There’s nothing more annoying than a mattress that constantly squeaks. Nobody wants to hear a squeaking bed every time they toss and turn in bed especially when they’re trying to get a good night’s sleep. With these annoying squeaks, there may be a multitude of reasons why your mattress is squeaky but most of the time it’s attributed to your bed springs. If you have a squeaky mattress, you’ll want to look into your bed sooner rather than later as it could have an effect on your health. If the squeaky mattress is attributed to bed springs, it could mean that your spine isn’t getting the support that you need.
To help you get started, we’ve detailed some steps on finding the source of your bed’s squeakiness. Since this can depend on a few things, you’ll need to check different aspects of your mattress and the bed set up to determine these causes. Once you’ve determined the cause, you can then look at solutions to rectifying the problem.
What May be Causing the Noise?
Before diving into the steps, it may be helpful to know the various components of the bed that may be causing the mattress to squeak. There could be a variety of reasons from an older metal frame, to looser screws, or it could even be the simple reason of having to replace your mattress as it’s getting a tad old. Like anything, a traditional mattress can lose its original bounce over time, and as it starts to deteriorate, it can result in worn out bed springs.
Bed Frame:
A bed frame can result in a squeaky mattress as it’s the most logical place that noise could be originating from. Take a closer look at the bed spring, and grab the headboard and give it a little shake. If you hear some squeaky noises, the bed frame may be the culprit.
Box Spring and Foundation:
Your box spring could be the source of the noise. If that happens to be the case, it could be the result of either faulty springs, torsion bars, or grid decks. You’d want to get this checked out ASAP.
Mattress:
It’s rare that a mattress would cause squeaks, but if you think it does, remove the mattress and place it on the floor and move around it. If there are squeaky sounds, it could mean that your mattress is damaged and you’d want to check your warranty coverage to see if you’re eligible for a replacement.
Steps to Take in Checking a Squeaky Mattress
Now that we know some of the reasons behind a squeaky mattress, it would be helpful to know the steps in checking a squeaky mattress so that you can determine the cause.
Step 1
It’s always helpful to know the age of your box spring as well as the mattress. While most individuals think that there isn’t a lifespan for both, the box spring and the mattress actually has a normal lifespan of about seven years. If you’ve had your mattress and box springs for a while and suddenly it’s become squeaky, it could mean that it’s time for a replacement.
Step 2
Check to see if the mattress is placed in the center and on top of the box springs. There’s a chance that the mattress may have been thrown off the box springs during the course of the day, and this could have resulted in squeaks.
Step 3
If you’ve checked the mattress and box springs and all seems to be in order, inspect your bed frame. They could wear out over time, and you want to make sure that the screws and bolts are also tightened properly.
Step 4
Once you’ve inspected all of that, you may also want to take a look at the hardware mountings such as the headboard and side rails to make sure that they’ve been assembled properly.
Step 5
Unbeknownst to most, unevenness of the legs of the bed frame can also cause squeaking. Hence, it would be wise to give that a check as well.
Step 6
If you’ve checked all of the above and you’re still having trouble identifying the culprit, it could actually be your floor. Sometimes there are squeaky spots right beneath the bed that we’re not aware of. If that happens to be the case, you’d probably want to rearrange your bed and place it in a less squeaky spot.
Best Solutions to a Squeaky Mattress
Now that you’ve checked everything and discovered the root of the problem, you may be wondering about the best way to deal with the source of the noise. Below are some solutions to dealing with a squeaky mattress.
1) If loose screws are the cause of your mattress squeaking, you’d want to tighten it properly until the squeaking stops
2) Sometimes the bed may squeak because it requires oiling. If that happens to be the case, purchase a lubricant such as WD-40 and carefully lubricate the area that is the source of the noise. If you don’t have any lubricant on hand, vegetable oil also works. However, make sure that this is only used on metal.
3) While oil and lubricant can only be used on metal, you can use wax on wood instead. Find the source of the squeakiness and use a wax candle to rub across the connection points.
4) If your mattress can be rotated, you may want to give it a flip as it’s probably time to sleep on the other side
5) If it happens to be that part of your frame or box spring is the cause of the squeakiness, stuff a sock or place a book between the gaps as a quick fix.
6) If your floor happens to be the source of the squeaking, you can either shift the position of your bed or place objects below to level out the mattress to prevent the squeaking
Unfortunately, if bed springs happen to be the cause of your mattress’s squeaking, it would be best to replace the mattress. While lubricating it or adjusting it with other items might help to reduce the squeaking noise, it would cause more harm than good. Bad bed springs can be detrimental to your sleep hygiene and your physical health. If that happens, the best thing to do is purchase a replacement mattress such as a memory foam mattress or a mattress that will provide your back and spine with ample support.
Conclusion
There is a plethora of reasons as to why a mattress could be squeaky. To get started, you may want to take a look at some of the steps detailed above to see if you’re able to find the source of the problem. Thereafter, take a look at some of the solutions to see if they’re able to help you with rectifying the problem.
Do remember however that if the bed springs happen to be the source of the issue, you’re better off switching out your mattress that placing a temporary ‘band aid’ over the problem. At the end of the day, your sleep hygiene and physical health are of utmost importance. Hence, it’s better to invest in a new mattress to ensure that you’re getting the rest that you need.
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