To take care of a mattress, I'd follow four rules from its maker's own papers. Set it on the support the maker asks for, and turn it on the maker's schedule. Keep a protector on against spills, and move it without bending or standing on it. Do those and the comfort layers wear evenly, and you stay within the warranty's care terms.
I'm Michael Ruhr at Merit Home Furniture in Duncan, and these rules come from the makers' own warranty papers and help pages. Our Duncan store lists 20 mattresses: 8 Restwell, 10 Restonic and 2 Natura. Sealy, Beautyrest and Tempur-Pedic mattresses are carried at our Campbell River store, so their rules are here for Islanders who own one or order one there.
Where the makers differ, the law label on your own mattress decides. A law label is the tag at the head end that carries the warranty code, and Restwell, Sealy Canada and Tempur Sealy all say to leave it on.
How to take care of a mattress: what every maker on our list agrees on
How to take care of a mattress comes down to the same short list in each care sheet I read, from Restwell's brochure to Beautyrest's help centre.
- Proper support. A queen or king needs a frame with a centre support, and an old box spring under a new bed is the first thing makers rule out.
- A protector. Restwell, Restonic and Natura each say a stained or soiled mattress voids the warranty.
- Keep it dry. No soaking, and no dry cleaning fluid of any type, which Restwell and Sealy say can damage the materials inside.
- Nobody stands or jumps on it. Restwell says its mattress was "not built for the kind of weight concentration" that a standing person puts on it.
- Carry it on its side. The handles are for sliding the mattress into place, never for lifting its full weight.
What should a mattress sit on?
A mattress should sit on a flat, even base its maker approves, and a queen or king needs support down the middle. The slat spacing each maker allows is where they part ways.
| Maker | What goes underneath |
|---|---|
| Restwell | Queen and king frames need a rigid centre support. A headboard and footboard frame needs five hardwood slats and 5 legs, the end slats within 3 inches of each end. |
| Restonic | An appropriate bed frame. A new mattress on an old box spring may not give its full pressure relief and support. |
| Natura | Slats no more than 2 inches apart. Natura doesn't recommend a platform foundation. |
| Sealy | A bridge bar with at least 5 support legs, or 5 hardwood slats with a centre leg. Over 2 inches between slats, a solid platform goes on top. |
| Beautyrest | Its own foundation isn't required. Slats no further than 2 inches apart, or a wood panel over wider ones. |
| Tempur-Pedic | A flat, solid base. Slats about 3 inches wide and no more than 4 inches apart. Plywood over a box spring voids the warranty. |
Restwell says to replace the foundation along with the mattress, because a tired foundation can make a new bed look like it's sagging. Sealy says the same of an old box spring, and both advise against a board slipped under the mattress.
Our website doesn't show a box spring for the Restwell, Restonic or Natura beds right now, so it's worth calling Duncan to ask. Otherwise a Duncan bed goes on a slatted or platform bed that meets the rules above, an adjustable base, or a sound foundation you own. The Beaudoin 961G steel frame, listed for Duncan and Port Alberni, has one centre support and is rated for 650 lb. The Restwell Peak adjustable base is $999.00 in twin XL and $1,099.00 in queen, before applicable taxes. Whether a box spring is worth buying at all is a separate question from care.
How often to rotate or flip a mattress, maker by maker
Rotating a mattress turns it head to foot, and flipping turns it over. Beautyrest and Tempur-Pedic describe their mattresses as one-sided, and a euro top or pillow top sits on one face only, so rotation is usually the whole job.
| Maker | Turning schedule |
|---|---|
| Restwell | Never Turn models: head to toe every 2 weeks for the first 3 months, then monthly. Two-sided models add a flip. |
| Restonic | Monthly for the first 6 months, then quarterly for the rest of the year. |
| Natura | No schedule on its Canadian site, so ask us at Merit. |
| Sealy | On a regular basis, with no number given. |
| Beautyrest | Never flip. Beautyrest Canada recommends rotating at least every 6 months so both sides break in. |
| Tempur-Pedic | Neither. Its mattresses are designed so you don't flip or rotate them. |
Restwell ties turning to the warranty and calls it the owner's responsibility, so for a Restwell I'd mark the dates on a calendar. It also asks for a second person on the job, and wants the whole surface slept on so a king doesn't form a ridge down the middle. The Restwell models Merit lists, with their builds have a guide of their own.
Mattress protectors, spills and the warranty
A mattress protector is what keeps a warranty claim possible. Restwell's brochure says "Any kind of stain(s) WILL void your warranty". Restonic says a soiled, stained or ripped mattress voids it, and Natura says the same of its 10-year warranty.
Merit's Duncan store lists seven Health Guard protectors, $49.00 to $249.00 before applicable taxes by fabric and size. The Health Guard Premium Terry is waterproof and machine washable. Protectors aren't shipped: they're a free pickup in Duncan or ride along with a mattress delivery. Fabrics and fit are compared in our guide to choosing a protector.
How often should I wash my mattress?
The mattress itself never goes in water; the protector and sheets do. For dust mite allergies, HealthLink BC's advice is to wash bedding, mattress covers included, in hot water every week.
The easiest way to clean a mattress, without getting it wet
Keeping a mattress clean is mostly about keeping things off it. Sealy Canada says "Vacuuming is the only recommended cleaning method", which makes it the easiest way too. For a soiled patch, Beautyrest suggests baking soda left for about 15 minutes, then vacuumed.
For a stain, Sealy says mild soap in cold water, applied lightly, never soaked in. Tempur-Pedic Canada says to press towels into a spill and let it air dry, with a fan on it. No maker gives a drying time, so I'd leave the bed unmade until the patch is fully dry. Specific stains like blood or urine are a job of their own.
