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Cuckooland’s Ultimate Mattress Guide

There’s much more than meets the eye to a mattress and getting a good nights sleep should be the first consideration. Look closer, and you’ll find almost as much character and variety as the beds themselves:

Mattress types

Think that all mattresses are the same? Think again: there’s an artistry to comfort, and there are several ways to design a mattress, all of which add their unique stamp to the overall feel. Various textures, body types and sleep habits are catered for within the full range of mattress builds.

They support you differently, whether you want a soft, squidgy layer or a more rigid sleep surface, each react uniquely to your night-time movements. Here, we’re getting deep into mattress styles, and their relevant perks for your sleep:

The plushest – and most trendy mattress subset at the moment, we daresay – is a memory foam mattress. It resists any pressure marks on single areas, meaning you don’t indent the material in one or several places (as you might with another kind of base).

There’s a removable cover on top, right above two layers of foam, both of which bend and flex to your posture. With this mattress, you can find the absolute, 100% perfect groove for your body. Plus – it never creaks!

It has anti-allergen qualities stemming from the foam’s polyurethane template. The close-knit network of fibres prevents dust, pollen and irritants from seeping into the mattress. You’ll also feel warmer, as the same abilities tend to conserve your body heat.

For a memory-style alternative that’s a little bit friendlier on the purse strings, reflex foam mattresses are massively underrated. It has some of the same qualities, yet offers a medium level of firmness. It’s better for those shopping on a budget, or who prefer a slightly firmer base to accommodate their orthopaedic concerns.

View our complete guide to kids single beds, here.

In a modern spring mattress, each metal implement is sown into its own pillar of fabric, making for a tight, bouncy base. Cotton surrounds the fillings, adding to the softness and support. And that second trait is what makes the pocket sprung mattress stand out – it gives you a straight-backed sleep experience like no other.

As opposed to a memory foam build, you’ll be cooler, especially in the summer. If you’re prone to a bad back and strange, twisty shoulder positions, then the pocket sprung mould is just what you need to (literally) straighten it out.

The most common type of mattress, thanks to their affordability and low-frills construction, open coil models have a system of springs connected to one another. But whereas a pocket sprung mattress might have upwards of 1000 springs, these bases typically have a few hundred.

As a result, they are incredibly light, helpful for turning over when you’re cleaning the bed frame. However, greater care is needed around open coil mattresses; force can be applied to one area without it springing back to a level surface. What’s more, they’re sensitive to the movements of someone else; co-sleepers may feel their partner shifting.

With it’s natural elastic properties, a Latex mattress have the ability to retain shape and firmness through design.

Speaking of happy balances, some wise guy has fused the best bits of pocket sprung and memory foam together. A hybrid mattress does just that – melding the sensation of super-soft, yielding material with the straighter and more ‘classic’ impression of a spring design. The coils give greater support than the foam core of a memory model while moulding to your body for a snuggly night’s sleep.

Hush From Airsprung Naturals Pocket 2000 mattress

Mattress size guide

First and foremost, you need to find a good fit for your bed frame. It has to rest on your slats or divan perfectly – not only for practical merit but for the visual cohesion it’ll have with your build and bed covers. There’s no use in skipping over mattress sizes; those legs, arms and back muscles deserve a stable landing zone!

There are six sizes to choose from, built to match their corresponding beds:

UK Cot

1ft8

56cm x 118cm

1’8” x 3’9”:

UK Single

3ft

90cm x 190cm

3’ x 6’3”

UK Small Double

4ft

120cm x 190cm

4’ x 6’3”

UK Double

4ft6

135cm x 190cm

4’6” x 6’3”

UK King size

5ft

150cm x 200cm

5’ x 6’6”

UK Superking size

6ft

180cm x 200cm

6’ x 6’6”

Do I need a mattress cover?

At this stage, you’ve found the mattress type of your dreams – literally – and might be moving swiftly to checkout to give your bedroom a treat. But hold that thought, there’s one wrinkle we may have to iron out: that of the mattress cover, which are generally always sold separately to your main bed and mattress investment.

In essence, the benefits of a cover can be split down the middle, occupying a middle ground between conditioning and comfort. You’ll use them to prolong the cleanliness of your mattress and to add one more spine-friendly layer to the bed base.

It’s no secret that we can get a little hot and sweaty in the night, and that we naturally shed some skin when tossing and turning in bed. So instead of staining the main mattress material, let a cover carry the burden, as it can be removed and cleaned in a jiffy. Then, simply attach it to your mattress with elastic handles at each corner.

However, due care is paid to the manufacturing standard of mattress covers; they aren’t just a safeguard for stains and spills. Designs encompass the latex, air foam and memory foam builds we’ve outlined above. In practice, they can soften or reinforce the texture of your mattress, should you desire a slight tweak now and then.

Taking care of your mattress – the do’s and don’ts

Sleep equates to looking after our bodies when you get down to it. And that attention should cross happily into your mattress maintenance – if you want your mattress to be on its best behaviour, a little TLC is in order.

So, here are some dos and don’ts for the upkeep of your next purchase:

  • Do – Flip the mattress every couple of months. Quarterly should do it. Both sides of the mattress should share the burden of wear and tear. Oh, and you might as well rotate it too, for the same effect.
  • Do – Air your bed frame out, on occasion. If you’re taking a break for the weekend or going on a trip abroad, it’s advisable to take the mattress off, wipe the frame free of dust, and let any stifling particles escape. Vacuum the top surface with the hoover nozzle to get a full, rounded airing procedure.
  • Do – Clean with non-chemical methods. Bleach and specialised cleaning fluid is a strict ‘no no’. Should you stain it, wipe with a cloth and mild cleaning detergent, or (in the case of cotton) cold water. Other treatments will degrade the fibres in the mattress lining.
  • Do – Check your mattress warranty. There will usually be a pointer for how many bed slats/how far apart your slats should be, in relation to the longevity of the mattress design.
  • Don’t – Get it wet. Heavy liquid will seep throughout the bulk of the mattress and could result in staining. If your little ones are prone to bed wetting, consider a waterproof mattress cover.
  • Don’t – Encourage jumping! It almost goes without saying, but kids are fond of tumbling and bouncing on their bed. Pocket sprung and open coil mattresses, in particular, are at risk of damage from this.
  • Don’t – Bend the mattress when moving it between rooms. In the event of a switchover – perhaps when entering a new home, or swapping mattresses from main to guest bed – refrain from curling the item through a doorframe. That’s a heap of pressure to place on the middle springs.
  • Don’t – Perch on the edge. Again, it’s another debilitating issue for the evenness of your support provisions. More stress in one area leads to sagging and a decreased uniformity.
Hush-Premium-Airsprung-Mattress
Hush Premium Pocket Sprung Mattress

Waking up to those sleep possibilities…

There’s not much more we can tell you, really, about the basics of mattress buying. Hopefully, you have a stronger grasp of what to search for, how it’ll complement your sleep routine, and the importance of regular upkeep.

You can, of course, give us a ring on +44 (0) 1305 231231 or email for more FREE advice – we’d love to know all about your ideas, concepts and ruminations before your splash out on this all important purchase.

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