Purchasing a good quality mattress is a long-term investment. It is important to take good care of your mattress to extend its longevity and protect your expensive investment. An unprotected mattress is prone to various accidents (like spills, stains etc.) and can get contaminated with dust, molds and allergens.  

A mattress protector can offer great help in protecting your mattress against routine accidents and can be the best solution for solving many issues related to mattress longevity and protection.

What is a mattress protector?  

A mattress protector is an important mattress accessory that sits on the top of the mattress and helps to provide a great level of protection against routine wear and tear, spills, stains, dust mite and allergens. Mattress protectors safeguard the mattress surface and help in increasing the life expectancy of your mattress.

This detachable thin layer is easy to clean, simpler to manage and cost-effective in the long run. Nowadays, a broad range of mattress protectors, depending on the bed sizes, are available in the market.

7 Benefits of using a mattress protector  

Using a mattress protector for your mattress offers many benefits. Such as  

1. Mattress protectors help in keeping the mattress clean and maintain a good level of hygiene: The Mattress protector helps in keeping your mattress clean and sanitary. While sleeping, we all shed dead skin cells. Many people are hot sleepers and they sweat a lot during the night. All this moisture and wetness get soaked into your bedsheets and enter the mattress. It creates a favorable environment for bacteria growth and germ build-up, not to forget the odour. Mattress protector helps in preventing this contamination as they are waterproof. It also protects your health by maintaining a good level of hygiene.  
2. Mattress protectors protect against routine wear and tear and increase the life expectancy of your mattress: Over time, routine wear and tear affects your sleep quality and reduces the life expectancy of the mattress. The life expectancy of the mattress increases with the help of mattress protectors as they handle major incidents affecting the mattress. A protector is a great addition if you run a bed-and-breakfast or a homestay. Cleaning and sanitization are easy and affordable.
3. It also helps in keeping your mattress free from stains and keeping your mattress warranty intact: Mattress purchase is an expensive investment in your life, so it is important to keep its warranty intact. Stains and spills are some of the common reasons that void the warranty of a mattress and put economical stress on your wallet. Mattress protectors help in keeping your mattress free from stains and spills. Their water proof quality ensures that the liquids don’t get absorbed into the mattress cover.
4. Protect against bugs: Bed bugs are one of the biggest threats to your sleep and overall health. They can invade your mattress deeply and can create many health problems. Sadly, it is hard to get rid of bedbugs and often requires professional help to deal with them. Mattress protector provides excellent protection against bugs.  It acts as a protective cover around your mattress.
5. Keep your mattress free from allergens and dust mites: If you suffer from asthma or dust mite allergies, then it is important to keep your mattress free from allergens and dust mites. Contaminated mattress can create a favorable environment for growth of dust mites and other allergens. Adding a mattress protector works as a barrier and prevents the growth of dust mites and other microbes. This way it helps in protecting against allergic reactions and offers good breathability for asthma and allergic patients. A mattress cover can be easily removed and washed at regular intervals to keep it free from allergens and germs.
6. Help with easy cleaning and maintenance: cleaning a mattress is a hard thing. It may require professional help and cost a lot. Mattress protectors are waterproof, making this complicated task of cleaning a mattress a lot easier. They can be easily washed in the washing machine and can help you save lots of time and money that are typically associated with mattress cleaning. 
7. A great option for those who have pets and kids: pets and kids often cause various accidents (spills, bed wetting etc.) and create a lot of stress. Right from accidental pee’s to staining because they decided to have their meal in bed, a mattress in a child or pet friendly home can hardly remain spike and span. Mattress protectors are highly beneficial in protecting against these accidents and keep your mattress safe against pet dander, spills, bedwetting and much more! 

Mattress Protector Sizes  

Just like mattresses, mattress protectors also come in different sizes. It is important to select the correct size mattress protector as per the type of your mattress. It should offer a secure fit for your mattress. If you select a small size mattress protector for your mattress, it will come off frequently and will not provide the necessary protection. Just like standard bed sizes, mattress protectors also come in standard sizes like king-size mattress protector, queen-size mattress protector, etc. Choose the one that is perfect for your bed.

Here is the list of commonly available mattress protector sizes:  

Single bed mattress protector: Single beds are ideal for kids and young adults. They are functional and space-saving. The single bed mattress protector come in around 36*75 or 36*78 sizes.

Double mattress protector: Full or double mattresses are ideal for those single sleepers who want extra space on their bed to sleep comfortably. Full or double mattress protectors come in 48*75 or 48*78 inches.

Queen mattress protector: Queen mattresses are ideal for compact homes. Perfect for young couples or individuals, queen size is a standard bed size in ready-to-use furniture. A queen-size mattress protector has a dimension of 60 x 78 inches.  

King size mattress protector: King-size beds are great for the master bedroom and work as a great option for those couples looking for extra space in the bed. King-size mattress protectors are an ideal choice for protecting kind size mattresses. They have a dimension of 72 x 78 inches.  

Materials used for manufacturing mattress protectors 

Mattress protectors are made up of different types of materials like cotton, vinyl, polyester and bamboo. Some mattress protectors are manufactured with a single material, while some comprise blended materials. 

Here is a list of some commonly used materials for manufacturing mattress protectors:  

Cotton 

Cotton is one of the most popular options for making mattress protectors. Cotton mattress protectors are lightweight, breathable and machine washable. These are the best option for those who prefer the natural and eco-friendly option for protecting their mattress.  

Some mattresses are made up of cotton or terry cotton, while some mattresses may contain latex and wool as a combination material. Adding latex to cotton mattress protector increases their moisture-absorbing capabilities, while adding wool improves the temperature regulation feature of the cotton mattress protector.  

TPU

TPU or Thermoplastic Polyurethane is one of the best waterproof material to be used in mattress industry. Water-proof material are usually non-breathable but TPU is breathable, flexible and have good absorption capabilities. This makes it a perfect material for making a water-proof mattress protector.

Layered Materials

Some mattress protectors are made in layers. They have a top layer of cotton or terry cotton to offer a soft exterior while the inner layer is made of TPU or spandex to provide good breathability and water-proofing capabilities. Such layered material mattress protectors offer the best of both worlds and last longer.

Polyester 

Polyester is a synthetic fabric material that is used widely in making mattress protectors. Polyester is a more affordable and versatile option as compared to other fabrics. A polyester mattress protector is not a good option for hot sleepers. It may retain heat and may make you sleep hot at night.  

Plush velour 

It offers a soft, luxurious feeling like velvet. The plush velour mattress protector has good moisture absorbing properties and offers great comfort while sleeping. This material provides good breathability and is considered a good option for those who have sensitive skin or suffer from allergies.