Why You Shouldn't Make Your Bed First Thing, Even If Mama Said So

Old habits are hard to break, including making the bed first thing in the morning. But when it comes to the health of your bedding, mattress, and overall sleep situation, putting off this early-morning task might just be in your best interest. It isn't just about delaying a sometimes mundane chore until after your morning coffee for reasons largely centered on “just because.” It turns out that making your bed right away might not allow your mattress and linens enough time to air out between use.

Mark Abrials, CMO and co-founder of Avocado Green Brands, a company focusing on certified organic bedding and mattresses, understands the appeal of sticking with tradition when it comes to this housekeeping task. “Making your bed is a simple yet powerful daily ritual that brings satisfaction and a sense of order,” he says. “As my mother used to say, ‘How you start your day is how you live your day.” There’s merit to this point of view, which is why we’ll never say forget the bed altogether but, instead, perhaps just put it off for an hour or two—or at least until you’ve had a cup of coffee.

Why Should You Wait to Make Your Bed?

Moisture can build up on our bedding and pillows, permeating your mattress. This is true no matter the season, but it's especially so during the warmer months. This moisture-rich environment is ideal for encouraging dust mites to thrive. Not only are these unsavory guests generally just gross to think about, but they can also produce allergens that can irritate issues like asthma and allergies.

It’s thought that pulling down your sheets and airing out your linens and bed before making it can help reduce moisture buildup, thus reducing the appeal of your cozy sleep space for these uninvited pests. During the warmer months, go ahead and put your ceiling fan on (if you’re in the South, we know you have one) to give your linens a drying boost.

How To Prevent Moisture From Getting to Your Mattress

Even when you’re airing out your linens daily, you’ll still want to ensure you’re protecting your mattress against inevitable moisture. For this, Abrials suggests a mattress protector, particularly one that’s soft and absorbent so it can wick away sweat while ensuring you’re not tossing and turning to the chorus of a crinkling, uncomfortable plastic protector. If you need heavier duty protection—i.e. children’s beds or beds also shared with pets—go for a full waterproof protector that will ensure spills and other issues don’t seep into the mattress where they’ll be hard to remove. 

How To Air Out Your Mattress

While airing out your linens daily is the new right way to make a bed (we’re calling it), you’ll still want to give your mattress a more formal airing out on a regular basis. Abrials says the best way to do this is with a deep clean.

First, he advises stripping down the bed and sprinkling baking soda over the mattress. “The baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) actually draws dirt, moisture, and odors out of the fabric surface and the materials beneath (wool, cotton, and latex),” he says.

After the baking soda has been sitting on the mattress for at least 30 minutes, use a vacuum to remove the baking soda. You’ll want to ensure your vacuum can pick up those tiny particles, so check your manufacturer’s instructions before you begin this cleaning process in order to be armed with the right tools.

Complete this process monthly to keep your mattress in top shape, or even more often during warmer months when moisture is an increasingly big issue. Pair this task with regularly airing out your bed and linens and you’ll make your bed a healthier place, even if your sweet dreams are sweaty ones, too.