If you want to get the longest life and most performance from your mattress, the most important thing you can do is to keep it covered. While you would be hard-pressed to find anybody who would consider using their mattress without sheets, it’s actually the pads and bed protector cushions you use under the sheets that make such a difference.
The biggest enemy to a mattress is moisture, as mattresses are virtually impossible to dry properly if they get fairly damp, and can quickly grow mold and mildew. This is why adding protective bed covering layers under the bed sheets makes such a difference. Even if you never get close to your mattress with a glass of water, we all sweat and perspire during the night. Our skin also naturally produces oils, and many people apply creams or lotions throughout the day as well. Over time, these things can work their way into the mattress. If you have an unconventional specialty mattress (e.g.: not springs and fabric), it’s just as important to cover foam or latex. The most basic thing you should add to guard your mattress is a cotton mattress pad. Though the pad’s main goal is to add a little softness to the bed surface, by its sheer existence it provides an extra barrier between the surface and the mattress that is both removable and washable. These are not waterproof, but are absorbent enough that they can slow body moisture from reaching the mattress, or provide a minor barrier should something like a glass of water be spilled.
For the highest degree of protection, vinyl or plastic mattress pads provide a completely water-resistant barrier between sheets and the mattress. These can be surface level wrap-around pads with elastics, or complete encasements that fully zip around the mattress. In addition to the moisture resistance, full zipper vinyl mattress encasements can also help prevent dust mites and other allergens from getting inside of a mattress. Simply put, if you want to take care of your mattress as well as you want it to take care of you, mattress protectors are integral to getting the most out of your investment.