Mattresses are expensive items, and if you’re moving home, downsizing, or working abroad for a while and need to put your stuff in storage while you are out of the country, then you will probably want to keep your mattress. It makes sense to sell cheaper items and just re-buy them when you need them again, but putting a high quality mattress in storage (along with expensive appliances and other items that you don’t want to go to the trouble of replacing) will save you time and money in the long term.
It is important to take good care of your mattress, however. If you store it incorrectly, it could end up saggy, warped or damaged when you take it out of storage. These tips will help to protect your mattress and ensure that when you retrieve it, you find that it is just as comfortable as you remember it being.
Storing the Mattress
Before you store your mattress, vacuum clean both sides and wipe it down with some anti-bacterial wipes. put some cardboard on each of the corners of the mattress to protect them, and then put the mattress in large plastic bag. Seal the mattress in the bag using a vacuum cleaner and make sure that the bag is clean and dry.
Ideally, you should keep the mattress in a cool and dry storage locker. Try to keep the mattress flat at all times. Do not lean it against a wall, and definitely do not lean it against other items. The best place to put the mattress is on top of a flat pallet. This will ensures that in the unlikely event of flooding, the mattress is not on the ground, so it has less chance of getting damp. Do not put anything on top of the mattress, because that could damage the springs.
If you expect to be moving items in and out of the storage unit then you should try to keep your mattress out of the way of other items, preferably at the back of the unit; this will prevent accidental damage from sharp or heavy objects when you are moving things in and out of the unit.
Retrieving Your Mattress
When you take your mattress out of storage, it will probably smell slightly musty. This is perfectly normal, even if you cleaned and sealed the mattress before storing it. The good news is that you can get rid of the musty odour quite easily. Simply sprinkle some baking soda on the mattress and leave it to absorb any left-over moisture. If the weather is good, leave the mattress outside to air it out for a while. After a few hours, vacuum clean the mattress to remove the baking soda.
You can clean your mattress using specialist cleaning products, or use warm soapy water to remove any stubborn stains. Do not use bleach or powerful cleaning agents if you are not certain that they are suitable for use on a mattress, because they may damage the cover or the underlying foam.
