Storing a Mattress in Self Storage

If you are considering putting a mattress in a self-storage, you will need to take special preparations for the mattress to avoid damage. A mattress is an intimate object that damage really is not ideal for, so luckily these precautionary steps are easy for anyone to take. 

A mattress bag

1. Get a mattress bag. These plastic bags usually only cost around 5 to 20 dollars from the store. It only take a couple of minutes to put the plastic bag over the mattress. These bags help you avoid dust gathering in the mattress. The problem with dust getting into the mattress is there is no real way to get all of it out. Dusty mattresses get a dirty odor. The dust is also terrible for people with allergies. 

2. Humidity control. This is an especially important note for people who live in humid climates. Humidity can cause mold and mildew spores to grow in your mattress. To prevent this, you should try to elevate your mattress off the ground. Also, storing it away from the other items in the unit helps if you have the space for it. If you have time, airing the mattress out by opening the bag and storage unit can be helpful. The only sure fire way to avoid this is to get a humid controlled storage-unit. 

3. Do not stack things on tops of your mattress. The worst thing you can do for a mattress is to stack things on top of it, because this will cause it be lumpy. A mattress with an uneven surface is nearly impossible to sleep on. 

4. Deal with bugs. Your mattress offers all sorts of yummy organic materials for bugs to munch on. Putting your mattress in a box and bag is the best way to avoid the bugs. Climate controlled storage units also tend to have less a bug problem, because it benefits the storage owners to not leave cracks and crevices for bugs to sneak into the storage unit. You can also consider some sort of bug spray to apply on the ground around you mattress, but be careful not to get any on your mattress. 

5. Clean After Storage. Once you take the mattress out of storage make sure to clean it thoroughly. First you will want to vacuum it to try to get some of the dust off. Next you can apply a thin dusting of baking soda through a kitchen sifter onto the surface the mattress. Let it sit for an hour. The baking soda will absorb moisture and odor from the mattress. Vacuum the mattress again to get the baking soda off. Repeat these steps if the mattress still seems to have a musty smell on it.