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by Graham Challenger
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The terms "rotate" and "flip" are used interchangeably by most people, but rarely do mattress buyers know why it’s a good idea, or why it’s done. You know to rotate the tires on your car to extend tread life. Rotating your mattress will spread the load, prevent wear and tear in any single spot, and extend the useful life of a quality mattress. Every night, your body’s weight will leave impressions in any mattress, usually at the hips and shoulders. Turning a mattress from head to foot, and also flipping the mattress like a pancake, is good preventative maintenance.
Here’s a simple way for two people to flip a heavy mattress. This won’t make the mattress lighter, just less cumbersome. Make sure both people have the strength to hold the full weight of the mattress you will be moving. Step 1. Stand at the foot of the bed. Pull the mattress away from the headboard/wall at least 3 feet. Step 2. Rotate the mattress 1/4 of a turn, so it is lying cross ways to the foundation. Step 3. One person should stand on each side of the foundation/box spring. Working together, lift one edge on the mattress, to stand it vertically on its side.
Step 4. Turn the mattress, while it is standing vertically. One person will walk over the box spring set; the other will be walking around the foot of the bed. Each person should finish on the opposite side of the foundation/box spring from where they started. Step 5. Lay the mattress back down on the foundation, so the top-side becomes the bottom-facing surface. The mattress will still be lying across the foundation. Step 6. Rotate the mattress the same direction as the first 1/4 turn was made, completing the 180 degree rotation. Step 7. Standing at the foot of the bed, slide your mattress back up under the headboard or against the wall. Remember to realign your mattress so it is centered over the foundation/box spring at all times. The mattress supports you during sleep, but the foundation supports your mattress. Every month you should refresh your mattress by alternating a simple spin rotation (180 degrees), and the mattress flip described above. This will extend the life span of your new, quality mattress. In the last few years, mattress makers have recognized that flipping a heavy mattress is a huge chore for many customers, so some models are now sold as "no flip mattresses.” These are built with only one side of sleep surface padding and need only be rotated 180 degrees on the foundation a few times a year. There is very little real sleep difference between these models, but you should follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on rotation of any mattress you buy to maximize its useful life. There is one other point to remember. Some mattress manufacturers add exterior handles, straps, or cords for a better grip. They are there to help you rotate and maneuver the mattress only. Do not try to lift the mattress using the handles. Never tug or yank a mattress around by these grips. They aren’t designed to support the full weight of your mattress, just to assist you in moving it around on the foundation. A mattress is a major household expense. Take the time to care for it, and you will extend its useful life. |
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Visit the Web sites of City Discount Mattress Retail Affiliates
Tampa Bay, Florida www.BlackSwanBeds.com (Palm Harbor, FL) Graham Challenger is a product specialist for City Discount Mattress (www.learn-from.citydiscountmattress.com). He’s available to answer the questions consumers have about mattress and bedding issues. Graham will not recommend specific brands or models of mattresses, but will offer advise on the mattress styles and features you may want to explore, suggest creative ways to compare choices and offer retail shopping tips. City Discount Mattress helps consumers purchase a better mattress for less money by training store owners to offer more product information, a wider diversity of mattress choices and by reducing meaningless advertising hype. City Discount Mattress retailers offer true customer service, knowledgeable staff with less sales pressure, and a wider variety of mattress choices than is commonly available at big box retailers. If you are a single-store or low-unit number retail mattress store owner and want to increase sales or successfully compete with big ad-budget chain stores, ask how City Discount Mattress can help you. We can increase the total sales in your store, while allowing you sleep at night, knowing your business practices are consumer-friendly. The most unique feature of the City Discount Mattress marketing campaign is that retail stores do not pay anything upfront for our advertising and marketing assistance. Retailers: Learn how we do it by contacting Graham@citydiscountmattress.com. |