Help w/ my Mattress Choice

[phoenix]

Hi jsjs54,

Thanks for the update … I appreciate it.

I’ve read all the mattress pad threads but I’m still not clear on if the St. Dormeir or that type of wool cover is more liquid / stain proof than the downright all cotton pad I bought.

Wool is more water resistant than cotton but it would depend on the thickness of the mattress pad you have. A mattress pad will absorb more moisture than a thinner stretch knit cotton protector but the only way to really compare them for water resistance would be to pour some water on each one and see which one keeps the water from going through the longest which isn’t really practical if you only own one of them.

I hate to spend that kind of money on something that will only last a couple of years. I’m happy w/ the quality and feel of the cotton bad but I worry a bit about stains since the stretch cotton top on the mattress would clearly suck up any dirt.

The St Dormeir would be more water resistant than a stretch knit cotton mattress protector but it may not be more water resistant than a cotton mattress pad which has thicker layers of cotton batting however the thicker mattress pad will also have a bigger effect on the “feel” of the mattress. If I had to guess I would say that the St Dormeir would probably be “more” water resistant than the cotton mattress pad you have but I don’t know for certain. The St Dormeir should also last much longer than 2 years (the warranty is 3 years but wool is a very durable material and should last longer than that).

This is really a matter of “best judgement” based on your own knowledge of how much you perspire at night, the likelihood of any accidents or spills, how you feel about the better temperature regulation of wool, and on how your mattress pad affects the “feel” of your mattress.

Also, is there any reason to cover the bottom of the mattress? I worry it’s exposed to dust coming through the slats under the bed but it seems silly to rap the whole thing up so it can’t breathe. Maybe just lay a simple sheet over the slats before laying the mattress down?

The biggest reason to use a mattress encasement would be for allergy reasons or to protect against bed bugs (see post #2 here). Dust coming through the slats isn’t something that would normally concern me but there is no harm in putting a sheet over the slats if it’s something that you are concerned about.

Phoenix