Always use a 100% natural fiber mattress pad 

Your Soaring Heart organic mattress, organic futon, organic shikibuton or organic topper should always be covered with a washable natural-fiber mattress pad to protect it from moisture and soil. A quality mattress pad can double the item's life, as well as shield it from stains which would void the warranty and make it ineligible for rework.

The average person loses about a pint of moisture while sleeping. Mattress pads absorb body oils and moisture, preventing them from soaking into your mattress. A protective, washable mattress pad can double the life of your mattress, keeping it clean and dry for years to come. Pure-Rest's organic cotton quilted mattress pads are absorbent and sturdy enough to last for years, while their organic wool mattress pads have the unique ability to absorb and disperse water vapor, wicking it away from the body while actively repelling liquid, so your bed will be double-protected. For use in cribs, toddlers' beds, for people with pets who sleep on the bed, or for customers who enjoy eating in bed, we recommend using both an organic wool mattress pad and a cotton mattress pad to protect against accidents. The cotton pad absorbs the spill, and the wool repels any liquid that passes through. For maximum protection, wash your mattress pad every other week or whenever you wash your sheets.

Provide adequate air circulation 

For proper support and to allow air-flow underneath the mattress to evaporate moisture and avoid condensation, Soaring Heart mattresses and futons must be used on a surface made of wood slats, spaced at least 2" apart. Placing a mattress or futon on a solid surface, such as a floor or piece of plywood, will result in accumulation of moisture. This not only leads to compaction, which shortens the product's life, but can promote the growth of mold and mildew. See our slatted non-toxic foundations and platform beds. For information on puchasing a futon sofa frame please contact us.

Organic shikibutons work best when used with a tatami frame and tatami mat set-up, which best emulates the traditional tatami mat flooring used in Japan. Preferable to the floor or bed slats (which can be felt through shikibutons), tatami mats allow the shikibuton to rest on a flat, solid surface while still being able to breathe properly. Good ventilation will make your shikibuton last longer. You can purchase a tatami mat from Soaring Heart.

Flip regularly

All mattresses, even so-called "no flip" mattresses, should be flipped periodically for maximum longevity. Flipping a mattress increases its lifespan and sustains its comfort. If a mattress is never flipped, the area of the bed where you sleep will compress and body impressions will form over time; and a mattress that is supposed to last 20 years will only be comfortable for 5-10.

TOPPERS: Flip your mattress topper every other week or whenever you change your sheets. This will allow it to wear evenly and resist body impressions.
LATEX SUPPORTS: The latex portion of your mattress, what Soaring Heart refers to as the "support layer", is very resilient and long lasting. Latex doesn't compress as fibers do, so a latex support only needs to be flipped and rotated every 6 months to allow the cotton ticking underneath the topper to be exposed to air.
FUTONS & SHIKIBUTONS: To make sure your organic futon or shikibuton wears evenly, flip and rotate your bed once every week to two weeks. This will discourage body impressions and increase the life of your mattress.
INNERSPRING MATTRESSES: Steel springs compress very slowly, but over time and with constant use they will lose some of their resistance. Innerspring mattresses need to be flipped once a month so it will wear evenly.

Sun it!

Put your organic futon, shikibuton or wool topper outside in the sunlight once or twice a year to reinvigorate the wool and cotton. Wool especially regains a lot of springiness when it sits in the sun, plus the sun kills dust mites and mildew spores. Put your item outside on a sunny day with as much air circulating around it as possible (suspended over several chairs, on a hammock, or on a picnic table) but never leave it out overnight.

Spot clean and sanitize as needed 

When a spill occurs spot clean the area with water and mild detergent. Then liberally saturate the soiled area with rubbing alcohol and allow it to dry. The alcohol will sanitize the area, plus it will help evaporate the spill faster than it can penetrate the mattress.

Combat dust mites 

Dust mites are one of the most common sources of household allergens. They are microscopic creatures that live in any materials (upholstery, carpet, stuffing, etc.) and survive by eating dead skin cells. The mites' excrement contains proteins that can cause allergic reactions. Dust mites love beds where they have a warm, damp environment and plenty of food, however, latex and wool are both unsuitable environments for the mites. Any mattress you purchase from Soaring Heart that contains wool or latex will be naturally resistant to dust mites. For all-cotton futons or for people who are particularly sensitive we recommend frequent vacuuming with a HEPA filter-equipped vacuum cleaner. Making sure your home environment isn't too humid, removing cloth items from your bedroom, and regularly washing your sheets in hot water will also help reduce dust mites.