By Doug Belleville
1. Latex Mattresses are expensive.
They can cost from $1500 and range up to $5500 putting them in a class that either requires monthly payments through financing or may be out of range for some buyers. However many owners of latex beds believe it’s worth the cost because they last so much longer than other types and brands of mattresses.
2. Natural rubber latex mattresses do not hold up.
They’re made of rubber like tires, balls, and rubber bands. The natural milky extraction from the rubber tree is converted into solid formed sheets that can be put into beds. The fact is short lives and breaking down is not something that these mattresses are known for and very well may be one of the most durable mattresses on the market.
3. Latex beds are too firm.
Latex beds are made with several firmness levels to suit various comfort and support needs just like other mattresses. Some offer zippered access to change out firmness and support throughout the life of ownership.
4. Latex mattresses smell bad.
The fact is every mattress has a smell, spring mattresses, memory foam, waterbeds and yes even latex. We call it the new car smell and virtually everything manufactured has it. Many articles on the internet address smell. Unlike a majority of latex mattresses makers market safety and tout 3rd party purity certifications. Check each brand of mattress carefully some latex mattresses have a stronger odor than others and do air out over time. Ask for a sample, take a sniff, and ask about safety.
5. Latex Mattresses are not good for a bad back.
Like any good quality mattress they are built and designed to support the back properly and correctly. They are flexible enough to do what most mattresses cannot. Because they are so elastic and bendy they are highly recommended for adjustable bed use. Due to 100 percent body contact from head to toe, few beds can compare in terms of pressure relief and customized comfort for each sleeper.
6. Latex mattresses are bad for the environment.
The average coil spring mattress lasts only 6-8 years and a real all-natural latex mattress can last 20 years plus. With mattresses that last 2 -3 times as long and are biodegradable we should see fewer latex mattresses in landfills wasting precious and controversial space.
7. Latex mattresses are responsible for the depletion of our forest.
The Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), or the rubber tree has fast growth and are able to produce a milky substance that is harvested like maple syrup. With life spans up to 25 years, natural rubber mattresses and trees are replenished. Traditional mattresses are built with foam or foam padding on steel springs and deplete natural reserves.
8. Latex Rubber Beds are just another fly by night mattress fad.
It all started in 1931when the first latex rubber mattress was built. Richard Pieris and Co. Ltd., started building the Dunlop process of latex foam in 1952. It simply gave way to the invention of a cheaper to produce material called polyurethane foam. What’s old is what is new again and natural rubber is a more durable alternative to cheaper foams and chemical laden mattresses being produced today.
9. 100% Natural Latex mattresses sleep hot.
All forms of latex mattresses have a pinhole design that allows air to move around freely creating a cooler sleep environment. NOTE: most people having heat issues with latex should look to their mattress pads and sheets which may contain material that do not breathe properly.
10. Some people are allergic to latex so why buy a mattress made of it?
Less than 1% of the public is allergic to latex and this includes all classes of individuals and allergy types. There is considerable literature on reactions for those who have been diagnosed as latex sensitive. Most of this is related to the medical industry and direct contact with the rubber not the mattress industry where latex is contained inside a fabric casing.
For more information contact StLBeds at 636-296-8540 or visit us online at STLBeds.com.