Good sleep begins with your mattress. Having a proper mattress will help your body relax and help you get a good restful sleep. Not enough sleep, or lack thereof, can cause many health problems, psychological problems, anxiety, depression, etc.
Buying a good mattress is not a small investment. With the proper care, your mattress will last you up to 15 years. So it's definitely worth buying an expensive one.
There are plenty of times you'll need to keep your mattress stored. Whether you're house moving or renovating or are a student looking for summer storage, the most important thing to know is how to pack and store your mattress appropriately.
How to Prepare a Mattress for Storage?
Ask any expert who deals with people's storage needs daily, they will explain to you the difference between storing your mattress correctly and incorrectly. You should be prepared because you may be surprised by how a mattress affects your health and sleep.
Here are our tips about keeping your mattress safe in a storage container.
Clean the Mattress.
You can use a steam cleaner for deeper cleaning. If you can't find one, you can use a regular vacuum cleaner with the mattress tool attachment. Sprinkle baking soda on the mattress and leave it overnight to deodorise and dry out any moisture. Then vacuum it again.
Let the mattress air out overnight or for a couple of hours.
If the mattress has its own cover that can be removed- remove and wash it.
Problems that may occur if you don't clean your mattress before putting it in storage:
- Fungus
- Mould
- Bugs
- Bad smell
Leaving a dirty mattress in storage will make it out in an even worse condition and likely unusable. So it's incredibly important to clean your mattress or, at the least, use a mattress encasement against bed bug infestations.
Mattress Covers and Bags for Storage
When it comes to wrapping the mattress with something, make sure you do excellent research and buy the right mattress bag. You need to find plastic mattress covers for storage, but as a professional removals and storage company, we advise you to invest in a quality bag.
Find a light and breathable plastic cover for both the mattress and the other parts of the bed- the frame, the headboard, etc. Yes, wrap them in a bag as well. Or at least cover them with a blanket.
Thicker plastic covers will trap the mattress’s moisture if you haven't taken care of it in advance and cause the above-mentioned issues - mould, fungus, and bad smell. Even if the mattress was aired out before being packed in the plastic, if the storage container is not in a temperature-controlled environment, the thick plastic can cause moisture, and your mattress won't be safe.
Storage Place
Be careful where you store your mattress. Do not rely on attics or basements; they can be damp and humid places, and the temperature might change from too hot to too cold. None of this is a good place to keep a mattress and the rest of the bed. You can find storage services in London that will allow you to store your mattress safely for as long as you need to in a completely safe environment.
How to Store a Mattress in a Storage Unit?
Most storage containers are 2.30m/2.10m/1.80m and can easily fit a king-size mattress and its other parts. However, there is a right and a wrong way to store a mattress. Especially if the storage period will be for long.
We advise you to lay the mattress flat on the ground for a long storage period so it doesn't deform. Its padding might get ruined if it stays upright. For too long. The mattress is heavy, and gravity will not spare it. You might go to the storage place to get your mattress after a couple of months, and it won't be suitable for use anymore.
If there will be other things in the container, do not put boxes or other items on the mattress. They can also deform the padding, leaving your mattress with hollows in it.
If the mattress has to be upright so other things can fit the container as well, try to place it between the wall and another large piece of furniture to keep it straight and in a sandwich to prevent damage.
For a short period of time, it is possible to keep it upright. You have to be sure if your renovation will end as soon as you think and your mattress won’t have the time to get damaged.
Read more:
How to move a mattress?
How to store your furniture properly?
How to store clothes safely?
How to Store a Memory Foam Mattress?
The foam used to make mattresses is very resilient and can hold a lot of weight and restore its original form. Even though these types of mattresses are stored, shipped and arrive at your home rolled up, manufacturers do not recommend that you do the same thing when you have to store a mattress.
Especially if it's for a long period. For a short period, you could roll it and tie it up, put it in a plastic bag and put it away for when you need it. But if you have to keep it away for a long time, you should not keep it rolled up because it can deform the foam and won't restore its original form.
What you can do is what you do for a regular mattress. Clean and air your mattress, of course. Find a special mattress cover for storage and wrap it well. It is also recommended that you keep your memory foam mattress lying down as well. This way, you'll make sure nothing happens to it.
How to Store Box Springs?
The box springs, bed frame, a headboard should be disassembled and cleaned before storing them. Use a vacuum or wipe them down to remove dust, hair, and other accumulated dirt or moisture from them.
Use a mattress cover or a simple garbage bag to wrap them, too, so they don't get affected by humidity and dirt. You can also request a cardboard box and other packing materials from your removal company.
* Put all screws, nuts and small pieces in a Ziploc bag and tape it to the headboard so you can have everything in one place.
How to Clean a Mattress That Has Been in Storage?
Sometimes despite all of the efforts and preparations you've made before putting your mattress in storage, it smells bad or feels dirty.
Strong Move advises you to get your mattress from storage at least 24 or 12 hours before you will need to use it to prepare it.
- Cleaning the mattress after getting it back from storage includes the same steps as before putting it in storage: sprinkle baking soda on both sides of the mattress to remove the odour. Wait an hour and vacuum the soda away.
- There are special deodorising sprays you can use, but after that, leave the mattress to air out well.
- Leave it to rest for a couple of hours to restore its form if it wasn't laid flat in the storage container.
And the last step is to put your bed together and get a good night's sleep.
