Caring for your mattress not only prolongs its life span, but contributes to a restful night’s sleep. A mattress in good condition can continue to provide the support and comfort you need for a long time. Mattress care itself involves a few different things, from keeping it clean to regular monitoring. In this article, we’ll be going through another aspect of mattress care - rotating and/or flipping. From the reasons why, how to do it, and how often you should, we’ll cover everything you need to know about this care practice.
Why Flip A Mattress?
Flipping here refers to turning a mattress over, so what was once the bottom is now the top. Many modern mattresses, including Simba’s, do not need to be flipped because they have a designated top and bottom. However, not all mattresses are built like this. Some models have double-sided designs, so in this case manufacturers recommend flipping their mattresses to ensure they maintain the optimum support level. As a rule of thumb, expect that no flipping is required unless listed in the care instructions.
Benefits of Flipping a Mattress
The rationale behind flipping a mattress comes down to keeping it in good condition with consistent use and pressure. The benefits of mattress flipping (for models that require it) include:
- - Maintaining a comfortable and supportive mattress.
- - Distributing the filling that keeps the mattress even.
- - Circumventing mattress dips and sags, notably where individuals sleep in the same spot.
How Often Should You Flip A Mattress?
If your mattress requires flipping, the manufacturer will include how often you will need to flip it in the care instructions. Typically, this is every three-to-six months.
How To Flip A Mattress
Flipping a mattress, whilst relatively straightforward, can be quite intense and heavy work. It’s highly recommended that you don’t do this by yourself, as you don’t want to hurt your back or knees from lifting. And a note before you start - ensure that your mattress has no bedding or sheets on it.
First things first, turn the mattress on its side so it is at a 90 degree angle. Your mattress may have handles to help you do this. If not, make sure you have a firm hold on the sides.
Next, carefully flip it down. You want to ensure that what was once the top of the mattress is now at the bottom, facing the base of the bed. Make sure it is fitting correctly in the bed frame before adding the bedding back on.
Why Rotate or Turn A Mattress?
Rotating a mattress is a far more common requirement than flipping. However, the two do share similarities. Both help to evenly distribute the filling and the layers inside the mattress, leading to a comfortable sleep.
However, the actual process of each is a little different. When it comes to rotation, the mattress isn’t turned over completely. Instead, it is rotated by 180 degrees - what was once the head of the mattress now sits at the bottom of the bed frame, and vice versa. Remember, rotating is applicable with mattresses that have a designated top and bottom, so to flip it over would mean that the mattress wouldn’t be providing the support and comfort that it was designed to have.
Benefits of Turning a Mattress
As previously mentioned, the benefits of mattress turning are very similar to mattress flipping. These include:
- - Elevates pressure points from regular sleeping spots.
- - Protects against early wear, tear, and sagging.
- - Prolongs the lifespan of a mattress.
- - Keeps the mattress supportive and comfortable.
How Often Should You Turn a Mattress?
At Simba, we recommend that you turn your mattress once a month for the first three months you have it, and then progress to every three-to-six months going forward. Whatever you choose, it’s best to stick to a consistent schedule. Our mattress has special handles built in to make the process a lot easier.
How To Turn A Mattress
Like flipping, it’s a good idea to get a family member or friend to help out with turning a mattress. You don’t want to accidentally hurt yourself. And again like flipping, ensure there’s no duvets, pillows, or sheets on the mattress. The good news is that rotating is a little bit easier than flipping.
Using the handles, lift the mattress up and rotate it by 180 degrees. The former top should be at the base of the bed frame, and the former bottom should be by the headboard. Once it’s in place, put it down, ensuring it fits correctly on top of the base and in the frame.
