You may have heard of people rotating their mattresses. It might seem like a pretty strange thing to do, but believe it or not, it’s a super important part of taking care of your mattress so you can get the most life out of it possible. 

How often should you be rotating your mattress? Does it really make that much of a difference? How do you rotate your mattress anyway? In this article, all of these questions will be answered, so keep reading for everything you need to know about rotating your mattress.

Why Rotate Your Mattress?

The biggest question people have when it comes to rotating your mattress is, “Why?” It’s a pretty valid question. It’s a fairly laborious and annoying task to do if there’s not much reason for it. But, as it turns out, rotating your mattress can make a huge difference in not only the lifespan of your mattress but also its comfortability. 

Indentations

One of the biggest reasons why you should be rotating your mattress is because of mattress indentations. You sleep in your bed night after night, for hours on end. This mattress sees daily use like nothing else in your home. Bearing the weight of one or more people for several hours is matched only by the floor. 

Naturally, when you lie in the same position on the same side of the bed each night, the mattress will start to form an indentation where your body normally lies. This is part of the natural wear and tear that befalls a mattress. 

Not only can this make your mattress uncomfortable and prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep, but it can also fail to support your body properly, potentially leading to things like back pain. Nobody wants that. 

Mattress rotation can help to spread your weight out over time, keeping indentations from forming so you can stay comfy throughout the night.

Shorter Lifespan

Your mattress only has so much durability. A lifelong mattress simply doesn’t exist. If you practice mattress flipping, you can extend the life of your mattress. Mattresses can be fairly expensive, and they can be one of those unexpected expenses that put some strain on you. 

Because of this, you should try to get prolong your mattress’s life for as long as possible. And by doing the rotating that your mattress needs, you can make it last an extra year or two. 

Considering that most mattresses should be replaced every seven to 10 years, this really does help your mattress last significantly longer. 

Mattress Care Based on Mattress Types

In the modern day, there are so many different types of mattresses out there. But all of them have their own specific needs that might be different from one another. Let’s walk through how to rotate your mattress depending on what type it is. 

General Mattress Care

Rotating or flipping your mattress is not the only thing you need to do to take care of your mattress properly. You also need to clean it, so let’s take a quick second to talk about cleaning your mattress. 

You should clean your mattress two or three times a year to remove dirt, stains, dead skin cells, dust, dust mites, body oils, sweat, and bad odors from your mattress. 

To do this, start by removing your bedding and vacuuming off excess dirt, hair, etc. Then spot-clean your mattress with a gentle stain remover so you don’t damage the materials. Next, spread a thin layer of baking soda over the entire bed and let it sit for two to three hours. This will remove odors. Vacuum up the baking soda and you’re all done. 

Also, when it comes to mattress care, you need to know the difference between rotating and flipping. Rotating your mattress means simply turning it 180 degrees while still keeping the top side of the mattress on top. Flipping the mattress means turning it upside down to sleep on the other side of the mattress.

On top of that, a great way to keep your mattress clean and protected better is with a mattress protector. They’re a must-have for kids who wet the bed, but there are also comfortable ones that are great for anybody, including adults.

Innerspring Mattresses

Innerspring mattresses are the classic mattress we all know. They have cushioning on top and springs inside to give you a soft surface that supports your body. You’ll often find box springs underneath these mattresses.

These are flippable mattresses that can be slept on both sides. When it’s time to rotate your mattress, you’re going to want to rotate it 180 degrees and flip it over at the same time. Having a double-sided mattress like this means that it’s extra important to flip and rotate because the springs wear out and lose their springiness. 

These heavy mattresses oddly enough have one of the lower life expectancies of all the mattress types. 

Memory Foam Mattresses

Ah, memory foam. That amazing material makes for an amazing mattress that’s both hard and soft and the same time. The care required for a memory foam mattress varies depending on what type of mattress you buy. 

There are different types of memory foam out there. If you have a memory foam mattress that’s just one type of foam and one layer, you’re good to proceed with rotating and flipping as normal. 

Some memory foam mattresses have different layers of foam with different firmness levels that are for different purposes. On these mattresses, there is a distinct top and bottom side of the mattress. The top layer is typically meant for sleeping, while the bottom layers, such as the support core and base layers, serve as foundations. 

As a general rule for these one-sided mattresses, you can rotate them, but don’t flip them. The bottom is not suited for sleeping like the top is. Many modern mattresses are built like this, with a layered effect that serves your benefit while you sleep but makes flipping impossible. 

Pillow Top Mattresses

Pillow top mattresses are another type of one-sided mattress. With these mattresses, a soft, pillow-like layer is sewn onto the top of the mattress. Like many other modern mattresses, the bottom side is not meant for you to sleep on. For pillow top mattresses, feel free to rotate them when it’s time, but don’t flip them. 

Gel Foam Mattresses

Gel foam mattresses are an amazing innovation in sleeping technology. Mattresses like this are built with two layers or more of foam. The base layer, or support layer, is made of sturdier foam, and the top layer, or comfort layer, is built with gel-infused foam. 

This gel-infused foam is specifically designed to keep the mattress and your body from getting hot while you sleep. This is a big problem with standard memory foam, but the gel technology alleviates it. Once again, this mattress can be rotated by moving the side on the headboard to where the footboard is, but do not flip it. 

Latex Mattresses

A mattress made from latex is also made of a distinct type of foam and will likely contain specific foam layers. For most of these mattresses, you should rotate them but not flip them. Check your mattress manufacturer’s instructions for how to care for your mattress. 

Hybrid Mattresses

Hybrid mattresses combine layers of foam with standard innersprings in an attempt to fit multiple different sleepers’ body types and sleeping positions. Most of these mattresses should be rotated but not flipped. 

How Often Should You Rotate Your Mattress?

In order to keep your mattress from wearing unevenly, it’s best to rotate your mattress about every six months. However, standard innerspring mattresses should be rotated between two and five times a year. That lines up pretty well with how often you should clean it, so just make it common practice to clean and flip your mattress at the same time. 

When it’s time to flip your mattress, simply strip your bed, pull the top side of the mattress to the bottom of the bed, reset the mattress in the bed frame, put your mattress pad back on, and you’re good to go. This simple task will make a big difference not only in your nightly sleep but also in the lifespan of your mattress. 

Rotating Your Mattress

Whether you have a relatively new mattress or you have one that’s several years old, you need to be flipping your mattress. So get out there, take this knowledge, and go care for this important sleeping tool that you probably take for granted. 

For more information about bedding and sleep and for an amazing selection of mattress toppers, new beds, and more, check out eLuxury. 

Sources:

How Often Should You Flip Your Mattress? | Healthy Americans

How to Clean a Mattress | Healthy Americans

When Should You Replace Your Mattress? | Start Sleeping