Rotating Your Futon Mattress
There are many people who use futon mattresses as the main piece of furniture in their living room. It can substitute as both sofa and a bed for a guest, which is why most people purchase them. They can serve as the premier furniture in small homes and apartments as they conserve both space and money. However, if the futon mattress isn’t taken care of properly, it will sag when you sit on it and develop lumps. Rotating a full size futon mattress might sound like a chore and it very well could be depending on the kind of mattress you use, but it only takes a couple of minutes generally and will preserve the shape of your mattress over its lifespan.
The longer you continue to sit in the same spots on your futon sofa or lay in the same area in your futon bed, the more likely you are to developing these lumps and sags. The cotton batting thins out in these areas and your sitting position will eventually compromise your posture. The mattress needs time to air out and fluff itself up again between sittings. Rotating and setting it on end to air out frequently (depending on the material used within the mattress) is a recommended way to combat this problem.
To decide how often you need to rotate a mattress for futon beds look to the material from which it is made which will dictate the degrees of softness.
Futon Mattress: Degrees of Softness
In a lot of ways a futon mattress closely resembles a standard box spring and mattress in that it can vary in its degree of softness. You can choose a soft mattress made from 100% cotton or choose an innerspring futon mattress which has individually wrapped coil springs like a standard mattress, making it firmer and less likely to sag and lump. Check the guide below to decide what kind of mattress you will need for your sleeping or sitting comfort. One thing to note: innerspring futons are made for beds only, as the mattress cannot be folded like a typical tri fold futon mattress.
Soft futons
These are typically categorized as soft or ultra soft. Both of these are made of a surrounding layer of cotton with several layers of foam with a foam core. They act as great cushions for the body while at rest or while sleeping. They don’t provide a lot of support but they are extremely comfortable if support is not an issue with you.
Medium Softness Futons
Medium can be on either side of soft or firm. These will have more cotton batting in them and often a foam core. The more flexible ones are the coil futon mattress with the innersprings. The coils are wrapped in foam, making them comfortable yet firm. These provide softness and support where the cotton foam futon mattress provides less support and more softness. They might have a layer of polyester to add to the firmness. Medium is a broader category than soft or firm because there are so many variants to make a mattress fall into a medium status. Polyester provides firmness, so the more polyester the firmer the mattress. The same goes for cotton, although polyester will hold its shape longer than cotton. Foam is strictly the softness factor and often is used in the core of every mattress except the 100% cotton futon mattress.
These medium firm mattresses are usually recommended by doctors since they are firm enough to give you more back support, but still soft enough for your body to merge into. Doctors will often recommend the medium softness futon as it provides adequate support while letting you get a good night’s rest.
Firm Futon Mattresses
There are three sub-categories that fall under firm: firm, extra firm and ultra firm. Firm futon mattresses are 100% cotton. These are very pliable and easy to develop sags and become lumpy as the cotton can shift far easier within the cover than the other types. They are also a bit awkward to move around if you have a larger queen futon mattress. Surprisingly the other firm sub-categories include dense layers of foam. Foam, as mentioned, is used primarily for softness, however, when tightly condensed it can provide a very firm mattress. The ultra firm futon will be entirely made of dense foam. These are the futons that are made to lie on platform bed frames.
When To Rotate Your Futon Mattress
Now, depending on the kind of mattress you choose, rotating will become less an issue for you to wonder about. Cotton futons require the most attention as they are less likely to hold their shape over a long period of time. The fold easily but the sheer weight of the cotton can make it a difficult bed to manipulate. With a cotton futon it is recommended that you rotate it at the very least, once a month. For medium weight futons you can rotate them less often, about once every three months. With firmer futon beds they can be treated as a standard mattress and can be rotated every six months.
When you start to flip the mattress to be rotated, you always want to make sure you do so in a consistent manner, meaning flip it in the same direction every time. This will ensure proper weight distribution and evenness. Depending on the manner in which you use it, how far to rotate comes into question. A futon sofa will need to be flipped 180 degrees each time. It’s just a matter of turning it over and letting the filling push the opposite way. With regards to sleeping you will not only flip the mattress 180 degrees, but also rotate it 180 degrees. Doing this consistently will prolong the shape of your mattress and let it wear evenly.
Finally, regardless of the structure of your bed, try and air it out at least once a year by placing in direct sunlight. Having air circulate through the fibers will help open them up and release from each other if they have absorbed any kind of moisture over the course of the year. Cotton futon mattresses are very susceptible to moisture absorption, even if you use a futon cover.
One more thing to note is that the firmer your mattress, the longer it will last. Some have been known to last up to ten years before needing to be replaced. Keeping a regular rotating schedule will help your futon mattress last as long as it can and provide you with the comfort for which it was intended throughout its lifetime.
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