If you’re going through the effort of storing your mattress, why risk ruining it by storing it the wrong way? Especially when you can do the job the right way in just four easy steps. If you lack the space needed for storing a mattress, consider renting a climate-controlled storage unit for your mattress and other belongings.
1. Clean Your Mattress First
Have you ever heard the advice to have an article of clothing dry-cleaned before you store it, even if it doesn’t look dirty? That’s because dirt, oil, and sweat may not appear now, but will stain the mattress over time.
The first step in cleaning your mattress is to vacuum the entire thing, including seams and crevices, with the upholstery brush on your vacuum cleaner.
Next, spot clean stains with either an upholstery cleaner or a mixture of one teaspoon mild dish detergent to 1 cup of warm water.
Once you’re done with that, sprinkle the entire mattress with baking soda to remove odors—and leave it alone for 24 hours. Finally, go back over your mattress with a vacuum to remove all of the baking soda.
If you have one, you can also use a handheld steamer to go over the mattress. Just be sure to let it dry completely before storing it.
2. Cover your Mattress Completely
Even if you know that your storage area is clean, this step is important to keep dust from contaminating your mattress.
3. Store It Flat
It’s tempting to just place your mattress against a wall, but that’s not a good idea—at least for long-term storage. Over time, gravity will begin to pull the coils and springs downward, which will ruin the integrity of your mattress.
One more thing: Once your mattress is stored flat, it may seem like the ideal place to stack other things, but that, too, will damage your mattress.
4. Keep It Away from Humidity
You may have room in your basement, but humidity can really do a job on your mattress. Mold is insidious, spreads quickly, and is very difficult to clean.
Self Storage for Mattresses
At StorageMart, you can rent a climate-controlled self storage unit as small as 25 square feet or as big as a garage. Check out our storage unit guide to help with your questions on how to store a mattress in a storage unit or rent a unit online today.