How to Store a Mattress

Whether you’re moving into a house with fewer bedrooms, turning a bedroom in your home into an office, or temporarily moving your kid back into their childhood bedroom, you might find yourself with a spare mattress that you aren’t quite ready to get rid of just yet. If that’s the case, you need to know the do’s and don’ts of mattress storage. Here’s what we recommend:

Do store your mattress in a temperature-controlled environment

Your mattress is made of fiber, foam, and other materials that won’t respond well to extreme heat, cold, or humidity. So, while a storage unit or spare room in your house is a good option, a hot attic, a musty basement, or an outdoor shed is not.

Don’t store your mattress on its side or weigh it down with boxes or furniture

Don’t store a mattress on its side for too long. While it’s perfectly reasonable to move your mattress in that position or use it as a short-term solution — think days, not months. The foam, springs, or coils that make up your mattress might become misshapen if you leave it on its side for too long. Similarly, loading your mattress with furniture or heavy boxes will cause uneven wear in a more extreme way than sleeping in one position without rotating your mattress. Best practice is to store your mattress laying flat, in its standard intended position.

Do buy a mattress protector

When you’re ready to store your mattress, give it a thorough cleaning. Before you pack it up, wipe down the mattress with a dry dust cloth and use the furniture attachment on your vacuum to give it a once over. Wrap your mattress in plastic or buy a breathable mattress cover. To prevent mold and mildew, make sure your mattress is completely dry before packing it. Once you’re certain it’s moisture-free, pack it in a mattress protector, making sure to seal off all edges or openings. When you’re ready to unpack your mattress, give it some time to air out.

Don’t store your mattress next to sharp items

Whether it’s garden shears or a metal cabinet with sharp corners, be mindful about what you store next to or underneath your mattress. Why? you might ask, my items won’t move once they’re in storage.

That’s likely the case. But in six months, when you come to get your mattress, will you remember that you need to protect the back left corner from the edge of that old filing cabinet before you slide it out of storage? Maybe. But don’t count on it.

Wherever you decide to store your mattress, make sure that you’re equally as careful about moving your mattress. Move it in a covered vehicle, so you don’t risk a rain shower. And if you’re reading this with a grimace, thinking about that mattress you’d planned to pull out of the attic … well, we’ve got you covered. Check out our current specials or come by one of our four locations in Western North Carolina and let our sleep specialists set you right.