Happy Housekeeping: Home And Garden Tips

When you’re shopping for a mattress, some of the most important parts are the ones that you won’t be able to see. In particular, you’ll want to find out as much as possible about the metal coils inside the mattress and how they are made. Mattress testing in the store will offer you some information about the current condition of the mattress, you’ll have to ask some questions in order to determine how the mattress will hold up over a longer period of time.

Number of coils and coil construction

It’s important to ask how many coils are enclosed within the mattresses you’re looking at, as well as their size. But don’t assume that the same number of coils will equal a similar level of quality from a different manufacturer. Manufacturers may design their coils in a slightly different way or use a different wire size – both of which can have a big impact on their feel. When evaluating this aspect of a mattress, it’s best to just lie down on the mattress and see how it feels.

In addition, it might be helpful to ask if the store owner has a bare coil set on hand for you to look at. As you study the coils, you’ll be able to see how the coils are pieced together. This will show you the size of the wire in each mattress and help you understand how the mattress supports your body. Even if you can’t see a bare spring set for each model, you can still use the visual information to help you assess other mattresses.

Observe how the handles are attached to the mattress

Even though you may not be giving much thought to turning your mattress or to how much work goes into moving one should you need to relocate. But give the mattress handle a little respect – you won’t know how much you need it until it’s gone. When you’re looking at new mattresses, it’s important to evaluate the durability and quality of the handles. Ask if the handles are attached to the inner coils – if not, they may tear out quickly.

Asking about recycled content

Unfortunately, there’s no way to determine whether or not you’re receiving all new materials when you purchase a new mattress. In some cases, manufacturers may take coils from old mattresses and simply add a new covering. If you’re concerned about this issue, ask to test a number of mattresses of the same model. Chances are, if one of the mattresses has been made with used or refurbished coils within, it will sound and feel different than the others you try out.

As you’re shopping for a new mattress, you may be tempted to buy the one that looks the prettiest or the one that’s the cheapest in the store. While the covering of a mattress may be important, the coils that determine how your body will be supported are far more important. Even though you won’t be able to directly assess the coils in the store, you should still do your best to test them out and ask questions about their construction.

Since most furniture stores sell mattresses and box springs as sets, you may have just assumed that you’ll need to buy a whole new bed if your mattress wears out. However, purchasing a brand new bed set can be very expensive. If the frame of your bed is still in fairly good shape and you aren’t planning to change the size of your mattress, it might be to your advantage to forgo purchasing a new box spring along with your mattress.

Some things to consider about your current box spring

If your current bed set is over five years old, it’s important to evaluate the box spring thoroughly before deciding whether or not to keep it. Does it still support the mattress evenly or does it sag in places? Have you been able to give it a thorough cleaning recently? Unfortunately, if you’ve been sick or unable to clean the bed properly, it could be harboring a host of nasty pathogens.

As a result, you may experience an increase in allergies and illness. Even though your box spring doesn’t come into direct contact with your body, it’s important to remember that it’s still composed of fabrics that can harbor bacteria. Therefore, if you haven’t been able to properly clean this part of your bed – or if it’s showing serious signs of wear – it may make sense to purchase a new model as part of a set.

Cost factors

Of course, wear and tear should be the most important factor in your decision to purchase a new mattress or mattress and box spring set, but cost can also play a crucial role in your decision. If you need to buy both a mattress and box spring, it’ll be cheaper to buy both as a set. However, if you can get away with just buying a new mattress, you’ll be able to spend much less upgrading your bed set.

How a mattress and box spring work together

Most manufacturers recommend purchasing a mattress and box spring together. Among other things, while they are developing and testing mattresses, they use box spring models of their own manufacture to test them on. As a result, when they optimize each model, it’ll be with these constraints in mind. This is also important to consider when you are testing out a new mattress. In some cases, when you get home and put the mattress on your existing box spring, it may feel completely different.

At first glance, you might think that the box spring for your bed set is less important than the mattress. However, it’s important to realize that the box spring provides support and helps to balance the flexibility of the mattress. Unfortunately, the box spring wears out just like a mattress and can harbor pathogens just as easily as other parts of the bed. Therefore, it’s important to consider these factors – along with your budget – when shopping for a new mattress. You may find that the extra money you spend on a new box spring will be well worth it in the long run.

If you’re going to spend money on a new mattress, you’ll want to know how long it’s going to last. After all, spending hundreds of dollars only to have your new mattress fall apart is guaranteed to prevent you from getting that undisturbed sleep you were aiming for. Unfortunately, reading a list of mattress construction materials may not give you the kind of information you need about the long term durability and comfort of a mattress. Even if you’ve purchased a similar brand of mattress before, you might find it difficult to assess the quality of newer offerings.

Compare Warranties

When you’re looking at different types of mattresses, it’s important to take note of any warranties offered by the manufacturer. First, find out what parts of the mattress are covered. You might find that one warranty covers damage to the springs, cover and frame of a mattress, while another covers only the springs. Next, check out the length of the warranty. If you’re planning on using the bed for five years, try to locate one with a warranty at least that long.

You’ll also want to learn about what types of repairs are covered, and under what conditions you may be charged for labor. Even though you may think of a mattress as being far less complex than an automobile, mattress manufacturers are aware of certain wear patterns and other characteristics associated with their product. As a result, studying the warranty information may give you some indicators of what types of problems you might have with your mattress once the warranty expires.

Springs and Mattress Construction

When comparing mattresses, it’s important to take note of how the springs feel. For example, if you feel around the edges of a spring, and can find where it cuts off, you might want to reconsider your choice. These sharp edges may eventually cut through the mattress covering, causing you a great deal of discomfort. You should also see if you can feel for points where the support wires connect to the springs as these can represent weak points in the mattress construction.

Surface Fabric

Even if you’re a neat and tidy person who never eats in bed, mattress covers can and do become soiled. However it happens, chances are you’ll want to be able to clean the affected area. Unfortunately, though a mattress may look beautiful with shiny thread or metallic embroidery, this can make it very hard to remove stains. Therefore, when shopping for a mattress, ask about how to clean the cover and how easy it is to remove stains.

In addition to weighing the comfort and price of a mattress, you’ll also want to get an idea of how durable it is. By comparing warranties, you can get some ideas about how each manufacturer gauges their product. It’s also important to do what you can to assess the construction quality of the mattress, especially if you are buying one with springs. Doing a little extra leg work before your purchase a new mattress can save you a lot of time and hassle in the long run!