the box spring needs to be replaced. Since you are getting a new box spring, not only will this add to the firmness of your bed, but it will also add height to it too. For a detailed analysis check out does your memory foam mattress need a box spring?
How Can You Tell When Your Mattress Is Sagging
When sleeping on the right mattress, it should be easy to fall asleep, to be comfortable, and to wake up refreshed and energized.
A mattress that has lost its comforting support is not going to provide you with any of this. However, since youre the one sleeping on it every night, you might not notice it sagging. Instead, here are some other signs you can look out for which could indicate the mattress is sagging.
1. Youre sleeping better in other beds than yours. This means theyre more comfortable than your bed, and thats not a good thing.
2. Youre waking up with much more pains, stiffness, and aches than you are with relief. This indicates that your mattress is no longer supporting your body at night.
3. There is an increase in allergic reactions at night. This is because dust, dirt, bacteria, and more can collect easier on an old mattress. If your mattress is old, most likely its also sagging.
4. If you have an innerspring or hybrid mattress, keep an ear out for the springs. If you can hear them, your springs are losing tension and straining under your weight.
5. Finally, keep in mind the average age limit for mattresses. By the time you hit 7 years, you should be looking for these issues rather than waiting for them to happen.
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Recycle Your Old Mattress
If you cannot donate your used mattress to a charity organization, recycling it is another way to keep it from the landfill and get a second life out of its components. Many mattresses consist of at least 75% recyclable materials.
However, you can’t simply place a mattress in a curbside recycling bin. Instead, you’ll need to call upon a mattress recycling service to break down the bed into its recyclable parts for you, then donate them to the appropriate recycling centers.
Common mattress materials that are recyclable include:
- Foam
- Metal coils
- Wood frames
Mattress recycling companies can repurpose these materials in various ways. For example, the wood from box springs can become mulch or animal bedding. Meanwhile, the fabrics and foams can find a second life in pillows.
Keep in mind that recycling your mattress probably won’t be free. You’ll need to pay the recycling company for the labor and time involved in breaking down your mattress. You may also need to pay to pick up your mattress if you don’t want to drop it off yourself.
Either way, recycling your mattress is an eco-friendly alternative to simply throwing it in a landfill.
Rotate Or Turn Your Mattress
Mattresses typically start to sag when pressure on them is concentrated in one area. So in general, its important to regularly flip your mattress, and/or rotate it from top to bottom, to make sure your weight is evenly distributed over time.
How often should you flip your mattress? In general, a good rule of thumb is to flip and/or rotate your mattress every six months. However older, worn mattresses may need to be turned more frequently, such as every three months. If youve never flipped or rotated your mattress before, doing so can make it feel like a brand new mattress. So its definitely worth trying, before you go to the expense of replacing it.
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Buy A Mattress With A Great Warranty
Mattress warranties protect a customer from a sagging mattress by outlining the companys responsibility to repair or replace a defective mattress. Warranties cover only structural defects, and not damage caused by misuse and mishandling.
Many mattress companies wont repair or replace a saggy mattress unless the indentations are more than an inch thick. The best mattresses come with warranties covering sagging over one inch, as a guarantee of their quality.
Box Springs Or Slats Replacing
In case you have a platform bed, the potential reason for your depressed mattress can be old and broken underneath box springs or wooden slats. Thus, you need to check them first to determine if they are worn out. For each case, you can:
- Look for the damaged box springs and easily replace them with the new ones for the best results. They may have different sizes and are less expensive than buying a new mattress. Just be sure to get the types that match your mattress springs.
- Find out the warping slats under the box spring and replace them to support your mattress in time. The damaged frame and slats may lead to a slight depression at the center and the uneven surface. You can replace them with new metal slats that supply the smooth surface. Just make sure that new slats have the same size as old ones.
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Why Is There A Hump In The Middle Of My Mattress
The main reason a mattress develops a ridge is uneven weight distribution on the sleep surface. Constant weight on the same areas of the mattress causes the foam and padding of the comfort layers to compress. This isnt necessarily a bad thing, according to certified clinical sleep educator Terry Cralle, RN.
What Is Mattress Sagging
When a mattress develops a noticeable dip or dips, it’s called mattress sagging. Typically, mattresses begin to sag where the heaviest parts of the bodylike the hips and shouldersrest on the bed. Many mattress companies define substantial sagging at a certain depth for warranty purposes, typically around 1 to 1.5 inches.
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Swap Out Your Foundation
Before you get to the tangibly comfy stuff , a thorough examination of your complete bed is a priority. A lot of the times, a mattress topper is the first thing people will buy for sagging, but if the bed foundation is the wrong size, wobbly or itself starting to sag, the mattress topper will be of no use. If you notice your foundation is smaller than the mattress , replace it with a correct-sized foundation immediately youll surely notice the results in no time at all.
