Buying a new mattress or other furniture only to realize
upon delivery that it simply will not fit through the house to the designated
location is stressful and frustrating. Many times when this happens, the customer is left with no choice but to
send the item back, wasting time and money. Sometimes restocking fees apply, or the customer is unable to get a
refund.Professional furniture
disassembly services do exist to help in these matters.These services disassemble furniture pieces
so that they will fit through the doors, halls, and stairways of the intended
building.From there, they offer
different options as to how to reassemble the pieces.This is a pricey option.A customer can avoid stress and added
expenditures simply by measuring all doorways and halls that the new mattress
must fit through in order to get to the designated room.Don't forget to measure stairways as well.
Of course, many items can be turned at a small angle and
made to fit that way.For example, a 40
inch high by 44 inches deep sofa can likely be angled and thereby fit through a
36 inch doorway.But the length of the
furniture item is also important, especially if it has to turn to get where
it's going.While most mattresses are
soft sided and can be forced a little without much damage to either the
mattress or the structure, box springs are not pliant objects.Wooden and steel frames are designed to
support the weight of a mattress and people sleeping on it.They are specifically designed to not
bend.
Because they won't bend, box springs often pose a
significant challenge for mattress delivery personnel and owners alike.King mattress box springs and even queen
mattress box springs often have trouble. While most will fit through most doorways (they are usually designed to
do so), staircases and turns are particularly problematic for larger size
mattress sets.
Before purchasing a new mattress set, the customer should
measure the areas where turns will be necessary to get the mattress and
foundation into a room or through a doorway. These areas are particularly tricky. Making a cardboard template that is the dimensions of the intended new
mattress set can help, but often does not take the height (thickness) of the
new mattress and box spring into consideration. On stairways, measure every place where the ceiling is not vaulted down
to the closest step.Measure both
straight up and down and measure as if the mattress were angled.It is more likely that a mattress will fight
through tight stair areas than will the box spring.
When in doubt, speak with somebody in the delivery
department.Be prepared with as many
measurements as possible so as to give the most accurate and complete picture
of the situation.While many mattress
showroom salespeople might be reasonably knowledgeable, unless they themselves
have worked in the delivery department, their advice should be taken with a
grain of salt.It is up to the customer
to ensure that delivery can made without damage to either the item or the
structure, and a little bit of measuring and planning can help guarantee easy
delivery with no added fees or stress.
Memory foam, or visco-elastic foam, is made of
polyurethane.Convoluted foam, commonly
referred to as egg crate foam, is made of polyethylene.They are similar materials, but create vastly
different products.
Memory foam is dense and extremely viscous and energy
absorbent.This is why memory foam is
commonly used in all types of items ranging from padding car seats, to
astronaut and football helmets, to memory foam mattresses and mattress toppers.The energy absorption quality of
visco-elastic foam makes memory foam superior for uses in which minimizing
pressure on bodily pressure points is important.At the same time, the density of
visco-elastic foam helps it hold up under presser, so to speak, allowing it to
remain supportive while soft.
Convoluted, or egg crate, foam is simply not as dense as
visco-elastic foam, making it less supportive. Egg crate foam does have some energy absorbing quality, which makes it a
greatpacking material.Convoluted foam gets the nickname egg crate
foam from both its peaks and valleys shape design, and its use as padded
packaging material for transporting eggs.
Egg crate foam is usually less expensive than memory foam,
which makes it a popular choice for bed toppers.The peaks in the foam's design create a soft,
almost squishy surface.However, egg
crate foam is not as energy absorbent as memory foam, meaning it does not hold
up well under pressure.While the use of
egg crate foam as a mattress topper, or in cushions can help relieve a little
bit of pressure from bodily pressure points, it simply does not compete with
memory foam in minimizing pressure point stress.Also, egg crate foam is not as dense as
visco-elastic foam, meaning it is not nearly as supportive.This is why many shoppers seek the slightly
more expensive memory foam mattress toppers.
