Owens Corning

Tips For Buying A Mattress

You've decided it's time to redecorate your bedroom. The fun part is picking out the fabric, wallpaper, carpets and furniture. But the most important item to consider before all else is your mattress. It's not the most exciting purchase, but it's the one that stands between you and a good night's rest, which adds up to happier more stress-free days. The following are some tips from the folks who make mattresses.

Togetherness
Unless you sleep alone, shop with your significant other. One of you may like to sink into slumber up to your armpits while the other may like to keep a stiff upper lip. Compromise might be in order.

Try It Out
Wear comfortable clothes so you won't feel awkward lying down and tossing about. Take time to do this even if you feel as though you're making a spectacle of yourself. An extra minute might mean many nights in splendor.

See It In Writing
Check the warranty and get the guarantee against defects in writing. I'm always tempted to pull the tag off that has a big warning sign about being arrested if you do so. My natural instinct is to pull it off in defiance. Who do they think they are telling me I can't take this thing off something in my own home? And who will know? Will the mattress police show up the second I pull off the tag because a secret alarm has gone off in some police headquarters? "Don't be an idiot," I tell myself. That tag is an insurance policy. It's your only hedge against a defect should you have to return the mattress for any reason.

Splurge
This is not the time or place to save money. Scrimp elsewhere. This mattress should last a long, long time. It's a big purchase. I bought a terrific mattress and box spring many years ago and not a night goes by when I don't sigh as I climb into bed and say, "I love this bed". At the end of a really trying day I actually savor the thought of getting into that bed. The problem is I have trouble getting out of it as well!

Mattress Care
There are some things to know about caring for your mattress. 1. Rotate it regularly. This means turning it over and around so the foot is at the head. It will wear more evenly.
2. Handles are for positioning not for lifting. The Beauty Rest people say you can actually harm the insides of your mattress by pulling on the handles.
3. Save tags! Need I say more?
4. Vacuum your mattress occasionally like upholstery.
5. Use a good quilted bed pad to protect the mattress and cushion your body. A thick, fitted bed pad combined with really fine sheets makes for a sensational night's sleep. When you buy new sheets wash them and use fabric softener before putting them on the bed for the first time. I find that even expensive sheets are never as soft as old ones that have been washed a zillion times.
6. Boards are not for bodies. If you don't have enough support you need a new mattress.

If you don't need a new mattress now, sooner or later you'll be considering it. A good mattress should last about 10 years.

Copyright Leslie Linsley, author
Reprinted with permission, HouseNet, Inc.

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