Replace Damaged Or Worn Layers
There are some mattresses that are made from several layers held in place by a mattress cover. Whats great about having this type of mattress is that you will be able to replace any layer that is already worn or damaged instead of having to buy a brand new mattress. All that you have to do is to open the mattress and remove the damaged layer to be replaced afterward.
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How Long Does A Mattress Last
Most high-quality mattresses last between 7 to 9 years. How long a mattress will last is also reflected in the warranty. Warranties give an idea of how long a mattress will last. Most warranties cover defects and sagging greater than 1 inch. This measurement depends on the brand.
The lifespan of a bed also depends on the mattress type.
- Memory Foam: 7 to 9 years
- Innerspring: 5 to 7 years
- Hybrid: 7 to 9 years
- Latex: 8 to 10 years
Latex is the most durable mattress type, especially if it contains natural latex. Natural latex lasts longer than other materials. Innersprings are the least durable. Innerspring coils break down faster, leading to sagging.
When purchasing a new mattress, some companies offer white glove delivery serviceprofessionals set up your new bed and take the old one either free of charge or for an extra fee.
Bedding accessories, like mattress protectors and mattress toppers, may extend the life of your current mattress.
Mattress protectors shield the bed from spills and stains, and may also protect your warranty. Most warranties are void in light of liquid damage. Mattress protectors are budget-friendly, costing between $20 to $40.
A protector is also machine-washableinstead of shelling out money to replace a mattress, simply remove the mattress protector and place it in the washing machine. Helpful, since cleaning a mattress the right way is mostly surface-level cleaning.
How Do You Fix A Dip In The Middle Of A Mattress
While the 6 tips for how to fix a sagging mattress listed above can all help, the best and most realistic option is a new mattress topper .
A new mattress topper is an inexpensive way of adding the structure and support you need to your current bed without having to invest in an all-new mattress.
Added to that, mattress toppers can also help keep your mattress clean and coolperfect for those who have a hard time staying at just the right temperature throughout the night.
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Use A Mattress Helper
Many people are skeptical about using Mattress Helper to fix the issue of sinking in the middle. Well, it works! With the mattress helper, you can restore the sagging areas of your mattress thus making your mattress feel heavenly once more. It offers the lacking support from below the mattress hence giving you proper comfort and alignment.
For better results, you can combine the use of a mattress helper and mattress topper.
Sleeping Frequently In A Certain Area
Apparently, sleeping in a particular area is notably responsible for sagging. When you sleep in the same area frequently for a long time, the comfort layer of that area deteriorates, in other words, it gets sagged. If you are a back sleeper, for example, most likely you will see the shape of your shoulder on the bed after a long time. This will cause you high discomfort and health problems as well. Rotating the mattress can be a handy solution in this case. Theres an ongoing debate about how often you should rotate your mattress?. We recommend you rotate once in three months. However, if it is a flippable mattress, flip it every now and then.
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Can An Old Mattress Make You Sick
According to the Sleep Council, older mattressestypically 10 years or olderprovide a breeding ground for a variety of bacteria, including staphylococcus, enterococcus, norovirus, and, in rare cases, MRSA. Here are three more ways your mattress might be making you sick, and how to reclaim your bed once and for all.
How To Fix A Hole In An Air Mattress Seam
Its time to fix the rip now that youve found it. Whether the mattress is constructed of the flock, elevated, embossed, or other common substance, youll want to sandpaper it. If we sand too much, though, the mattress could be ruined. Instead, sand that surfaces gradually until only the foundation remains.
It will become more convenient for you to maintain the fix in position.
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Is It Normal For A New Mattress To Sag
It is not normal for a new mattress to sag. It usually takes years for this to happen, but some reasons it may occur in a new mattress include:
I have cured this issue a couple of times by fixing the center support beam and you can read how I do it here.
Scott Boyd
Can You Use Plywood On Bed Slats
When bed slats are old or overused, they can lose their ability to support the mattress.
A plywood sheet can easily be placed over them to remedy the issue. Alternatively, you could replace the bed slats with plywood slats. Just get them cut them to size and position accordingly.
Again, make sure the slats are at least three-quarters of an inch thick to ensure resilience.
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How To Throw Away A Mattress
If none of the above options works for you, your last resort would be to throw away the mattress. This option is best suited for mattresses that are no longer usable, are excessively dirty, or have experienced bed-bug contamination. If your mattress is in an unsafe or unsanitary condition, disposing of it can reduce the risk of spreading this contamination elsewhere.
While throwing your mattress away may seem like the easiest option, you’ll still need to follow specific procedures to dispose of the bed properly. For example, you may not realize that dumping a mattress is illegal in most cities. You can’t simply place your mattress in a dumpsterdoing so could leave you with up to $10,000 in fines or even incarceration.
Instead, you’ll need to dispose of your mattress in one of four ways:
- Taking it to a landfill
- Setting the bed out on heavy trash day
- Breaking it down and throwing it away in garbage bags
Keep in mind that the availability of each of these options depends on your local waste removal regulations. You’ll want to be sure you understand your city’s policies before proceeding.
