HIGH POINT, NC 1999

We spend up to one-third of our lives in bed. It's the last sight that we see at night and the first one we see in the morning. With so much time spent reclining, the mattress is one of the most important, yet underrated, fixtures in the home.

In health terms alone, the state of one's mattress is crucial. A clean, odorless, dust-free and well-supported mattress can mean a more comfortable and healthier night's sleep.
The key is simple mattress maintenance. Proper care will not only keep your mattress looking spiffy for years, but will help prolong its life, estimated at eight to 10 years.

Mattress maintenance is no mystery.

"A good, common-sense approach to hygiene works best for mattresses," says Bruce G. Barman, Ph.D., vice president of Research and Development for Sealy, Inc., a leading maker of sleep sets. "Keep it clean and rotate it regularly," he advises.

That approach wouldn't seem to involve a great many sacrifices. Yet, a recent informal survey showed that 92 percent of those who answered admitted they ate and drank in bed -- a definite no-no -- and worse, that they routinely soiled their mattresses with accidental spills.

And, the fact is, many allergy-prone people still welcome their pets into bed with them, content to suffer from the cat and dog dander that lodges inside mattresses forever.

So how do the experts advise you take care of your mattress?

Jamie Gibbs, New York-based interior designer, never forgets to wash his mattress covers. "I wash my mattress pads the first laundry day of each quarter year," he notes. "I remember to do it," he adds, "because that's when I file quarterly taxes. It may be a gloomy day to remember, but if you don't Uncle Sam will!"

As sturdy as mattresses are, they can be damaged by children jumping on them. Instruct kids that a mattress is not a toy; instead, why not buy well-cushioned floor mats for kids to tumble, jump and roll on?

The single most important way to prolong the life of bedding is by rotating the mattress. With a new mattress, turn it upside down, then top to bottom every few weeks for the first several months, then every two months for the life of the sleep set.

"I rotate my mattress when I plant my spring and fall bulbs," notes Palo Alto, Calif. based Designer Lynn Hollyn. "It's in my gardener's diary so I can't forget. The morning of planting day," continues Hollyn, we invite our children in for a cuddle and to rotate the mattress before we go into the garden. The kids know it's a French toast morning so there's never a fuss."

When moving a mattress, carry it flat on its side. It's easier to carry this way and less likely to be damaged.

Most mattress handles are only for rotating mattresses on their foundations. Lifting or dragging mattresses by the handles may damage the fabric. One exception is the Sealy Posturepedic® Crown Jewel® with sewn-in handles that won't pull out.

Never bend your mattress. It could damage the innerspring unit. An exception is the Sealy Posturepedic king-size which bends at specific hinging points.

Beware of flipping a mattress. "I never turn over my mattress on a night when I'm single," observes New York-based interior designer Mario Buatta. "It's the least a guest of mine can do."

"It isn't advisable to flip a mattress by yourself," warns Sealy's Barman. "If you must, lift it and press it close to the body and push it up with your legs. Never bend at the waist."

Follow some of these simple tips for mattress maintenance and you'll sleep like a baby.