Spotting Signs Of Wear And Tear In Your Mattress

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Catching the signs of visible wear and tear in your mattress early is a great way to extend its lifespan and get your money’s worth. Usually, mattresses need replacing every 7-10 years, but this can vary depending on the type of the mattress, along with other factors such as the weight distributed on it over time, the level of usage, how many people are sleeping on it and its materials. 

We've got all the information you need to spot any signs of wear and tear, so you can enjoy your mattress and get a comfortable night’s sleep for many years to come.

Memory Foam Mattresses

You’d be surprised to learn the interesting story behind the invention of memory foam mattresses. In 1966, Nasa’s research centre began developing ways to cushion their aircraft interiors with temperature regulating memory foam, ready for their trips into outer space. 

Since then, this technology has made its way onto our beds. In 1991, the first memory foam mattress was invented in Sweden after it was discovered that the material was responsive to temperature and could mould to our bodies. So as you can see, your memory foam mattress has a bigger story behind it than what you may have thought. 

However, despite its bouncy, malleable and rather clever materials, it will unfortunately,  eventually show some visible signs of wear and tear, so let’s take a look into some common ones that you can keep an eye out for 

The first sign is to identify any sagging and dips in the memory foam mattress. Over time, our bodies mould into the mattress due to the nature of the memory foam’s high viscosity, causing indentations. This is of course normal, as it’s how the mattress provides contouring support to your body night after night So, if you find that you’ve caused a little outline of your body over the months or years, that’s just your mattress getting to know your contours and shapes! But there’s an easy tip to try and reduce this, and it’s just by simply making sure that you rotate your mattress 180° every month or so. 

Sagging and dips in memory foam mattresses can also be prevented over time by choosing the right bed. So if you haven’t already bought a bed and are deciding which is the right one to opt for when it comes to supporting  a memory foam mattress, we recommend choosing a bed with a solid base or a slatted base. Beds with slats that are spaced less than 3 inches apart will prevent excessive sagging and dips in the mattress. While other bed frames are still sturdy and comfortable, this is a great tip to extend your mattress’ life. 

A quick test to check the quality of your memory foam mattress is to simply sink your hand into it, and see how long it takes for the mattress to bounce back. If it’s quick, it usually means that your mattress is still relatively new and responsive to pressure. If it’s slow, it might be losing some of its flexibility. 

Another tip is to simply avoid sitting at the edge of the bed too often, as this is a habit that could potentially create a little groove in your bed from where you’ve been sitting over time. So it could be time to start jumping out of bed quicker on those early mornings or even simply mix up where you sit on the bed every now and then. 

If you take a look at the corners of your memory foam mattress, another sign of wear and tear is that you might find some cracks or flaking. It could be time for a replacement if this is the case, but you can easily prevent this by using a mattress protector that acts as an extra layer to help cushion the impact on the mattress even more. 

A lot of us love to relax in bed with our fluffy pets, so a mattress protector is also a great method for making sure your cat or dog’s nails aren't scratching on your new mattress which could in turn cause more of these flakes and rips over time. 

Orthopaedic Mattresses

Many people choose to buy Orthopaedic Mattresses as they tend to offer more support for the spine. Designed with integrated bonnell or pocket springs  and featuring a firm surface, they largely benefit those who experience back pain, elderly individuals who need more support, couples who like undisrupted sleep, and those who may be healing from surgeries. 

Just like the memory foam mattress, orthopaedic mattresses will show some signs of wear and tear over time. Some orthopaedic mattresses also have a layer of memory foam, so you get the best of both worlds when it comes to mattress materials, but have to be on the lookout for similar signs of wear and tear.

One such sign  on an Orthopaedic Mattress is its loss of firmness over time. If you are waking up feeling a bit sore and with more aches than usual, it could be that your orthopaedic mattress is starting to no longer do its job, which is to ensure you’re supported as you sleep. Similarly to the memory foam mattress, it’s a great tip to turn it 180° regularly to help prolong its life. 

Another sign of wear and tear on your orthopaedic mattress is if you hear that your springs are noisy. If you’re turning over in the night and your mattress sounds squeaky, this could be a sign that they’re becoming displaced, which can cause the mattress to deteriorate even more. 

Although this is important to look out for, it can easily be prevented by taking the same steps that we’ve looked at earlier for a memory foam mattress. For an extra step, we also recommend that you maintain a stable sleep environment when it comes to the temperature in your bedroom. 

For example, in the summer where there is a lot of humidity, use a dehumidifier to reduce humidity levels. Extreme humidity can cause the metal springs inside your mattress to expand and contract, making your mattress rust or deteriorate over time, so it’s best to ensure your mattress is kept in a dryer, cooler environment. 

If you think that your mattress is past the point of rescuing, we offer dual sided orthopaedic mattresses as a replacement, so you can regularly do the trick of flipping it and making it last longer over time. Practical, comfortable and more hygienic, these dual sided mattresses are great options for many wonderful night’s sleep. 

Pocket Spring Mattresses

Pocket spring mattresses are designed with integrated individual springs that are housed in their own fabric pockets.You and your partner can get a great uninterrupted night’s sleep as you cosy up together on an evening, thanks to the pocket sprung mattress’s reduced noise and motion isolation properties. 

However, just like all mattresses, pocket spring mattresses do wear out over time. There are some key identifiable signs that give away the fact that your mattress might be on its way out, but if you’ve recently bought a new pocket spring mattress, you can easily postpone this wear and tear by taking some preventative measures. 

Springs inside a pocket sprung mattress can unfortunately rust over time if they’re exposed to too much moisture, just like the orthopaedic mattress. So, as we’ve mentioned before, a dehumidifier is a great way to try and prevent this. Another great tip is to make sure you dry out any spills or leaks that get onto the mattress as soon as you can, as well as not using too much water when cleaning the mattress too. 

Pocket sprung mattresses are also prone to coil misplacement, where the individual springs slowly become misaligned. So if you’re finding that you’re tossing and turning a lot through the night and hearing your partner move more, this is generally a sign that the springs are becoming misplaced.

A tip to prevent this is to balance the weight that is distributed over the mattress more evenly and you can help to do this by rotating it, alternating sleeping positions, swapping which side of the bed you sleep on with or without your partner and ensuring that you’re using a strong, supportive bed frame. 

For more tips and information on understanding the right mattress firmness for you, we have plenty of advice across our various guides.

Begin Spotting The Signs To Prolong Your Mattress Life

We hope you now have a better insight into how to spot the signs of wear and tear on your mattress after reading this guide, no matter its type and materials. At Next Divan, we understand how important it is  to make the most out of your money when it comes to buying a mattress and ensuring it lasts a long time. Plus, it’s vitally important to ensure you get a great night’s sleep, so you can be at your best each and every day. 

We’ve got lots of other information you might need in our guides, including anything from styling tips, choosing the right headboard, to the best fabric options and how to make the most out of your bedroom space.

Our friendly customer service team is always here to help if you have any other questions or require any other assistance too.