Though visco-elastic foam is the superior choice for
comfortable sleeping and minimizing strain on bodily pressure points, the egg
crate version still has many uses, other than in packaging materials.Convoluted foam makes great padding for seat
cushions where people are unlikely to sit for long periods of time.It is often used in mattresses in addition to
memory foam, particularly in the top comfort layers.Because it is much less dense, convoluted
foam weighs less than visco-elastic foam. Using the two in tandem in new mattress comfort layers helps add support
and softness, while minimizing the total weight of the mattress.This is especially important in the larger
size king mattresses and queen mattresses.
Though convoluted egg crate foam is not as dense as memory
foam, and does not offer as much pressure point protection or as much physical
support, it still has many uses in making everyday products more
comfortable.Having convoluted foam does
not mean a mattress will necessarily be less comfortable than a mattress that
uses memory foam, though it might have a different feel to it.That said, it is important that mattress
shoppers be aware that the two are not the same, in order to find the mattress
that best suites the shopper's needs.
Most people replace mattress and box spring sets
approximately every 10 years.It is
important to replace the box spring and purchase a box spring that is designed
to work with the new mattress for fit reasons and strength reasons.New mattresses that are padded with memory
foam, and memory foam mattresses that feature the material throughout, are much
heavier than older mattresses that only featured light weight convoluted foam
and cotton and polyester quilt fillings. Because of the additional weight, old style wooden framed box springs
cannot properly support most new mattresses, so new mattresses and box springs
are often sold as sets.
Once the new mattress is delivered, the owner is often left
with an old mattress and box spring that need removal.Many mattress companies will remove the old
mattress and box spring set, often for free, though sometimes for a nominal
fee.Some companies donate gently used
mattresses to charities with which they have built relationships.Others simply dispose of the old mattresses
via landfills or special mattress recycling companies.
It used to be quite easy for an owner to sell gently used
old mattresses to resell shops and thrift shops.Barring that, many charitable organizations
used to not only accept donations of gently used mattress sets, but would even
schedule complimentary pick up of the items. Most of the time, a receipt for a charitable donation was given,
allowing the owner to write the old mattress off on taxes.In recent years, thrift shops have stopped
accepting used mattresses and box springs, many charities have done the same,
and many newspapers and Internet sites do not allow listings that seek to sell
used mattresses.It used to be so easy;
why is it now so hard to be rid of an old mattress?
The answer is bed bugs. Bed bugs are tiny parasites that feast on human and animal blood in the
middle of the night when all are asleep. The worst part is that they are wonderfully skilled at hiding, and their
minute size allows them to hide in the tiniest of crevices (including the seams
on a mattress).They are nearly
impossible to be totally rid of, professional pest control is usually necessary
once bed bugs entire a domicile.Once
nearly eradicated from most industrialized countries, the last decade has seen
a major resurgence in bed bug infestations.
All it takes is one infested item to enter a building.Within a few weeks, nearly every apartment in
a building will have them.Bed bugs are
most common in places where there are lots of people, such as apartments and
large cities.Hotels are particularly
susceptible because of the number of travelers that go through.
In order to help combat bed bugs from spreading, and thus
possibly spreading disease, state legislations have enacted laws that limit the
transfer of used mattresses and box springs. In most states, charities and businesses that reuse old mattresses must
follow strict guidelines on sanitizing them first.For many, the cost just isn't worth the donation.
Because it is difficult to find a way to be rid of a used
mattress, consumers should plan in advance how they will remove the old
set.Scheduling a pick up time with a
local charity is a great option if the used set is in good condition.However, the path of least resistance is
often to have the company that delivers the new mattress remove the old one.
When searching for a mattress,
queen size is one of the most popular choices for adult sleepers.The size is more suitable for a couple or an
individual who likes to spread out than a full, but requires less floor space
in a bedroom than a king.Taking a trip
to a mattress store can provide a potential buyer with a useful visual
experience in determining if queen is the proper size mattress for the
particular sleeper’s needs.
