Useful Tips for Rolling Up Your Mattress Pad

Add extra comfort and support to your mattress with a mattress topper, a removable cushioning layer that can be washed and reused. A mattress topper is an affordable alternative to purchasing a new mattress and can breathe new life into an older one. The extra padding makes the bed softer or firmer and gives it more structural integrity. For the sake of keeping the topper's soft surface in good condition while it's being transported or stored, it's recommended that you roll up your mattress topper rather than fold it. Mattress toppers are used to modify the feel of a bed. Do you want to know how to roll up a mattress topper?

You can choose from three excellent alternatives if you're in the market for a new mattress topper.

Remove all sheets and blankets from the topper before rolling it up and storing it in a bag to avoid creasing the mattress topper.  

Mattress toppers should never be folded because doing so can damage the foam and render it useless. If you want to keep your mattress topper in good condition and avoid creasing it during storage, you should roll it up.  

Here are some directions for rolling up your mattress pad:

Step 1 It's time to get everything off the mattress pad.

Remove any pillows, cushions, sheets, and blankets that may be resting on the mattress topper. Take off any extra blankets or protectors from your bed. In this way, the mattress pad can be rolled up more easily. These bedding storage bags are great for tucking away sheets, blankets, and pillows when they're not in use.  

Step 2 The Mattress Pad should be placed in a Ziploc bag for long-term storage.

You can keep the mattress topper clean and protected from dust and dirt by storing it in its original packaging, a plastic bag, or a mattress vacuum storage bag. The bag needs to be proportional to the size of the mattress pad. Great for storing mattresses, even with thicker toppers, these Amazon bags are available in a variety of sizes.

The mattress topper's end goes into the bag first, and the bag is pulled along the topper's length until the entire topper is contained within the bag. Get some assistance with this process if you need to put down a heavy mattress topper.
Tape the bag shut to prevent air leakage. Fold the plastic over and tape it shut if the mattress bag is bigger than the topper. You might not need the tape if you purchase a mattress topper bag made from a resealable plastic.

To use a vacuum storage bag, simply insert the vacuum's valve into the bag's hole to remove air and reduce the bag's height. The vacuum's nozzle can be conveniently placed on a vacuum bag, the air can be quickly removed, and the vacuum can be stored away in a small space thanks to the pod's ability to be lifted away.  

Step 3 Compactly roll the mattress pad inside its carrying case.

If you need to transport a queen- or king-sized mattress topper, you may want to enlist a friend's assistance. This vacuum storage bag is available in Queen and King sizes to accommodate even the largest of mattresses.  

When stowing a mattress topper, press down on one end to compact it, then roll the topper and its storage bag together. The mattress topper should be rolled up, secured with straps or ropes, and kept in a dry, cool place, away from direct sunlight, to prevent mildew growth. Read "Sensitization to Domestic Mites in a Cold Temperate Region" from ATS Journals to learn more about how low temperatures affect dust mite development.   

See also:

Storage Bags for Mattress Pads

Over the past few years, the use of vacuum storage bags or compression bags to store mattress toppers and mattresses has exploded in popularity.  

Vacuum storage bags are ideal for storing mattress toppers because they protect the topper from dust and dirt and can be compressed to take up less room. Putting mattress toppers in vacuum storage bags reduces their overall size, making them more convenient to transport.  

Some mattress toppers need air to retain their shape, while others may develop deep folds from being compressed in a vacuum bag for an extended period of time (say, six months to a year). If you're looking for a good way to store your mattress topper, you should read our guide on how to use a mattress topper, where we go over the various topper options and the materials used to make them. Read our article for a full rundown of all the different kinds of mattress toppers.

You can see three different types of vacuum storage bags for mattress toppers in the examples below.

Have You Ever Rolled Up A Mattress Pad?  

A mattress topper's ability to be rolled up without being damaged depends heavily on the material it's made from.

Mattress toppers that are too thick or heavy or otherwise not intended to be rolled up should not be rolled up. Memory foam mattress toppers, for example, can be safely compressed and rolled up due to their soft structure, while an innerspring mattress topper risks getting damaged when rolled more than one pivot due to its only being designed to bend up to 45 degrees.

It's more of a challenge to roll a topper that's thicker. Magnetic mattress toppers require special attention when being rolled up to prevent structural damage. Find out how to maintain your magnetic mattress topper by reading our guide. Also, before you try to roll up and transport a mattress topper, you should find out how much it weighs. Be sure to check out that piece for additional details.

