You know it’s time to firm up your mattress when it feels too soft for your liking. A mattress’s firmness is important for a proper night’s rest.
It provides the necessary support needed for your head, neck, and back. That’s why it’s crucial to know how to make a mattress firmer. Especially if you can’t afford to buy a new one immediately.
That’s what this guide aims to teach you today. We have combined a list of tips that are guaranteed to make your mattress firmer, more affordably, and at times, without even spending a dime.
But first:
Why do mattresses lose their firmness?
Mattresses tend to lose firmness over time due to heavy usage. Apart from its core materials losing strength, the mattress also absorbs moisture which doubles up its weight.
This results in the stretching out the mattress cells, causing them to lack proper hold.
Temperature changes also cause a mattress’s firmness to fluctuate. According to science, matter expands when heated and contracts when cooled. The same goes for mattresses. If you live in an incredibly warm area, your mattress might feel less firm. This can be resolved as you will find out later on in this article.
Insufficient care and improper positioning are other factors that cause mattresses to lose their firmness.
Sometimes, however, it could be that you just bought an overly soft mattress. In such instances try returning it first. Most mattress companies today have an incredibly gracious trial period.
1. Use Plywood
You might have noticed that placing your mattress on the floor, firms it up some. But due to sanitary reasons, this might not be the best way to resolve your sagging mattress problem. That’s where plywood comes in. Slip a plywood board between your mattress and bed.
It works just the same, but better, because you are off the floor. Make sure you choose quality plywood and ensure it’s sanded on all sides to avoid damaging your bed’s fabric upholstery.
2.Try flipping it
Flipping a mattress ensures that weight and the resultant pressure is evenly distributed on all sides of the mattress. This prevents the overuse of one side, which can lead to premature sagging.
To flip your mattress, rotate it on a 90-degree angle. Then lift the mattress by the edge. Next, lower it down, so that the other side faces up. Lastly, position it accordingly.
This method, however, might not be practical for everyone since most mattress companies are now only producing one-sided mattresses. In such a case, regular rotation of the mattress will achieve the same benefits. It’s recommended to rotate the mattress every 3-6 months
3.Get a mattress topper
Contrary to popular belief, mattress toppers are not only used to soften up mattresses but can firm up a mattress as well. However, not every topper can firm-up a mattress.
Only high-density latex or memory foam toppers can do this. Latex is naturally firmer, so when given a choice between the two, choose latex.
A firming topper is usually a bit thicker.
What a topper does is create a uniform surface to lay on. This minimizes the mattress’ indentations and lumps considerably, giving you a firm surface to lie on.
Don’t pick a mattress pad in place of a topper. Mattress pads are much thinner and won’t help with the firmness situation of your bed.
4.Adjust your room temperature:
As mentioned earlier, temperature plays a huge role in softening up your mattress. This is even more evident with a memory foam mattress, whose sole functionality is based around temperature changes.
As such, your mattress tends to get softer in warmer conditions and firmer in cooler conditions. Cooling your bedroom temperature can firm up your mattress nicely. Resulting in a proper night’s rest.
5.Fitted sheets
Another remedy for an overly soft mattress is to tightly tuck the fitted sheet to create an even flat surface.
This tends to tighten up your mattress and minimize the overly soft discomfort. It also works well with the other remedies mentioned in this article.
6. Replace worn-out layers
Buying a new mattress is a considerable investment. A cheap way to firm up your mattress is to replace worn-out layers. Most mattresses today are made up of different layers.
Some manufacturers package these layers in a removable cover. This means you can remove the worn-out layer and replace it with a new, firmer layer.
Just check that your mattress has a removable cover first before purchasing a spare part.
7. Replace the box spring
Did you know a box spring ages just as much as a mattress? It is recommended to change a box spring with every new mattress purchase. When an old box spring’s coils lose strength they fail to provide the required support. In fact, this often causes sagging of the mattress.
A new box spring firms up your mattress nicely. Plus, it’s cheaper than replacing the entire bed.
One way to test whether your box spring is the problem is by lying on it directly. If it feels uneven or you find yourself rolling to the middle, it’s time to let it go.
Alternatively, you can add a sheet of plywood on top of the box spring as mentioned earlier.
8.Sun it
It’s good to air out your mattress out in the sun once in a while. To rid it of excess moisture. This will not only firm up your mattress, but it will also freshen it, killing bacteria, mold, and other bugs.
That’s it, eight ways on how to make a mattress firmer. However, if the tips above, don’t work then it’s time to get a new mattress.
Do you have other tips you know about? You can let us know here 🙂
Remember, you spend a third of your life sleeping and getting a restful night’s sleep is paramount for your health. It, therefore, goes without saying, that if you are waking up with less than optimal rest, you need to get a new bed.
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