Feeling like a Monster when you wake up in the morning? It may be time for a new mattress…

Here are some pointers for deciding when is the right time, and what mattress is right for you:

Q. I’m considering buying a new mattress – what is the best mattress for me?
A. The answer is a matter of individual taste. What’s best for me may not be best for you. When it comes to mattresses, there is no one-size-fits-all. After all, we’re all built differently and have different comfort and support preferences, so why would the same mattress be “best” for all of us?
To determine the mattress that’s best for you, we recommend using the process of elimination to weed out the ones you don’t like. Come to our showroom and use the “rest test” to narrow down your choices. As you lie down on the mattresses, pay attention to three of the mattress’s most important features: comfort, support and space. The mattress that best fulfills the combination of these needs is the “best” mattress for you. If you sleep with a partner, bring that person with you to test out the mattresses. After all, you will need to reconcile what you like best with what your partner likes best.

Q. How can you best shop for mattresses?
A. You need to understand your needs before you start shopping. We recommend that you think about your lifestyle. How has it changed since you last bought a mattress and how might these changes affect your purchase? And what about your body? Has it changed and how has this affected your needs for support or your comfort preferences? Finally, think about space needs and if you have a partner, take your partner with you to shop for a new mattress. It’s important to find something to meet both your support needs and comfort preferences.
Armed with this information, go to a mattress retailer you trust, someone who will answer your questions with information. Then, take a “rest test” to compare the feel of different mattresses by lying down on them. You will quickly find some mattresses you like and others that do not meet your personal comfort preferences and support needs. Through this process of elimination, you can determine which mattresses you like best.

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Q. What is a better cover for my mattress – Organic Cotton Fabric or Bamboo Fabric?

A. They both have their pros and cons – read on and decide for yourself…

Benefits of Organic Cotton:

• Healthy – Organic Cotton farming does not use synthetic fertilizers, harmful pesticides or other dangerous chemicals that can be harmful to your health.

• Environmentally-friendly – Harmful chemicals are not used that would damage the soil, environment and workers. Cotton is a renewable resource.

• High Quality – Fibers are softer and stronger as they are not broken down by chemical processing.

• Durable – Not exposed to weakening chemicals, Organic cotton will last many years, with proper care.

• Comfortable – Natural fibers are comfortable to the touch. A comfortable feeling knowing that chemicals are not touching the skin, and there is no harm to the environment.

• Did you know? It takes nearly 1/3 of a pound of chemicals to grow enough cotton for just one t-shirt.

Benefits of Bamboo:

• High Quality – Highly absorbent, very breathable, and ultra-soft. This makes it both luxurious and practical as well.

• Hygienic – Resistant to odor, mold, mildew, and bacteria even after numerous washings. It is also Hypo Allergenic, and bedbug and dust mite resistant.

• Easy care – It does not wrinkle and is machine washable in cool water. Fabric softeners are not needed or recommended.

• Aesthetically pleasing – Colorfast and beautifully accepts organic and natural dyes.

• Environmentally Friendly – Bamboo is a renewable resource. In addition, pesticides and fungicides are not used in the growing of bamboo as is it is seldom eaten by insects or infected by pathogens.

• Did you know? Bamboo is not produced from a tree but an extremely fast growing grass. In fact, Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on Earth. Some species can grow up to 1 meter per day and up to 60 feet in height within 90 days. 

• Beware – Majority of bamboo products in the market today are made utilizing strong chemicals to make it into fabric. Check for Oeko-tex certification to ensure adherance to people and planet friendly manufacturing processes.

Q. Memory Foam – is it really like “Sleeping on a Cloud”?

A. Well for some people it is, for others, not so much…

Memory Foam: Squishing and Snoozing

Bodies are bumpy. That simple truth is a big part of the big appeal of memory-foam mattresses—in 2012, Barron’s reported, they commanded 20% of mattress market share and were poised to keep rising. On a regular spring mattress, the heavy parts of your body (such as the hips and shoulders) take on a lot of pressure as you sleep, while others (such as the neck or lower back) receive little support. Modern mattresses have tackled this problem in a variety of ways – Pillow Tops, Pocketed Coils, Hybrid (Memory Foam and Spring) Mattresses, and of course the Memory-Foam mattress –  By letting every part of the body sink in until it reaches a state of supportive equilibrium, memory-foam mattresses spread out the burden, potentially requiring less tossing and turning to relieve pressure points.

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Q. Whats up with all those different kinds of mattress springs? Isn’t a spring a spring?

A. Well, sort of but not – here are mattress springs explained:

Mattress coils, also known as mattress springs, are coil springs used in a mattress. Coils are primarily used in the core (support layer) of innerspring mattresses, which is their original use. In recent years small “micro-coils” have started being used in the upholstery (comfort layer) of mattresses, primarily with a coil core (“coil-on-coil” construction), but sometimes with other core types.

Mattress coils were introduced in the mid-late 19th century, and remain popular in the 21st century, particularly in the United States.

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Q – How should I clean my mattress?

A – How to clean a mattress:

So you just purchased a brand new mattress from Art of Furnishing and and it is already the favorite place for your cat to sleep, eat, and do uh… “other” things… here are several ways to get that mattress clean and smelling fresh:

1. Vacuum the mattress – This helps to keep it clean by the sheer fact that when it does get wet, there is less matter in the dirt to cause it to stain.
2. Try using an upholstery cleaner – Since they are made for surfaces that touch your skin (e.g. your couch), it should work unless you are extremely sensitive to cleaners in general. It also has the advantage of removing dust mites^[1] and their refuse.
3. Use enzyme cleaners. Enzyme cleaners are effective in breaking down the ‘structure’ of the stains which helps to lessen them.

To clean unidentified stains:

• Spray it with a citrus type cleaner and let it set for about five minutes.Afterward, blot (don’t rub) as much of the cleaner out as you can using a clean, white, absorbent cloth. A mild dish detergent can also be used.

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