How you could be ruining your mattress without realising it
It's all well and good to purchase a fancy mattress, but if you're not going to look after it, why bother at all?
Similarly, if you're one of the many who has an inherited mattress, then your best bet for making it feel brand new is by properly caring for it.
If your mattress feels like it needs a little tender loving care, try these steps.
1. Protect your investment
Remember how your Mum always used to make the bed with a mattress protector before the sheet? That's because it's a good idea. A really sensible idea.
Protecting your mattress from excess sweat, dust and discarded cells, it will help keep your mattress fresher for longer.
You'll also want to wash it a minimum of three times a year.
2. Buy a valance
A valance or bed skirt is that ruffled thing that goes under the mattress, hiding the underside of the bed from view.
More than just a way to disguise all the spare stuff you store down there, a valance will help keep potential allergens such as dust, pet hair and other floating nasties away from the underside of your bed.
A valance also means less dust bunnies, which equals a happy mattress.
3. Regular cleaning
Just like any part of your home, your mattress needs to be cleaned regularly. Fortunately for you, quarterly will suffice.
First, remove all the sheets and bedding. Second, if you have a steam cleaner, use it on your mattress.
Next, sprinkle a mixture of baking soda and an essential oil all over your mattress before giving it a once-over with the upholstery tool on your vacuum cleaner.
Make sure to get in-between all the grooves as this is where dust mites
like to hide.
4. Let the light (and air) in
Exposing your mattress to oxygen and natural light is a great habit to adopt.
Sunlight helps eliminate dust mites, and increased air flow will help rid your mattress of moisture and musty smells.
5. Kick out the pets
Allergens, such as pet hair, can be a real problem for sensitive noses. The more you let your pet sleep in your bed, the more pet hair that will accumulate there.
Try to convince your dog or cat to sleep in their own bed, or at least on top of the covers.
6. Tackle spills effectively
Maybe you spilled a glass of wine in bed while watching TV or maybe your little one had an accident.
Whatever the cause, a liquid on your mattress isn't good. But there's no need to panic - simply strip the bed and grab a towel to blot up the spill as much as you can.
Ideally, you'd let the mattress air dry, but the low function on your hairdryer can also help to get things moving.
7. Rotate that mattress
Though the design of modern mattresses no longer means you have to perform a total flip, rotating your mattress every month or so will help it to wear evenly over time.
Hot tip - if your partner is significantly different in size from you, this is particularly beneficial.
For all your home essentials, including mattress protectors and bedding, head to the Over60 Shop for high-quality offerings.
Written by Anabela Rea. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.