Water bed owners will benefit from using water bed mattress pads on their mattress. Mattress longevity and comfort are two of the important reasons to consider a water bed mattress cover.
Water bed mattress pads are a great idea for water bed owners. They insulate the sleeper against minor fluctuations in temperature; help keep heat in the water bed mattress; absorb any condensation on the mattress surface; protect against leaks to some extent; and provide a less slippery sleeping experience than if sheets are laid directly upon a vinyl mattress. They also protect the water bed mattress from body oils, which can degrade the vinyl over long periods. Oh, and they provide protection against punctures.
Water bed mattress pads come in two styles to fit wooden frame water beds and soft-sided water beds. The water bed mattress pads with elastic straps on their corners will only fit wooden frame water beds because the straps are rather shallow. For soft-sided water beds up to 13″ thick, you need the type of water bed mattress pads that have a skirt that can reach to the bottom of the mattress.
Water bed mattress pads come in many different qualities, too. A bottom-rung $25 water bed mattress pad may be 100 percent polyester, which does not breathe well or wick moisture away from the body. Up the scale a bit like polyester-cotton blends, often with quilted tops, which look and feel more like the mid-range of conventional mattress pads. The mid-range runs about $40-100. The filler in these quilted water bed mattress pads is often polyester, again a poor choice for wicking away body moisture. At the high end, you’ll finally find 100 percent cotton water bed mattress pads with all the features you would expect in a luxury mattress pad, including an all-around apron that lets it fit soft-sided as well as wooden water beds.
Water bed mattress pads also come in waterproof styles, suitable for infants, young children, and incontinent adults. Often these mattress pads have a top layer of terry cloth cotton, with a backing of polyurethane film to keep moisture away from the mattress. It is doubtful that these flimsy water bed mattress pads can absorb enough liquid to keep a mattress dry, and getting wetness underneath a water bed mattress is something you don’t want to do. We recommend searching for a traditional water absorbent mattress pad that can absorb at least eight cups of liquid.
Memory water bed mattress pads on top of water bed mattresses may seem like overkill. But in truth, some people need the additional pressure point relief that this arrangement provides. People with diabetes, for example, are often prone to bedsores. People who are bedridden for extended periods are also vulnerable to developing bedsores. The memory foam helps support the body more evenly than even a water bed mattress can do.
Water bed mattress pads serve a number of functions. They protect the sleeper as well as the water bed. They conserve heat energy, an important consideration for any water bed owner. They make sleeping on a water bed more comfortable, and prolong the life of your investment in a water bed. Water bed mattress pads are strongly recommended.