Storing a rollaway cot, long-term

July 17, 2022 2:33 PM

My mother has this Lucid rollaway folding guest bed with a fitted-sheet-style waterproof mattress protector and a Lucid slip-over storage cover. Before storing the bed in the basement, what can be done to deter mice or other interested parties from getting in via the open end of the cover? Mom wants to preserve 'rollability' if possible. Thanks.
posted by Iris Gambol to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

A friend of mine, who has a summer home in the mountains of Colorado, leaves the dirty sheets on all winter. She says it really seems to work for deterring packrats from making nests in the mattresses.
posted by BoscosMom at 2:57 PM on July 17, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: A six-sided encasement mattress cover that zips around the entire mattress, e.g. this one.
posted by dum spiro spero at 4:53 PM on July 17, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Put the mattress in a heavy duty plastic mattress storage bag (before folding it up), then put the dust cover over that. It'll be a bit of a pain, but not too bad the way it zips open, and it should discourage the critters (and keep other crud out).
posted by snuffleupagus at 4:53 PM on July 17, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Traditional folk remedy 'round these parts (northern New England) is to stuff all potential access points with dryer sheets.
posted by radiogreentea at 8:05 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Sheets were already laundered, but will remember that tip! Thanks, everyone.
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:05 PM on July 23, 2022