Will Lysol disinfect a mattress?
None of the makers' care pages I read mentions disinfectant sprays. Restonic says not to use cleaning fluids, and Beautyrest says chemicals applied to the mattress can damage it. On those words I'd keep sprays off and wash the protector instead.
Jumping, sitting on the edge, bending and moving a mattress
Jumping and standing are out with every maker. Beautyrest says not to fold, stand or jump on its mattresses, and Restonic says plainly not to jump on a new one.
Sitting on the edge is fine on a bed built for it. Six of the eight Restwell listings for Duncan describe a foam-encased edge "for sitting and sleeping near the edge". All four Restonic Revive listings name a foam wall or encasement, like the Revive 100 Marissa, from $1,338.00 in twin before applicable taxes.
Bending is where moves go wrong. Restwell says never to bend its mattresses, since it can damage the innerspring, and to flex them through doorways instead. Sealy sets the limit at 25 degrees without a Sealy adjustable base. Both exclude border wires bent in a move from their warranties.
Tempur-Pedic is the exception: its mattresses can be folded for a move, top side in. After hours folded in the cold, Tempur-Pedic Canada says to let it open on its own over a couple of hours. Tempur-Pedic's lines, and the bases Merit lists for them, are in our Tempur-Pedic guide for the Island.
From Duncan, Merit's delivery is $150 across the Island with setup included, so our crew does the carrying.
The break-in period and the new mattress smell
A break-in period is the few weeks a new mattress and a body take to settle. Restonic says it can take several weeks to adjust, and a new bed may feel firmer or softer than in the store. Tempur-Pedic Canada says its material is fully adjusted after a matter of weeks.
The smell goes sooner. Restonic says foam odour should fade within a week, with a few days of airing. Tempur-Pedic Canada says a week or two, with the sheets left off when nobody's in bed.
Shallow body impressions are normal. Restwell treats an indentation up to 1 1/2 inches as normal wear, and Natura counts anything beyond 1.5 inches as a defect. If a new bed still feels wrong after a few weeks, tell us: at Merit Duncan, exchanges are encouraged up to 30 days, case by case.
Humidity, airing and a mattress in an Island bedroom
Humidity matters to a mattress because damp feeds mould and dust mites. Health Canada advises keeping indoor relative humidity between 30% and 50%. HealthLink BC says dust mites do well where humidity is greater than 50%, and suggests keeping the house aired out and dry.
Sealy says not to put a mattress directly on the floor, and a raised base lets air reach the underside. I'd also pull the covers back for a while each morning. In a cold spare room, a cheap hygrometer on the dresser shows whether the air sits above that 50% line.
Tempur-Pedic Canada says humid air can make its mattress seem a little softer without changing it. It also advises against electric blankets and heating pads, which it says may damage the material over time.
When mattress care won't fix the problem
Care won't fix a mattress that has softened with age or never suited you. Restwell's warranty excludes comfort preference and a gradual change in feel, and Sealy excludes comfort preference too. Restwell and Sealy also leave transport costs on a claim to the owner.
Age is the other limit. Restonic says a mattress should last 7 to 10 years, and Sealy Canada gives 8 to 10 for a quality one. Is it okay to sleep on a 20-year-old mattress? By both makers' numbers it's well past its life, however well it was kept. The signs are in how long a mattress lasts, and how to tell, and sag depths and claims are in furniture and mattress warranties, maker by maker.
A maker's own care card beats any general advice, this page included.
Where these mattress care rules come from
- Restwell Sleep Products, Warranty and Mattress Care brochure (2024), checked November 2026.
- Restonic (US site), Frequently Asked Questions on care, turning, odour and protectors, checked November 2026.
- Natura World Canada, FAQs on foundations, slats, warranty and protectors, checked November 2026.
- Natura World Canada, Warranty, checked November 2026.
- Sealy Canada, Warranty Information and care of your sleep set, checked November 2026.
- Sealy Canada, frequently asked questions on frames, rotation, cleaning and lifespan, checked November 2026.
- Beautyrest Canada, Beautyrest Product Warranty Information, checked November 2026.
- Beautyrest help centre (US), Do I need to flip or rotate my mattress?, checked November 2026.
- Beautyrest help centre (US), What are Beautyrest foundation requirements?, checked November 2026.
- Beautyrest help centre (US), How do I move my Beautyrest mattress?, checked November 2026.
- Beautyrest help centre (US), How do I clean my mattress?, checked November 2026.
- Tempur-Pedic Canada, FAQs on foundations, folding, odour, humidity and spills, checked November 2026.
- Tempur Sealy, Mattress Care Guide (hospitality), law label advice, checked November 2026.
- Health Canada, Mould (date modified February 13, 2023), checked November 2026.
- HealthLink BC, Controlling Dust, Dust Mites, and Other Allergens in Your Home (current as of February 27, 2023), checked November 2026.
- Merit Home Furniture's mattress, protector, frame and base listings, read November 1, 2026, and the Duncan store's delivery and exchange terms.
Questions about mattress care for our Duncan store
If you're not sure which rules apply to your bed, bring the model name or a photo of the law label to Merit's Duncan store. It's at 107 Ingram Street, open 9 to 5, Monday to Saturday. We'll go through the maker's terms with you and whether your frame meets them, at your own pace.
For a Sealy, Beautyrest or Tempur-Pedic, call our Campbell River store at (250) 286-0868.
Call the Duncan store, (250) 746-5527
The mattresses we list and the mattress pads and protectors that guard them each have a collection, and Merit's guides to buying and keeping a bed share one page.