How to Properly Store a Mattress

A mattress can be a significant investment, but finding the right one is important because it can positively impact the quality of your sleep. When life circumstances require you to store your mattress, you’ll want to make sure you do so correctly to avoid shortening its lifespan.

You might need to store your mattress for a variety of reasons. Whether you’re moving and need to put your furniture in a storage unit temporarily or want to make sure your mattress doesn’t get damaged when taking a long trip, mattress storage can help ensure that your mattress is fresh and ready for sleeping when you get home.

This article will walk you through what you need to know about taking care of your mattress and self-storage best practices for when you won’t be using it for an extended period of time. These tips should be kept in mind for any type of mattress, regardless of whether you have an innerspring mattress, a memory foam mattress, or a hybrid mattress.

The Importance of Proper Mattress Storage

You spend many hours a night with your face pressed against your mattress. That’s why proper mattress storage is important. If you don’t store your mattress properly, it can quickly become a breeding ground for things like mold-causing bacteria and dust mites. Mold can be even more of an issue if you leave your mattress in an area that has a moist or humid climate. This is the last thing you want pressed against your face when you sleep on your mattress again.

Unfortunately, these aren’t the only things you have to worry about if you improperly store your mattress. You may also experience issues with rodents digging their way inside the mattress or even bad smells that your mattress has absorbed.

All of these situations can damage your old mattress and likely leave you needing to invest in a new one after keeping it in a storage facility, an attic, or a similar space. Fortunately, there are things you can do to properly store your mattress and protect your investment.

How to Properly Store a Mattress

If you need to store your mattress for an extended length of time and don’t want to worry about problems like mold and rodents, we’ll walk you through how you can protect your bed. Explore the storage tips below.

Can You Store the Mattress Upright or on its Side?

The first step to storing your mattress the right way requires you to be mindful of the position you select. If you try to store your mattress standing up or on its side, you risk the inner workings of the mattress getting off-centered. If the innersprings, latex, or memory foam starts to sag or otherwise doesn’t support your body the way it’s supposed to, it will quickly become uncomfortable to use the mattress.

If you need to store your mattress for more than a few days, prioritize storing the mattress in an area where it can lay flat. This also applies to the box spring. If you need to store the entire bed, consider setting up the bed frame inside the storage unit and placing the mattress on top of it to avoid the ground.

However, if you only need to lean the mattress upright for a couple of days, such as during a room renovation, it should be fine. Similarly, if you need to ship the mattress — such as for a long-distance move — and it will be transported in a covered moving truck on its side for a few days, that should be fine. For long-term storage, though, you want it laying flat.

Preparing the Mattress for Storage

You also want to take the time to properly prepare the mattress for storage. Before getting started on anything else, review your manufacturer’s instructions on cleaning, as different mattress types will have different cleaning instructions. Your manufacturer should have instructions on how you can do this, including what upholstery cleaner might work well.

Generally, though, cleaning your mattress will consist of:

• Removing all of your sheets and blankets, as well as your mattress cover or mattress topper
• Deodorizing it with baking soda and then vacuuming it off
• Spot-cleaning it with a bit of hydrogen peroxide or dish soap and water
• Once you have finished cleaning the top of your mattress, turn it over to get the bottom

Following these steps can help you rid the mattress of odors, dirt, and dust. Keep in mind that a dirty mattress doesn’t just mean dirt tracked in from outside. When you sleep, you leave behind skin cells, oils, and sweat. So, it’s important to clean the mattress properly before storing it.

Once you clean the mattress, protect it by wrapping it up in some type of plastic. A breathable plastic wrap or mattress storage bag can work well, as it’ll help to keep out moisture and odors. You can then use packing tape to help keep it secured.

Suitable Places to Store a Mattress

Next, look for a good place to store your mattress. As you select a space, keep a few key characteristics in mind:

• Choose a climate-controlled storage unit whenever possible or, at a minimum, a space that won’t get super humid or be exposed to water. If the space doesn’t have climate control, a portable dehumidifier might be a good investment. Any exposure to water, even as water vapor, can encourage mold to grow on the mattress, despite your cleaning efforts and your work to wrap it up in a plastic mattress cover.
• Make sure the mattress is not near areas that may have rodents. You also want to do your best to keep the mattress away from common rodent hideaways. If you know that mice live in the attic, for example, the last thing you want to do is store the mattress there, as the plastic may not be enough to stop them completely.
• Make sure that your storage space has enough area to lay the mattress flat, as discussed. You also don’t want to store items on top of the mattress, particularly any heavy objects that can damage the mattress springs or cushion and create an indentation.

Maintaining the Mattress Over Time

Once you have the mattress in storage, continue to monitor its condition and make sure it doesn’t get exposed to elements that will cause serious damage and render it unusable. For example, if you use a storage facility, you may want to check in periodically to ensure the room doesn’t become too humid in the summer or becomes exposed to water after heavy rain. If you won’t be able to check on the mattress, you may want to ask someone else to periodically check on the mattress and make sure that the storage location doesn’t create an environment that’s likely to damage the bed.

When you finally take your mattress out of storage, take a moment to look it over. Check for signs of mildew or mold growth or rodent damage and give it a smell test to check for bad odors. Then, transport it to your new location and give it another quick clean to freshen it up. Give it about 24 hours to air out before you use the mattress. Afterward, it should be ready to use.

Looking for a New Mattress? Discover PlushBeds Today

At PlushBeds, we know the importance of finding and then protecting a quality mattress with proper care. That’s why we offer all-natural, sustainable mattresses direct to customers at an affordable price. If you want to find a new mattress that will help you get an excellent night’s sleep, browse our collection of natural and organic sustainable mattresses and memory foam mattresses to see which one will best fit your specific needs.

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