How to Choose a Mattress Protector

How to Choose a Mattress Protector

Everything we do is designed to make sure you get the best night’s sleep.  This starts with choosing the best mattress topper.


Lady sleeping on the most comfortable bed

Size and design. One of the most important factors for any mattress topper is the fit.  It is essential that you use the correct size of topper for the mattress.  A single size mattress protector just doesn’t work on a king single mattress or on a long single mattress.  It seems obvious, but you really do need to use a king single mattress protector for your king single bed!  To ensure maximum comfort in bed and to avoid wrinkles, choose a mattress protector with a skirt to better hold the mattress protector in place and avoid that crumpled feeling. Avoid a non-fitted mattress protector at all cost!

Cotton – naturally better.  Choose a mattress protector made of cotton, inside and out.  Cotton is soft and absorbent. Its natural structure enables it to breathe better than synthetic fibres.  This is why it’s more comfortable to sleep in than polyester and acrylics, which really are the equivalent of sleeping on plastics.  Cotton is a good conductor of heat, so it helps to keep you cool in summer and warm in winter. And it can make the best mattress protectors for people with allergies as its natural properties mean its non-allergenic and non-toxic.   cotton mattress protector

Machine washable.  One of the reasons why a mattress protector is necessary is because it prolongs the life of your mattress by helping to keep it clean.  It’s far easier to wash your mattress topper than your mattress! Choosing a cotton mattress protector that is machine washable means you can keep it fresh more easily without having to use expensive and chemically loaded dry cleaning processes.  Better for you, your pocket and the environment!  We also recommend a line drying to keep it fresh but it can be dried on a low heat in the tumble dryer if necessary.

We’re often asked the following questions:

Can you wash a Mattress Protector ? It depends what the mattress protector is made of! Ecodownunder’s mattress protectors are made from 100% cotton, both the case and the filling, and are designed to be machine washed to help keep them fresh and comfortable to sleep on. 

How often should you change your mattress protector?  This really depends on the individual and varies hugely from person to person, partly depending on shower habits but on other factors too. Everyone has oil in their skin which is healthy and essential to keep your skin hydrated.  Some people’s sebaceous glands secrete more body oils than others which seep through the fitted sheet and can stain the mattress protector making it yellowish in colour.  Having an oilier skin is partly genetic, but it’s also affected by your age and the climate in which you live.  People, as they grow older tend to have less oily skin.  Those who live in hot and more humid parts of Australia are likely to have more oily skin! So,  the answer to how often to wash a mattress protector varies.  We would recommend reviewing it when you change your sheets and if it looks discoloured, then pop it in the wash, and at least once a month otherwise.

Can you put a mattress protector in the dryer ?  Again it depends what the mattress protector is made of.  If it’s a cotton mattress protector from Ecodownunder, yes you can put it in the dryer on low heat.  We stipulate a low heat to protect the elastic around the fitted skirt but it also uses less energy!  But we prefer and recommend line drying your bed linen in fresh outdoor air! We love the freshness of wind and sun-dried bed linen, and in most parts of Australia, we’re fortunate enough to have clean air which means your bedding will smell beautiful after a few hours on the Hills Hoist or clothesline! An added bonus: you use less electricity which saves you money if you don’t have solar power and reduces your footprint on the environment. 

Do you put a mattress pad over a mattress protector? This is an interesting question and depends on what your mattress pad or mattress topper is made of.  If it’s made of natural fibres, with a cotton casing and wool or feather and duck fill then you probably don’t need a mattress protector as well.  The mattress pad acts as a mattress protector.  However, if the mattress pad is not machine washable you may wish to use a mattress protector to help keep it clean and reduce the need for regular dry cleaning.

If your mattress topper is made of memory foam, with “high tech” gel cooling and a polyester fabric cover, we highly recommend distancing your body from these synthetics and putting a cotton mattress protector on top.  It’s naturally better to sleep on cotton than synthetic fibres because natural fibres breathe, helping to regulate your body temperature ensuring you have a really comfortable night’s sleep.

Is a mattress protector necessary?  Absolutely! 

Read our blog Should I use a mattress protector?

Browse our Mattress Protectors

Single Cotton Mattress Protector

Long Single Cotton Mattress Protector

King Single Cotton Mattress Protector

Double Cotton Mattress Protector

Queen Size Mattress Protector

King Size Mattress Protector

Super King Mattress Protector