After doing your research, calculating the costs, and reading reviews, you finally got yourself a new mattress. Nicely done! Did you get a mattress protector? No? You don’t think you need one? Well, you should rethink that decision.

“Why do I need a mattress protector?”, you may be asking. With manufacturing methods improving over the years, mattresses seem to become so advanced, they take care of themselves! Adding a mattress protector, however, can protect your investment and extend its life. We’ll take a look at some reasons as to why a mattress protector is a wise purchase for your new mattress.

What IS a mattress protector?

A mattress protector is a cover that goes over the mattress like a fitted sheet. Mattress protectors are made to fit all mattress sizes, from Twin to California King. Mattress protectors are often made using different materials, such as polyester, down and cotton. They also often use vinyl or polyurethane for waterproofing. It’s important to know that mattress protectors are NOT mattress pads. Mattress pads do provide some protection, but are more for providing additional comfort for your bed.

Reason #1: Protection from liquids

If you were to take a look at warranty information from your mattress’s manufacturer, you’ll probably see that most mattress warranties will be voided with any liquids that get into the mattress. This can include spills if you are someone who drinks water or other beverages in bed, bodily fluids, and even sweat. Once fluids get into the mattress, it can be almost impossible to get them out! Mattress protectors prevent these fluids from getting into the mattress, which can lead to peace of mind about not having the warranty voided over an easily preventable issue.

Reason #2: Protection from allergens

If you suffer from allergies, you understand that allergens off your mattress and out of your room can mean the difference between waking up refreshed or with a stuffy nose. You will want to select a mattress that is labeled as hypoallergenic. The main benefit that using a hypoallergenic mattress protector can provide is preventing dust mites from entering your mattress. This is important, as the feces of dust mites contain a substance known as DerP1, which is a very potent allergen that can lead to asthma like symptoms, eczema or even chronic sinus problems. It’s important to mention that using a mattress pad isn’t something that you can place it on the mattress and forget it. You will have to wash it with hot water and use high heat in a dryer to kill off any dust mites on the protector.

Reason #3: Ease of washing

Like anything else your body touches, you’ll want to make sure your entire bed is nice and clean. If you’ve never tried it before, cleaning a mattress can be very time consuming and tedious work. This tedious work is amplified when you have to deal with removing stains from liquids and trying to deodorize your mattress. When you add a mattress protector into the equation, most, if not all, dirt, dust and liquids will only be on the protector. So instead of having to be very careful when spot cleaning your mattress and having to run a vacuum over it time and time again, you will just have to take off the protector and clean it inside your washing machine! Of course, it is a good idea to also clean your mattress, but with a mattress protector, the amount of time that would take is significantly cut, giving you more time to take care of other tasks.

Reason #4:

Cool/Warming properties In addition to helping protect your mattress and keeping it clean, mattress protectors can also help keep you cool, keep you warm, or even both! Mattress protectors can come with thermo-regulating materials such as cooling gel, naturally cooling materials like bamboo, and phase change materials (PCM). Our mattress protector uses PCM to help absorb heat during the summertime to keep you cool while dispersing absorbed body heat in the winter to help keep you warm.

Selecting the right mattress protector

Now that we’ve covered four of the main reasons that you should purchase a mattress protector, let’s look into what you should know to purchase the right mattress protector for your bed.

Size

Of course, selecting the right size mattress protector is critical to making sure the protector fits. You want the mattress protector to fit snug on your mattress without leaving any gaps, otherwise the protector won’t work properly. Mattress protectors sizes are the same as the size of your bed, so it really isn’t too difficult to find the right size.

Features

Depending on your wants and needs, there are plenty of different features available for different mattress protectors. When selecting your mattress protector, make sure you select the features that are the most important to you. Some of the top features include:

  • Waterproof materials
  • Quick drying surface
  • Adjustable fit
  • Maximum airflow

One feature that is worth looking into is bed bug prevention. With these special mattress protectors, it becomes harder for bed bugs to enter and exit the mattress, which is crucial for keeping these pests out!

Fabrics

Like any other bedding goods, mattress protectors are available in different fabrics. Each fabric has its strengths and weaknesses, so make sure you know what features are essential to you before making the final decision. Some of the more common fabrics include:

  • Cotton: Cotton protectors are good for those with allergies since they are naturally hypoallergenic. They are also great for those with sensitive skin since they are available without the use of chemicals or pesticides.
  • Polyester: Polyester protectors are cheaper than other materials and are easy to wash and maintain. These sheets aren’t as cool as organic materials, but they are often blended with other materials to make up for this. Since polyester is synthetic, they aren’t considered hypoallergenic.
  • Tencel Lyocell: Tencel Lyocell fabrics are known for being comfortable. This eco-friendly material is highly breathable, hypoallergenic, and inhibits odor-causing bacteria. This material is great for people with sensitive skin due to its soft and smooth properties.
  • Bamboo: Bamboo protectors are very popular due to the soothing and comfortable fabric. Like Tencel, bamboo sheets wick away moisture and inhibit odor-causing bacteria. Since bamboo is hypoallergenic, those who suffer allergies may like bamboo protectors.

Comfort

If you plan on using your new mattress for a long time, you likely want it to be as comfortable as possible. Reading reviews for the protectors you are interested in will help you avoid purchasing a mattress protector that others say is rather uncomfortable. This can include the thickness of the protector and the materials used. Also see if any reviews you are reading indicate if the protector makes any kind of noise if the reviewer is a combination sleeper and/or tosses and turns frequently throughout the night. If the protector is noisy, you should put that into consideration, especially if you are a light sleeper.