How do I best store a memory foam mattress topper

July 23, 2009 8:05 AM

How do I best store a memory foam mattress topper? Can I keep it folded, rolled, or otherwise compressed?

I bought an inexpensive memory foam mattress topper for our foldout couch, for when guests come. (King size, 2 inch thick, 2.5 pounds / cubic foot density). I only need to use it every few months, so I want to store it in my garage. However, it's huge. Also it is a magnet for dirt. How do I store it out of the way?

I'd like to store it relatively tightly rolled up, or maybe folded. I don't have any place to store it flat and laid out. Is it OK to store memory foam compressed, or after a month of sitting folded / tightly rolled will it now remember that new shape?

posted by Nelson to home & garden (10 comments total)

I have a number of mattress toppers, all of which were delivered rolled up. I'd expect folding would create 'kinks' that would take longer to disappear.
posted by NordyneDefenceDynamics at 8:14 AM on July 23

In February this year I put my belongings into storage. I packed my memory foam mattress in its original box. This month (July), I pulled it out of storage, set up my futon and put the memory foam on top. Just like new.
posted by ritabean1 at 8:17 AM on July 23

I forgot to mention that I folded it once (or twice?), then rolled it.
posted by ritabean1 at 8:18 AM on July 23

I'd personally roll it up as tight as possible then get help tying it with a few long pieces of rope, like a sleeping bag. Then store it in a plastic bag to prevent dirt/etc from latching on. I see no problem doing this because they are usually shipped vac-packed. Just let it sit for a few hours unfolded and it should be fine.
posted by glenno86 at 8:23 AM on July 23

Thanks for the quick answers. I know they come folded, but I wasn't sure whether they were packed folded just before shipping or had been stored that way for months.
posted by Nelson at 8:28 AM on July 23

I used one of those space saving bags. Folded it up stuffed it in and sucked the air. I have not removed the topper since, but expect it to return to it orginal shape once it is.
posted by tman99 at 8:56 AM on July 23

I have a king-sized topper that spends summers off the bed. I fold it into quarters, shove it into a plastic contractor's bag and suck all the air out w/ a shopvac. It springs back to life every fall but it does take much of the day for the deepest creases to plump up.

It's more short-term memory foam.
posted by jamaro at 9:31 AM on July 23

If it's an egg-carton type of pad or one with raised squares, handle it very carefully when rolling and folding, and again when opening it up. The channels have pretty thin foam and tear easily.

Space bags haven't worked well for me when I used them as directed. They work great if I seal the top with duct tape, though. A heavy trash bag would be cheaper and just as effective.

You can also fold it, squish it as much as possible, and then put it in a cardboard box.
posted by wryly at 9:44 AM on July 23

I folded mine into thirds, rolled them up, and wrapped them tightly with saran wrap (which helped to compress them significantly). I then mailed them across the country to myself. I'm stoked that everyone says they'll go back to normal, because I was actually a little nervous.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 10:15 AM on July 23

I kept a memory foam pillow in storage for a year once. It was at the bottom of a box with hundreds of pounds on top of it. When I found it, it was about 1/4 of an inch thick, I figured it was doomed. 24 hours later it was just like new. (Except smelling like the storage space. Put it in a plastic bag.)
posted by Ookseer at 11:49 AM on July 23