Last Updated on January 31, 2023
A comfortable mattress is the ingredient of a good night’s sleep. Each of us has different preferences regarding comfort, and the same goes for mattresses. You should buy a mattress that fits your needs, but sometimes things can go wrong; you may end up with one which is too soft. Mattresses can also get saggy and lose their form over time due to wear and tear.
Replacement is not always an option and of course, it does not apply to new ones. So today we are going to offer you some simple tips on how to make a mattress firmer.
Make Your Mattress More Firm: 6 Easy Steps
1. Manipulating Bedroom Temperature
Temperature can affect the firmness. Generally, higher temperatures make it soft, while a colder environment makes it firm. So you can try lowering down the bedroom temperature using an air conditioner for a firmer finish. This will ensure that your sleep surface remains at a temperature that you love. Plus, it can significantly affect mattress life and longevity considering hot environments can cause sagging and hence reduce its overall lifespan.
2. Using Toppers
Mattress toppers are mini sheets of memory foam or latex that can be put over the existing mattress surface to add support and make it firmer; these are typically anything between 2-6 inches in height. They also come in other fillings such as polyester, cotton, wool, and other natural and synthetic materials, which are usually much thinner (approx 1-2 inches) and are often called pads as opposed to toppers. Pads will most likely make your sleep surface softer, so best to avoid these. Buy a topper matching your current bed size for a cheap but effective solution. They come with straps that can be used to hold them in place. It is easy to attach them and add robust support for extra support.
3. Using Plywood Support
Lack of adequate support can make even the best mattress feel softer than usual. For best results, you can place a piece of plywood underneath when the boxsprings are no longer proving enough support. One thing to note is the plywood should match the mattress dimensions exactly; too small, and there will be an overhang, too large, and the wood may protrude and cause injury. Additionally, smooth out the edges so that sharp corners are removed. You should check your manufacturer for recommendations before placing the plywood as it can sometimes invalidate the warranty. If placing the plywood does not solve your problem, then try replacing the box spring.
4. Place It On The Floor
If it is not possible to follow the above methods, then you can place the mattress on the floor instead. Of course, there are certain things you need to keep in mind when placing on the floor, such as dust and bugs from the carpet, or colder temperatures emitting from tiled or laminate flooring, or even cold drafts from nearby doors. If done correctly, this can be a cheap way to make any mattress that is soft to become firm. For more information, check our latest post on floor mattresses.
5. Flip It Over
Some mattresses can be used on both sides, but not all. If yours is a double-sided mattress, then it’s possible. If it isn’t double sided, then you may cause more damage than good. By flipping a mattress over onto the other side it can cause the surfaces to wear evenly, thus increasing the lifespan. Try flipping every so often, perhaps every 6 months or so. Regular changing of sides makes it retain shape for a more extended period.
6. Killing Bacteria
Another excellent way to make firmer is to have it out under the sun. You could do it every few months. Not only does it dry out and resolve mold, dampness and mildew issues, but it can also kill many germs and bacteria as well. While not as effective as when you give it to a professional cleaner, it is definitely one of the things that you should try out which will make a difference.
Conclusion
The six things mentioned above are the cheapest and easiest methods. Which one you choose depends on your circumstances and budget, but as you can see it is quite simple to achieve effective results in a DIY fashion with little or no cost at all. Try some of them out, and almost certainly, you will see good results instantly.
Where does one find a topper to make a mattress firmer? We both have back issues and
have replaced 2 new mattresses in the last 8 months … Both of which we labelled firm and were
firm at the dept store but quickly became to soft and have affected not only backs but our
sleep and daily activities. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Take a look at some of the latex mattress toppers we have reviewed. Latex toppers are firm, durable, and especially good for back pain.
To firm my pillow-top mattress I used a comforter (inside a cover) on top of the mattress, then placed my mattress cover, sheets, etc. (I had some difficulty stretching that mattress cover over everything). Guests have remarked how well they slept.
I had a sag in my pillow too mattress with no way to flip. I spray foamed 2 cans into sagging area and that firmed it up for $16.
i have just bought a pillow top mattress, i have issue on my back and every morning i have really a bad ache even while am sleeping on it.
so with the comment above, now i know i made a big mistake buying a pillow tap mattress. it sags so much and now its not even. so every other night have to sleep on one side and next night i have to sleep on the other side..i always wake up with a bad ache in this new bed. the bed is onlytwo weeks old and immediately i know its not a good mattress
Which mattress did you buy? Sounds like a defective product if it has started to sag so soon. Make contact with the supplier or manufacturer and see what they have to say. Potentially, you could get a replacement or your money back. Additionally, it may just be that it’s too soft for your requirements. Pillow top mattresses are very soft and plush, but they will ultimately have an acceptable level of support underneath the “pillow top” which sometimes can be mistaken with sagging. Anyhow, a mattress rep from the company will be able to determine the exact issue.
Nice article. I used to put my mattress on the floor since my spring got damaged but within a few nights i started feeling some lower back pain, could it be because my mattress was not of high quality? I don’t really know what is considered a good mattress.