How Often Should You Rotate Your Mattress & How to Do It Right

Mattresses are often “get it and forget it” items in the house – pieces of furniture that you rarely give a second thought to after you bring them home. But to take good care of your mattress, you need to do more than just change the sheets and clean up messes. You should also make a habit of caring for and rotating mattresses, but many people wonder how often you should move your mattress and how to rotate a mattress in the safest way possible.

This article is all about mattress care and rotating, so read on to learn more about why it’s important and when to mark your calendar.

Should Mattresses Be Flipped?

The answer to this question is no, because most mattresses are not designed to be the same on both the top and bottom. A pillowtop mattress is one type of mattress that should not be flipped because all of the cushioning and cooling features are only on one side. Flipping a one-sided mattress will likely damage your bed, resulting in lower sleep quality and more discomfort. However, you can rotate pillowtop mattresses, by placing the head end at the feet end and vice versa, to even out the wear and usage.

Why Should You Move Your Mattress?

Although mattress technology has greatly improved in recent years, it is still beneficial to rotate your mattress so that your weight is distributed more evenly across the surface. You will get a longer lifespan out of your mattress when you shift it around in these ways and doing so may even help promote better spine alignment in your body.  

How Often Should You Rotate Your Mattress?

As a general rule, and depending upon your mattress type, a standard mattress should be rotated every three to six months. However some mattresses, such as memory foam mattresses, benefit from being rotated about twice per year.

Older mattresses you've had for a while should be rotated more often than newer mattresses because mattress contents can settle with age and time. We recommend changing your mattress every seven to 10 years, based on several factors. Very high-quality mattresses tend to require less rotating, often just once per year, so take this into consideration when you are shopping for new mattress sets.

Mattress Rotating Tips

If you’re wondering exactly how to rotate a mattress that is heavy or awkward to handle, there are definitely right ways and wrong ways to do this. To prevent back and shoulder injuries, wait until another person is home and can help you rotate the mattress, because this really is a two-person job. When it’s time to move your bed, remove any lamps, decorative items or other pieces of furniture that may get in the way and be knocked over.

To determine when it is time for a rotation, try to pay attention to visible sagging or the sensation of sagging when you are in bed. One helpful tip is to set a calendar reminder every three months for yourself to assess how your mattress looks and feels. This is a reliable way to keep track of when you’ve last rotated your mattress to keep it looking and feeling great for many more years.

If at one of those three-month assessments you discover your mattress is excessively saggy, stained, torn or otherwise damaged, it may be time to replace the mattress altogether. Fortunately, The Brick has a huge selection of mattresses to choose from in king, queen, full, twin and twin XL sizes, and also from top mattress brands. Also, check out our mattresses on sale to find huge discounts on some of our favourite products!