When the decision arises to buy a mattress, queen or
otherwise, the most important factor to consider should be comfort.Some sleepers prefer to have a softer bed,
while others prefer a certain level of firmness that keeps their spine more
rigid while they rest.The level of desired
firmness can be experienced at a mattress
store simply by sitting and lying on a few bed options available in
stock.Often, it is a good idea to try
out options that are softer or harder than a sleeper is accustomed to, because
preferences can change over time, leading to a different desired
experience.When lying on the bed,
mimicking the position most commonly slept in will provide a potential buyer
with the closest approximation to how the bed will feel when sleeping.If going up or down from the bedroom’s
current size of mattress, queen beds should be experienced in a situation
similar to how they will be used.If,
for example, a couple is buying a new bed together, it is ideal for both to lie
down on the queen at the mattress store to see if it will provide them with the
sleep room they both need.For some
couples looking for a mattress, queen size may provide desired closeness, but
if both partners tend to sprawl out in their sleep, they may not find it is the
ideal size for them.
Another important factor to consider when in a mattress
store is the size of the room the bed will go into.Some rooms will be far too small for a king
mattress, queen then becoming an ideal size for a smaller master bedroom.If the bed is significantly too large for the
room in which it is placed, it will be difficult to position other furniture in
the room, and could cause issues with the unmovable placement of windows,
doors, and closets.Similarly, if a
master bedroom is quite large, a queen size may seem far too small for the
space.In the end, of course, the size
should largely relate to the comfort of the sleeper.
When considering a new mattress, size plays an important
role in determining the purchasing decision. The decision of which size bed to go with for a room can be more easily
made if the potential buyer measures the room before going to the mattress store.Searching for and finding the appropriate bed
size for the space in the room and the comfort of the sleeper is a wonderful
way to promote good rest for the buyer.
A foam mattress is
an important and expensive purchase for a bedroom.As it is a product that is expected to hold
up over a few years, proper maintenance and care should be taken so that it can
last as long as possible.Though many
people tend to overlook mattress care as a part of their household duties, a
bed that is well-taken care of can provide better support for the person using
it.Also, product that is well cared for
will not have to be replaced as frequently, which saves money.Certain steps can be taken to insure that the
bed will last as long as possible, providing a consistently comfortable
experience to the sleeper.
One of the most important steps in foam mattress care is the
use of a protective barrier.As a
mattress cannot be simply thrown into a washing machine, having a barrier
between the surface and the sleeper can be a great way to make sure that
moisture and dirt does not soil it. Also, moisture damage or staining will often void the warranty offered
by a manufacturer, making protection of the mattress a smart financial
decision.A cover for a foam mattress is
simple to find and to put on, and can be washed far more easily and cheaper
than paying an outside service to wash the bed itself.
Another simple maintenance point for maintaining the comfort
of the mattress is to rotate it end to
end to make sure that all of the top surface is receiving even pressure over
time.To do this, the foam mattress is
turned so that the former head of the bed is at the foot, and vice versa.Though some beds should be flipped over on a
regular basis to help them wear evenly, the properties and structure of memory
foam beds only require rotation, as flipping them would result in the harder
support layers on top with the soft sleep surface being mashed down on the
bottom.Regular rotation from head to
foot and foot to head should be all that is needed to insure that no part of
the bed wears out too quickly.
Finally, some basic care tips will lengthen the life of a
mattress.When the bed needs to be
transported or perhaps even stored, it is best to avoid folding it at too hard
an angle.Though most products have a
bit of bend-ability to help around corners, actually folding it can result in
damage to the materials inside, shortening the lifespan of the product.Also, when storing, it is best if the bed can
be left to lie flat rather than being stored on an end, which creates undue
pressure on the bottom edge.When stored
flat, a foam mattress can be expected
to have a longer life.Following these
basic care tips will not only save money, but make the sleep experience more
comfortable for the person who completes them.
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