Justifications for tucking a Mattress Pad Into a Roll

This convenient mattress pad can be rolled up and stored away in a jiffy thanks to its vacuum-sealed bag. A MemoryFoamTalk image

A mattress topper should be rolled up before being stored. The topper is made out of some fragile materials, so please refrain from folding it. When you're finished rolling up the mattress pad, put it in a plastic bag.  

A mattress topper can be rolled up without creasing and transferred to a different bedroom with ease. This safeguards the mattress pad while in storage or transit.  

Instead of folding, which could cause creases that damage the coils, edges, and foam encasing, a mattress topper is best stored rolled up to protect the fabric and filling. The Amazon Tri-Fold Mattress Topper is an unusual product because it can be folded into three separate pieces. You should always roll up a mattress topper unless it is one of the few exceptions listed above.

If you do a lot of traveling, you might also want to consider packing a mattress topper. In addition to our 10 suggestions for making a hotel bed firmer and more comfortable, please read our article on how to soften a hotel bed for more information.

Is There a Special Way to Roll Up a Latex Mattress Pad?

Due to the wide variety of materials used, storing or rolling a mattress topper will vary slightly from one topper to the next. Safely storing a latex mattress topper is easy because it can be rolled up. This article will discuss the differences between latex and memory foam mattress toppers, as well as how to choose between the two based on your personal sleeping preferences and needs.  

It is recommended to lay a large plastic sheet on the floor, place the latex mattress topper on top of the plastic, and then roll up the plastic and topper carefully while applying pressure.  

To prevent the latex from becoming separated from the plastic bag as you roll the hybrid mattress topper, keep the latex side facing the bag. Make sure the topper is rolled up very tightly by applying pressure as you do so. Rolling the topper under pressure causes the air to escape.

Read "Novel Natural Rubber Latex Memory Foam" for a more in-depth look at the structure and characteristics of latex, available on ResearchGate. Our supplementary article provides further details on the topic of storing a latex mattress topper.

Related content:

Tips for Unrolling a Memory Foam Mattress Pad

The memory foam mattress topper needs to be rolled out and allowed to expand fully before use. Downloadable image courtesy of Amazon

It is important to give a mattress topper adequate time to "fluff" itself back into shape after it has been compressed. It's important to let a mattress topper fully decompress before sleeping on it for maximum comfort and support. If you want to know how to speed up the expansion of a memory foam mattress topper, read our article on how to help a mattress topper expand.  

When using a memory foam mattress topper, it is important to allow it to fully expand for the recommended 72 hours after unpacking and rolling it out on the bed.  

Step 1 Unroll the mattress protector.

Bring the package to its final destination first. Then, carefully remove the memory foam mattress topper from its sealed storage bag.  

Step 2 Extra Pillows for the Bed

Unroll the mattress protector and set it on the bed first. Next, you should gently unroll the memory foam mattress topper. Unrolling the topper makes it harder to move and readjust.  

Step 3 Relax and let the Mattress Pad Swell

Make sure you give the mattress pad at least 24 to 72 hours to fully expand before getting some shut-eye. Inconvenience may arise from sleeping on the topper before it has fully expanded. The different types of toppers and how they can soften or firm up a mattress depending on the sleeper's specific needs and desired support are discussed in our mattress topper hack article, which you can read here.

After Being Removed From the Package, How Long Does It Take for a Memory Foam Mattress Topper to Expand?

The thickness and density of the topper, the temperature of the room where the topper is placed, and the length of time the topper remains rolled inside its storage bag all play a role in how quickly it expands. To make things more manageable, a 2-inch gel-infused mattress topper would be more manageable to roll than a 4-inch topper.

It normally takes a memory foam mattress topper between 24 and 72 hours to fully expand.  

When placed in a warm room and thin, a memory foam mattress topper will expand at a faster rate. The internal structure of a topper can be damaged and its expansion process slowed if it is stored for an extended period of time.     

Just to Sum It Up

Protect your memory foam mattress topper from dust and dirt by storing it in a storage bag made for such items. Properly compressing and rolling a memory foam mattress topper will keep it safe while in transit and ensure that it maintains its shape until it is unrolled and ready to be used. To learn more about how to use a mattress topper with an air mattress in the event of unexpected guests, read our article. The article on how to fix a mattress topper that's too warm may also be helpful if you've noticed that your topper retains heat or if you tend to get hot during the night.