Bedding and Its Care

Extension Bulletin 262 (Revised) August, 1942 BEDDING AND ITS CARE EXTENSION SERVICE State College of Washington Pullman Washington Table of Contents Page Care of the Mattress ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 Protecting the Mattress ---------------------------.--------------------------------------------- 3 A CoYer for the Springs ------------------------------------------------------------ :'. ________ 3 Repairing Bedstead and Springs ---------------- --------------- ------------------------ 5 A Mattress Cover ______________________________________________ :___________________________________ 6 A Mattress Pad -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Mattress Repair -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 Reconditioning Spring Filled j\/[attresses ------------------------------------------ 9 Pillows and Their Care -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 9 Home Care of Feathers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10 Vv ashing Blankets and Pillows ------------------------------------------------------------ 11 Washing Quilts and Comforters ----------------------------- -------------------- -- ----- 12 Making a Pillow Protector -------------------- ----------------··:·----- --------------------- 12 How to Prepare Raw Wool for Bedding-------------------------------- ----- ------- 13 .Points to Consider in Making Quilts ------------------------------------------------ 16 Comfort or Blanket Protector ------------------------------------------------------- ------- 16 Directions For Making A Down Puff ---------------------------------- -------------- 17 Selecting Bed Linen and Blankets ------------------------------------------------------ 20 Care of the Bed ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22 Pest Control ------------------------- --------------------------------- ------------------------------------ 23 References --------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23 2 Bedding And Its Care By Alice Sundquist Extension Specialist in Clothing and Textiles Bedding will give long service if it is carefully chosen and given good care. Mattresses, pillows, blankets and comforters re ceive hard wear and are not easily cleaned. Simple protectors which can be laundered frequently can be purchased or made for these articles. CARE OF THE MATTRESS Mattresses should be aired, beaten, and sunned every few months. This keeps the cotton fluffy and insures a soft and com- fortable bed. The mattress must be turned from end to end and from side to side frequently. It is advisable to give the mattress a thorough beating on both sides each time it is turned. Protecting the Mattress A spring cover, mattress slip cover, and a mattress pad will keep a mattress clean. A new mattress should not be used on top of or underneath another mattress. The cotton will lose its fluffiness. A Cover for the Springs A cover for coil bed springs is excellent insurance for the long life of a mattress. It will protect the mattress from rust stains caused by the springs; it will pr.otect the mattress from tears on rough edges of the springs; it. will largely eliminate the collection of dust from the floor, making the springs easier to clean; it will make the bed warmer in the winter, since the cold air from the floor will be cut off; and it wili give the bed a more "tailored" appearance. Material for a spring cover is not expensive. Six-ounce cotton ticking makes a good cover, as does other material which is woven closely enough to be practically dustproof. Closely woven feed or seed sacks or used canvas may be used satisfactorily when avail able. In addition to the material for the cover, tape will also be needed, to be used in tying the center portion of the cover to the springs. Two yards of_tape will be needed. This amount will be sufficient for eight ties spaced six inches apart at the opening. 3 Dimensions of most coil springs are 52" x 73 0 " x 50 ". It is best to fit the springs cover, over the springs as it is made to make certain it is the right size. The portion of the cover shown in Figure 1 laps over the top of the springs about 16 inches. Corn ers are then mitered, and an open ing left so that the cover may be slipped off. Either a zipper about 42" long or eight tape ties may be used in closing this opening. Thpe t·,e~ or z.ipper- Fig. r. Top view of springs cover. Figure 2 shows the center piece to be inserted in the square opening shown in Fig. 1. This piece should be about two inches wider and two inches longer than the vacant square, so that the en tire springs will be covered. The ties are to be attached to the springs to prevent the insert from sliding. Since the two portions of the cover are not attached to each other, the cover will "give" with the springs when they are bear ing weight. Fig. 2. Piece to be inserted in center of cover. 