Should You Buy A Floor Model Mattress?

Things to Consider When Buying a Floor Model Mattress

This is the time of the year that many manufacturers and retailers change out floor models to update the line and lose slow moving mattresses. It is also the perfect time to pick up a quality mattress at a bargain price. This means when it’s time to sell, the retailer can sell that pillowtop that was sold all year at $1,000 for only $500. Depending on how desperate the Manager is for space, you might get some incredible deals.

• I highly recommend the floor model when shopping for a mattress if you are looking for quality on a budget. When you think about the mattress you are testing, think about how many other people have tested that mattress. Hundreds and hundreds of people have laid down on that bed, fully clothed of course, which means that if they lay down on the mattress, it is possible for any bed bugs that may be hiding out in their clothing can easily fall off. And here is how a new bed bug infestation begins, whether that bed bug stays on the mattress or crawls onto the next person to lie down on the bed.
• I still believe it is okay to buy a floor model mattress but the single most important thing you will need to do is purchase a Bed Bug Mattress Protector and put it on the bed before you bring it home. This is advice I offer having years of experience in the bed bug extermination business. Too many times, customers get a great deal on a floor model mattress or furniture only to find out it wasn’t such a great deal as now they are spending hundreds and even thousands of dollars bed bug extermination. If you purchase a bed but mattress protector, any live bed bugs and their eggs will be sealed inside and will die after approximately one year. Do not remove the cover for any reason during the first year. Bed Bug mattress protectors are a great idea, even if you don’t have bed bugs because they will protect your mattress from stains for years to come.
• If this is your every night mattress, and you have the funds to purchase a brand new mattress, CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE PURCHASE OF A FLOOR MODEL! These will typically be sold as is, no warranty and no ability to exchange for comfort reasons. The single most important feature to consider when mattress shopping is the ability to test and possibly return/exchange a mattress that does not fit you. The 5 minutes on a mattress will not tell you how that mattress will perform for 8 hours a night and 365 days a year. You need a minimum of 30 nights to make sure you get the right mattress for your body and sleep habit.
• As discussed before, mattress salespeople are not always the best at identifying and fitting you properly. If you can find a true sleep expert, that will help. But those types of professionals are being squeezed out and replaced with kids that couldn’t spot improper alignment if they tried.
• If you are working with a limited budget, a floor model may be the best option. Because they may be the highest quality product available to you. If that is the case, get the floor model that is most supportive and comfortable.
• Floor models make great guest beds! If you already have a good mattress and need a decent bed in your guest room, floor models are an ideal solution. The mattress needs to be good enough that you could sleep comfortably on it. Things like a spouse that snores, sickness, domestic strife, or remodeling, may put you on the mattress for a night or two.
• Also, consider the sizes and shapes of your potential guests when picking a mattress. Take a few minutes to consider the possibilities and choose wisely. Remember, you are stuck with it.
• Floor models make great kids’ beds. Too often people don’t want to spend much on children’s beds – which I think is a mistake. Floor models are almost always in Queen size, but every so often you can get lucky and find fulls or twins. A decent quality queen mattress could be a child’s last mattress and double as an extra guest bed as well when couples visit. If the child is old enough to provide input, make sure you take them and test them on the mattresses. They need to be aligned properly, comfortable and be part of the decision.
• Stick with the major brands. You can usually look up the regular price of the model online to confirm that you are getting a deal.

• Inspect that mattress carefully at the store and once it is delivered. Once you sign for it, it becomes your problem. If there is ANYTHING that gives you pause – stain, tear, rip, don’t accept it.  I’m talking about catastrophic problems signs of bed bugs or a major stain or rip down the side. These are things that could cause serious problems down the road. If there is something significant, or even minor wrong, you could always ask for a deeper discount.
• Signs of a bed bug infestation include small black smears on the mattress, red blood stains, shells from dead bed bugs and even possibly a live bed bug. The first hiding spot for bed bugs is in the staples that hold the fabric onto the box spring. Carefully inspect this area for black spots. Also check the plastic corners on the box spring as this is another favourite hiding spot.

Another tip – visit stores that are low volume and in affluent areas first. The high-volume stores will sell off their floor models faster, AND they are more likely to show more wear. A mega superstore may see ten times the daily traffic as a slower store and the mattresses will definitely reflect this.

MY BEST ADVICE

If you are looking for a quality mattress at a discount price is to visit a mattress outlet or liquidation center. I happen to live close to the Sealy Factory Mattress Liquidation Centre at 750 Warden Avenue in Scarborough.