With the amount of use mattresses get, the occasional spill or stain is inevitable, especially for the accident-prone households with pets and children. Instead of being overly precious with your mattress, the best mattress protectors provide peace of mind, defending against liquids, sweats and mishaps to keep your mattress in top shape. Based on our research, we named the Sijo Airyweight Eucalyptus Mattress Protector the best mattress protector overall for its comfort, breathability and noiselessness.
The best mattress protectors keep your mattress safe from spills, stains and dirt to keep it looking ... More and feeling brand new.
Illustration: Forbes / Photo: Retailer
While the purpose of mattress protectors is to safeguard your mattress, some offer different features than others, which is why we’ve selected a variety of choices to work for different needs and sleepers. Here are our top picks for the best mattress protectors, from waterproof to ultra-protective options.
Sijo’s Airyweight Eucalyptus Mattress Protector is comfortable, cooling and breathable, largely thanks to its Tencel cover. The surface of the mattress protector is made from lyocell fibers that wick moisture and regulate the body’s temperature throughout the night. Our tester says it didn’t cause any heat buildup while sleeping on it. Its soft-to-the-touch top adds to its comfortability and creates little to no noise, even with tossing and turning, making it easy to forget it’s there.
In the event something is spilled on the the bed, the TPU double backing prevents liquids from reaching the mattress itself, and the mattress protector can be tossed in the washer and tumbled dry on low. The protector is also certified allergy and asthma friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), reducing exposure to indoor allergy and asthma triggers. Just keep in mind this protector doesn’t come with a trial period or warranty—you can only return it in new, unused condition with tags attached within 60 days.
At less than $20, the Linenspa Mattress Protector has a thinner profile than more expensive options, but it works to its advantage, making for a hardly noticeable addition to your bed. The protector’s dual-layer construction is 100% waterproof, although our tester found the polyester cover sleeps fairly warm. While the mesh sides mean only the top of the mattress is protected, our tester—along with several customers—were impressed with the protector’s waterproofing capabilities, finding their mattress dry and stain-free even after water, soda and wine spills. The mattress protector is machine washable and dryer safe, and elasticized corners make it easy to take off (and put back on) when the time comes to throw it in the wash.
Waterproof: No | Depth: 14 inches | Material: Polyester and polyethylene blend
Pros:
Quiet and cooling
Hypoallergenic
Cons:
Some customers say the surface is slippery
If you’re a hot sleeper, we recommend Brooklyn Bedding’s Luxury Cooling Mattress Protector, which helps rather than exacerbates the issue of overheating. The protector is made with high-tech PE (polyethylene) fibers, which are often used in fabrics and textiles for their cooling capabilities and to pull heat away from the body. While the mattress protector isn’t waterproof, it is water-resistant, and also hypoallergenic, offering protection against dust mites and bacteria. The protector slips on the bed like a fitted sheet, although some customers note that the protector is on the slippery side, causing their sheets to shift slightly.
While most mattress protectors only fully protect the top of the mattress, Tuft & Needle’s Mattress Protector extends its waterproof protection to the sides, preventing any liquid that might spill over from seeping through to the mattress. The polyester cover is Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex certified and has a soft feel that’s designed to mimic the touch and feel of the brand’s mattresses for added comfort. The fitted sheet design fits snugly on mattresses and goes unnoticed beneath sheets and other bedding. “I found this mattress protector to be forgettable in the best way when I slept on it because it didn’t make noise,” says our tester.
The protector can be machine washed, but it’s important to heed the brand’s drying instructions and dry on low or no heat to prevent melted fabric. One thing to keep in mind is our tester found it to be a touch warm compared to other options. It comes with a 100-night trial and two-year limited warranty, though, so you have plenty of time to test it out at home.
Moisture barrier can protect your mattress from liquid spills for hours
Noiseless and stays secure
Naturally breathable materials that are Oeko-Tex certified
Cons:
Not as thin as others on this list
Doesn’t fully encase your mattress for total protection
Protecting against liquids is important for keeping your mattress looking and feeling clean, but there are outside factors to be wary of. This mattress protector from Saatva is not only waterproof, but its design utilizes microscopic pores to also help shield your mattress from bed bugs, dust mites and allergens, while still allowing for airflow to prevent you from overheating. Senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman tested this mattress protector for a year and says, “It does a very impressive job preventing stains and acting as a strong barrier to keep your mattress clean. It’s also very comfortable and quiet with high-quality materials.”