4 " r- ----- I I I I Figure 3 shows how the I springs cover will look after the I piece has been inserted in the cen I I ter. Dotted lines show how the I excess width and length will be I overlapped by the larger covering. I--- - - -- -~. .~ "Fig . J. Center piece inserted in top ""'of springs cover. It extends about two inches under edge of cover and ties loosely to springs. Top view. '~· ---------'~-----------~~ Fig. 4· Bottom view of springs cover. Fig. s. A spring cover partially in place. Figure 4 shows how the underside of the springs cover will look, with the zipper fastening or tie extending about 16" under the mattress. If cotton tapes are used, eight will be required, spaced about six inches apart. Repairing Bedstead and Springs Check over the bedstead noting all loose joints and think through the best way to eliminate the play causing the creak. It may be that some loose parts can be filled in or built up with plastic wood, or a bolt or screw may need to be tightened or added. There are large corner braces and devices on the market which might be used to brace the frame. E ach frame is an individual problem. Sagging springs are sometimes corrected by tightening wires connecting the coils or by the replacement of coils. If the springs have rusted in places and discolored the mattress, a coat of enamel will prevent further damage. A Mattress Cover A mattress cover is simply a slip cover or case made to fit over a mattress. Light weight cotton is recommended as the best mater ial for a mattress cover. This can be washed easily and often. Unless material already on hand, such as old sheets or flour sacks, can be used there is little difference in the cost of buying a mattress cover ready made and buying material for making a cover. If material is purchased for making a cover, buy sheeting (unbleached) which is just the width of the mattress. Shrink new material before cutting. Buy enough material to provide for the top and bottom of the mattress and for the boxing and an eight-inch flap at one end. Five yards of 54-inch material will make a mattress cover for a double bed size mattress 54" x 74". Allow generous seams in mak ing the mattress cover. Extra strength and a well-tailored appear ance can be gained by binding the seams with bias binding or they may be french seamed making the seam on the outside. The latter method is not as costly. Make the boxing the depth of the mattress on both sides and on one end. On the other end leave an extra eight inches of mat erial to serve as a flap which can be buttoned over the end of the mattress. Rubber buttons are preferable for this purpose, and from six to eight are needed. (Rubber buttons from discarded undergar ments may be us('d.) 6 With this construction, the mattress cover can be unbuttoned and pulled off the mattress just as a pillow case is removed. The mattress cover should fit more snugly than the spring cover, be cause there is not as much "give" to a mattress as to coil springs; it should fit tightly enough so pi& u1tons '\ that there will be no bagginess, yet loosely enough so that it can 0 ~ t 0 0 0 ~ 0 , be slipped off and on with ease. ~~--------------~Fig. 6. A mattress cover. ~ A Mattress Pad A mattress pad is placed over the covered mattress and under the bottom sheet. It protects the mattress from stains and body perspiration. The pad can be bought at a reasonable price or can be . made at home from an old quilt or comforter cut down to fit the mattress and with the edges neatly bound. A pad .can be made ' using a material such as unbleached muslin or flour sacks and a layer of cotton. Mattress pads should come just to the edges of the rna ttress. They should be f rounded on the corners and about T l I the thickness of a cotton quilt. I l I I I I From a pound to a pound and I one-half of dry, clean, long staple I l I I - f 11 x2." qui ted' squar~s cotton is needed for a mattress · I I • pad. The pad should be quilted I sufficiently to hold the cotton in I~ t- f-+-- - f-. place when laundered; when prac tical the pad may be quilted on a f- sewing machine. See F igure 7. T It may be quilted in straight or I T 1- 1-- I diagonal lines which make ap proximately two inch squares. , ~ ~- The mattress pad should be bound tr- l I w ith a bias binding. Whip the Fig. 7. A mattress pad. binding down by hand on the wrong side of t he pad. 7 MATTRESS REPAIR Cotton filled mattresses which have become lumpy can be opened up and reworked but it is a big undertaking for homemak ers. If you plan to have the mattress reworked commercially take it to a reliable factory. Be assured that they will clean and condition your own material and put it back, adding new material if addi tional is needed. Homemakers can prolong the life of their mattresses by keep ing them turned regularly (end to end, and side to side) by sunning and airing frequently, by tufting and by repairing rolled edges promptly. Use strong twine · for mattress repair.

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