Can You Put a Mattress on the Floor?

It’s My Mattress and I’ll Put it Where I Want To…

If you thought sleeping on a mattress on the floor was a routine for the penniless, college students, or hippies you couldn’t be more wrong.  While it is still true that here in the states most people prefer their bed to sit at chair height or taller and more elevated, others prefer just placing a mattress & boxspring or just a mattress on the floor to be quite appealing and their preferred choice. Nevertheless the question we’re getting to the bottom of is which issues may arise and what needs to be considered before placing your mattress on the ground.

Not a College Thing

In some eastern countries like Korea, Japan, China, and Vietnam it is not uncommon to sleep on a simple mattress placed on the floor.  Is it due to the lack of independent wealth or just a culture thing? Perhaps bedroom furniture by itself is more of a western concept, like chairs, for example? With many more people asking about putting a mattress on various types of flooring surfaces, we believe “going to the mattresses” is more than just an inexpensive solution for those who can’t afford to buy a bed and boxspring. It’s becoming a practical lifestyle choice.

Making a Drastic Change in How You Use Your Bed? Consider the Following:

When transitioning to new human sleep habits, small toddlers adapt quicker to a mattress that is on the floor. This is especially true for small children who can also be susceptible to falling out of bed, so this can be a safer choice and yes even an inexpensive way for mom and dad to get the kids to sleep. While we really aren’t completely condemning the grounded concept, there are some serious concerns that should be taken into consideration.

Floored by Your Mattress

The biggest issue for most of us is simply getting out of bed and when a person sits that low to the ground it is considerably harder to do. Not only that but pulling yourself up to your feet can be tricky especially when you are groggy and unbalanced. From an elevated position it is not only much easier to get up, but also much safer to standup without become unstable and falling. Beds that sit at what most of us call “traditional height” is the norm and quite frankly for me a more comfortable place to sit, put shoes on, and yes even get dressed.

Unfortunately, in the case of mattresses with no foundation or boxspring other problems can rear their ugly heads. One of those is mold which can lead to various health issues and should be a real concern. The problem is mold and mildew can develop on smooth floors where they cannot breathe. Surfaces like a concrete slab, hardwood, or laminates when a mattress designed to wick moisture is exposed to inadequate air ventilation on the bottom side. This is an issue typically not found with matching boxsprings, foundations, and ventilated platform beds and beds or closely spaced wooden slats for example.

Getting Dirty in Bed

Floors can be filthy dirty places whether your bed is placed on carpet, hardwood, or any other flooring surface. Dirt, dust, and allergens can catch and become trapped in not only the mattress, but the sheets and other bedding leading to more frequent washings as well as bedding wearing out faster. In either case, it is important to occasionally lift the mattress and lean it on its side safely out of the way to air out for several hours, dry thoroughly, and clean underneath. This should ideally be done once a week.

The Up Side to a Mattress on the Floor

Keep in mind many mattresses today don’t require flexible boxsprings and are built to rest on ridged bases called foundations. In appearance they look like a boxspring but are nothing more than an elevated platform designed to support the mattress, position the mattress at a comfortable height, and keep it from falling through the bed frame which can sometimes be squeaky and noisy. So placing it on the floor should have no effect on how the mattress wears over years of daily use. In warmer climates positioning the mattress closer to the floor can actually be cooler. So be a rebel and place your mattress on the floor after all it is yours to do as you wish and in the end it can make for an inexpensive solution and give your friends something to talk about.