This is a guest post by Drew of Big Yellow Self Storage.
Mattresses can cost many hundreds of pounds so they’re quite an investment. If ever you need to store a mattress, knowing how to maximise the chances of it surviving intact and coming out in a useable condition will help safeguard your investment and give many years of future use.
Whether you’re storing a mattress at home or in a self-storage facility, use a purpose-made mattress bag to protect the surface from dust or pests. Regardless of where you keep it, there’s always the chance that even if the surrounding air is clean and the location is temperature-controlled, the mattress can be soiled by the items next to it.
Mattress bags are available for all sizes of mattresses. Look for them in DIY or home stores, or ask at your local self-storage facility as they often have them for sale. They offer better protection than you’ll get by simply wrapping the mattress in plastic.
If you’re storing the mattress for a long period of time, laying it flat will help reduce the chance of warping or bending. This can be tricky if the mattress is large, although it may be possible to lie it across tabletops or other flat surfaces. Be careful, though, that no sharp or protruding objects dig in, as over time these can cause damage to the mattress.
Storing the mattress on one end is acceptable over shorter periods of time, but make sure you place it on its long edge to minimise the chance of bending or folding from the top.
Damp conditions spell disaster for mattresses, encouraging damp and mould to grow on the surface or to work its way into the interior. Stored incorrectly, even clean-looking mattresses can end up with a fusty smell that’s caused by mould spores.
Make sure your storage area is dry by using a dehumidifier if necessary. While self-storage units are generally kept free from dampness, domestic areas that are most likely to suffer are sheds, garages, and sometimes lofts. Storage in these areas isn’t recommended, although in the short term mattresses can survive if they’re properly prepared and protected.
Inspect the mattress every so often to make sure nothing is amiss. If possible, change its position. Turn it over if you’ve got it lying flat or stand it on the opposite end if it’s stored vertically. Inspect the coverings or the mattress bag and make sure there’s no damage where dust, pests or moisture can get in. If you’re leaving the mattress in the store for longer than a year, you should change the covering annually to keep it in top condition.
Not the easiest of items to store, mattresses can suffer all sorts of mishaps you didn’t foresee when they’re locked away. Hopefully, these few precautions will help you store yours safely.
