Every night we climb into our comfy bed; basking in all its worn-in glory. What’s not to love about a bed? It’s so good – I rate it up there with apple cider donuts.
We trust and rely on our beds to carry us through each night and into every new day. It’s our rock, without feeling like we’re laying on rocks. For those who feel their mattress does feel like a sack of stones, there’s no need to sleep like Wilma Flintstone or Betty Rubble any longer.
The Fashionable Housewife rests easy in her sleep haven (when the kids are down obviously) and we want you to be able to as well. Trust me, I know how much us moms need at least a couple hours of zzzz’s.
Every tired mom deserves a bedroom update, but if you can’t afford a new mattress, even the conveniently packaged mattress in a box ones which are so easy to buy because the memory foam mattress literally comes in a box, try my affordable mattress makeover tips! They will have you starry-eyed in no time.
Protect Your Mattress
Prolong the life of your mattress by keeping it clean and free from dirt and grime. This can be achieved by using the upholstery attachment on your vacuum to remove dust, allergens, dander, hair and our least favorite, dead skin cells. Did you know that your mattress can nearly double in weight after 10 years of use from absorbing dust, dead skin cells, colonies of dust mites (which feed on your dead skin and then poop it out), oil and moisture? You have no idea what level of grossness you could be sleeping on. This is why it’s super important to protect your mattress, regardless of size, with a quality, machine-washable mattress protector. This ensures spills, cheeky wine stains or perspiration can’t seep into its foam and fabrics. Now, if you don’t mind the extra hassle, it’s best to wash your mattress protector every time you change the sheets too.
Support It And Flip It
Protect yourself from aches and pains by maintaining the form of your mattress by placing it on a platform bed frame. This stops it from sagging in the center by providing even support. King or Queen memory foam mattresses really benefit from this, as it prevents bowing. Get hubby to help with flipping your mattress over too – ask him to show off his muscles and get him to flip it every six months (or two if he has been annoying). As you’d well know, we tend to crash out or sleep in the same spot every night and this can lead to bumps and saggy bits. The best way for Mr (not Mrs – don’t you do it) Fashionable to rotate your mattress, is by getting him to turn it from the foot of the bed and flip it over.
Be Gentle
When placing (dumping) your mattress on a bed frame, don’t lift or carry it by its handles or straps. They’re only there to help reposition the mattress after it’s carefully been laid down (thrown) on the frame. If you attempt to carry a mattress by it’s handles, it could tear off and damage the cover.
Remove Stains
Removing food or unwanted spills (wine stains) needn’t be a stress although very annoying at the time. My mom taught me a few natural stain remover recipes which are made from everyday household items, like white vinegar. There are lots of handy recipes here. You can also sprinkle your mattress with baking soda to keep it neutralized and help keep any strange smells from developing. I also like using tea tree essential oil in a spray bottle to freshen up the mattress as well.
Air It Out
When I was a child, my mom used to strip all the linens off the beds once a month and would wait several hours before putting clean linens back on the beds to allow time for the mattresses to air out. I thought that was a genius idea and have done so ever since I’ve had my own house. When we go away every summer on our Story Land trip, we leave the beds stripped bare while we’re gone to let them air out for a few days.
As you can see, it’s pretty easy to care for your mattress – new or old. Keep these mini mattress makeover tips in mind so you can get the best out of your mattress, saving you dollars for other fashionable things to splurge on!