Is a Mattress Protector necessary?
Yes, 100% yes!
So much so that I’ve gathered a nice list of reasons why and even go further on some of the ideas too. If this article doesn’t convince you to get a mattress protector, then I don’t know what will.
What I Like
Before I list out all the reasons, I want to point out what I USE and what I LIKE. You can check out my REAL WORLD Spill test on the one I personally use.
1.Waterproof
The biggest reason and the most obvious reason is that you can get mattress protectors that are waterproof. You never know what you can spill on the mattress, we give you examples further down.
2.Protect The Warranty
If you never dealt with a warranty claim on your mattress then consider yourself lucky. It can be a handful, and the number one thing that voids a warranty is a stain.
But that does not mean a mattress warranty is not worth it; we have a guide to explain that here.
It doesn’t matter how small the stain is if the inspector sees any stain it’s going to void the warranty. And trust me they’re looking for them very carefully as it is a safety hazard no matter how clean of a person you are.
3.Kids
Sometimes the kids will wet the bed. Sometimes they’ll wet your bed somehow. Sometimes they’ll spill juice on your bed when they come see you. The best one is when they come in dirty and want to lay in your bed because it’s more comfortable because you’re there.
You just never know with the kids, and I’m willing to bet you want to keep your mattress clean and in good shape and a mattress protector will help you with that.
4.Pets
We love our pets, but we don’t love the mud they track in especially into our beds. The dogs can be quick, and they love to jump on the bed and don’t realize how dirty they are. I’ve had this problem with my dog where he’ll come in after playing in the dirt and want to lay in bed with my partner.
The mattress protector helps to keep the mud away from my mattress and keeps the mattress looking like new.
Don’t forget that the cat or dog will sometimes go to the bathroom on your bed. I’ve had cats that were bad at doing this, and the smell is so hard to get rid of if you don’t have a mattress protector. Or even the pet dander can be an issue that mattress protector helps out with.
Drooling is another necessary reason to get a mattress protector no matter if it’s from your dog or loved one.
5.Used Mattress
Not only does a mattress protector provide a barrier to the mattress, but it also works the other way around.
The mattress protector can be used as a barrier to protect you from a used mattress. Sometimes we can’t afford a new mattress, and a used one is the only option. I still pick up a new mattress protector to act as a barrier from whatever that mattress has seen. Works well to travel with your own mattress protector when staying at hotels.
I don’t know if you ever tried to clean a mattress but it’s hard, and you never get it thoroughly cleaned. The best answer is to put a mattress protector on it to stop the stains from happening in the first place.
6.College
Just like #5 above, if you go to college and get a mattress in your dorm you just don’t know what that mattress has seen. Do you want to risk it? Learn why you need a mattress protector for college here.
7.Nasty
Let’s be honest; people are naturally nasty. I know you may think you’re a clean person but everyone is nasty. We typically sweat, drool, and shed skin in our sleep without knowing it.
That stuff finds its way to your mattress and without a mattress protector will stay forever in your bed.
8.Bugs
To be honest, a mattress protector can work to protect you against things like dust mites, but if it comes to Bed Bugs, you got more significant issues. It would be better to use a mattress encasement* along with professional help. Bed Bugs are the worse, and a professional is needed.
But wait… there’s more!
Dust mites and bed bugs always come to people’s minds when it comes to bugs and your mattress. But I see spiders and even roaches as a problem too.
What’s the old saying that goes like you eat 8 spiders in your sleep a year? Probably not true, but perhaps not false either.
Why such a big concern with bugs? They don’t care. They poop where they walk and who knows where they’ve been. Your bed is a large surface area so the odds are good that bugs could have once walked and pooped on it and you could be sleeping on that. Just saying.
I could be a little crazy for thinking this far into it, but I sleep better because I have a mattress protector.
9.Adult Stuff
I don’t think I need to go too deep into how necessary a mattress protector is for this as I’m sure many of you get what I’m saying. Adult related stuff does happen on your mattress, and it can be messy. You probably don’t want to sleep on past messes for the rest of the life of the mattress, do you?
Get a mattress protector, no, get 2 mattress protectors so that you can change it out while the other one gets cleaned.
11.Food In Bed
I’m sure you like to eat and drink in bed, who doesn’t? The best kind of ice cream is the one you eat in the bed. The more you eat and drink in bed the greater the chance of you spilling it and staining the mattress. Spill something like wine in bed and it’s pretty much there forever if you don’t have protection.
The chances go greater if you have kids eating in bed too.
Get the mattress protector on your bed so that your bed doesn’t smell like wine and Cheetos forever. Off topic, it would be cool if they made scented mattresses? Not like Cheetos but like Jasmine or something?
12.Cheap Insurance.
Have you seen the prices of mattresses lately? I could go on about that topic and have.
If you’re spending a lot on a mattress, then please get a mattress protector for it. It’s easy to put on and take care of. It can extend the life of your mattress too.
13.Stupid Easy
If you know how to put a bed sheet on then, you know how to put a mattress protector on. It’s that simple. They go on just like how you put a bed sheet on.
The washing instructions are different though so make sure to pay close attention to that. Too much heat can destroy the protective layer of a mattress protector.
14.Extend The Life Of Your Mattress
With a barrier between you and the mattress that helps to stop liquids from passing through can help to extend the life of your mattress.
Anything with water in it can soak into your mattress and slowly destroys the firmness of it and the overall feel. It’s slowly destroying it and making it worse for you to sleep on.
Unless you have the money to buy a mattress more often, you should buy a mattress protector is a great option to extend there lives. I don’t just buy one; I buy two so that when one is being washed, I put the other one on. Also, for the times you spill something you don’t want to run the odds again of spilling something again without the protector on.
15.Dust
I know this one can be a little extreme to think of but stay with me here. Your mattress is big and is a greater chance for dust to collect on it. Sure they will be stopped by the sheets, but a small bit can still fall through that onto the mattress.
Dust is nasty. It’s dead skin, poop particles, food particles, and a bunch of other random particles that float around in the air. Not much we can do about that but why start a big collection of it for your mattress?
If you don’t think dust is a huge issue then just go to the TV and wipe the dust off of that onto your fingers. See how much dust you can pull off your small flat screen TV and remember your mattress is much bigger.
Common Questions About Mattress Protectors
How Often To Wash And Replace?
I have a guide on when you should wash and replace here.
Do They Sleep Hot?
Many of the mattress protectors you get today will allow for air to go through but not liquids. I sleep with the SafeRest mentioned above, and I naturally a sleep hot person, but the SafeRest has not been an issue for me. I also sleep on a memory foam mattress too, and it has not been an issue for my partner or me.
Are They Loud?
This one is interesting. If you take many of the mattress protectors out of the packaging, you may get put off by how it sounds.
But that doesn’t matter.
What matters is how it sounds when it’s on the bed with the bed sheet over it, and you’re laying on top. I find that you can’t hear the mattress protector after putting it on. It’s a non-issue if done correctly.