Common Mattress Problems and How to Solve Them

Mattresses are one of the most essential pieces of furniture you’ll ever own. You sleep on it roughly every night for several years, so you’ll want to keep it in the best shape possible. Therefore, it’s important to keep an eye out for common mattress problems that might develop. Once you become aware of the problem, there are generally ways to prevent or fix it. This way, you’re sure to have a comfortable mattress to sleep on for a decade or more.

Sagging

Sagging is easily one of the most common and noticeable mattress problems you could have. You’ll feel it as much as you’ll see it, as it’s due to years of weight and pressure being put on the same spots. The continued pressure of weight condenses the materials, preventing them from springing back up to provide the support you need. Therefore, you’ll wake up each morning sore and tired.

The simplest way to solve your sagging mattress problem is to flip and/or rotate your mattress. This will give you a new, firmer spot to sleep on. Meanwhile, the spot that’s sagging will be left alone so it can properly decompress. All mattresses can be rotated, but having a mattress that is flippable gives you more options to solve your sagging problem.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are a nightmare and something every mattress owner has heard about. These little parasites are a major risk for anyone buying a secondhand mattress, or bringing home any other secondhand furniture. The evidence that you’ve got bed bugs is small, but noticeable. It ranges from finding exoskeletons and eggs on your mattress to waking up covered in red, itchy bites. The biggest issue is that once they’re in your mattress, bed bugs are nearly impossible to get rid of. This means you’ll be subjected to constant itching and discomfort as they feed on you every night.

Basically, if your mattress has bed bugs, a professional exterminator is the best way to rid yourself of them. You can potentially exterminate them yourself, but it’s not a small task, and if you miss even a few bed bugs, the cycle will begin again. Regardless of whether you DIY or call an exterminator, do a deep clean of your home afterward. Especially check and clean your mattress to ensure no eggs or crafty bugs have survived. 

Stains

Stains on your mattress can come from anything, from spilled wine to your own sweat. They thankfully are more of an aesthetic issue than a structural one. This means if your mattress is stained, it will still likely be as comfortable and supportive as you need it to be. However, the stains can be linked to odd odors you might detect in your mattress, so cleaning them up can still be beneficial. 

If you don’t want a stained mattress, this is a common problem that’s easy to fix on your own. However, not all mattresses can be cleaned the same way. Memory foam mattresses can’t handle a lot of liquid or chemical cleaners, while traditional mattresses are more durable when it comes to stain removal. The most important thing is to let your mattress dry completely after cleaning, and consider adding a mattress protector after as an extra layer of defense against stains.