It has a sturdy silicone elastic band to keep it secured on your mattress, and Chapman notes she never had an issue with it shifting around. It’s also easy to clean; you can machine wash it on a cold, gentle cycle and tumble dry on low. However, if you want total protection, you may want to consider an encasement-style protector that wraps fully around your mattress like the highly rated Utopia Bedding Mattress Encasement.
Forbes Vetted’s sleep editors and writers are no strangers to researching and testing all kinds of bedding, including the best comforters for hot sleepers and deep-pocket sheets. These guides are part of a vast library of sleep and mattress stories the team has published to help our readers achieve better rest.
Lee Cutlip, the author of this story, is an editorial assistant at Forbes Vetted, working across the sleep, gear, tech and parenting categories. She has covered topics like improving mattress firmness and mattress pads.
Senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman, who oversaw and edited this article, is a certified sleep science coach who has tested and researched hundreds of sleep products, including the best sheets and cooling pillows.
We spoke with Byron Golub, vice president of product and merchandising at Saatva. Golub provided expert insight on choosing the best mattress protector. (Chapman’s inclusion of the Saatva Waterproof Mattress Protector on this list was made independently of Cutlip’s interview with Golub.)
How We Chose The Best Mattress Protectors
To recommend the best mattress protectors, we evaluated the highest-rated options from reputable brands the Forbes Vetted sleep team has researched or tested.
We consulted consumer reviews to ensure we were including models with high ratings that were loved by shoppers.
We took important factors into consideration during our research, including materials, pocket depth and whether a model was waterproof or not.
We relied on the expertise provided by Golub.
We made sure to include a variety of mattress protectors to suit different needs and sleep preferences.
What To Look For In The Best Mattress Protectors
While mattress protectors have a common purpose, they can vary greatly, and there are several important factors to consider before choosing the best one for you.
Waterproof Vs. Water-Resistant
Most mattress protectors should offer some protection against liquid, with some offering more than others. “True waterproof protectors feature a continuous layer preventing moisture from passing through the surface, while water-resistant protectors repel small amounts of liquid for a short period of time but are not fully leak-proof,” says Golub. Those looking for light protection should find a water-resistant protector suitable enough, but Golub recommends the reliable protection of waterproof protectors for those with kids or pets.
Materials
Mattress protectors are typically made from a combination of materials and usually feature a fabric top layer that has a backing coated in waterproof or water-resistant material, like polyurethane. The fabric’s surface is what lends the protector its comfort and helps absorb liquid, while the coated back serves as a barrier between the mattress and any spills. If you’re concerned about your protector being too noisy or trapping heat, look for models that incorporate semi-synthetic fibers like the Sijo Airyweight Eucalpytus Mattress Protector, which uses Tencel lyocell to create a soft, cooling surface that doesn’t make noise.
Style Of Fit
The two most popular styles of mattress protectors are a fitted sheet and an encasement-style protector. For this guide, we chose fitted-sheet style protectors because of their ease of use, but some might find that an encasement style works better for their needs. Golub says that while fitted sheet protectors are easier to remove and wash, they only offer basic protection against spills and allergens since they cover just the top and sides of the mattress. “Encasement protectors fully wrap the mattress with a zippered closure, providing complete protection against bed bugs, dust mites and severe allergens,” says Golub. If you’re interested in an encasement-style, the Utopia Bedding Mattress Encasement and the Sureguard Mattress Encasement are two best-selling options on Amazon with thousands of positive reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The best type of mattress protector largely depends on your needs and concerns, but Golub recommends a protector that “is waterproof and made of polyurethane or natural fibers like bamboo to offer protection from allergens, spills and leaks while not compromising breathability and comfort.”
Based on our research, the best waterproof mattress protector is the Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector. Unlike other mattress protectors which only offer protection to the top of the mattress, Tuft & Needle’s model has waterproof protection that extends to the sides of the mattress.
“Mattress pads add an extra layer of support or softness to your bed, with their primary role being comfort,” says Golub. While they’re capable of providing some protection, they don’t offer nearly as much as mattress protectors, which shield against liquids, allergens, dust mites and overall wear. “[Mattress protectors] are often thin and do not add extra cushioning, focusing solely on keeping your mattress clean and protected,” says Golub.
