Mattress Tips

Toile is a centuries old fabric that has once again become quite popular for use in gorgeous, lushly detailed bedding. (pronounced twaal)

Delicate drawings, very Old World in nature, often define the fabric. Some conflicting opinions exist about the origin of toile. Some say it was originally created in Ireland in the 1700s. Other sources believe it originated in Toile de Jouy France.

Because of a new technique of engraved plate printing, the look became wildly popular.

Today, it most often describes a fine line printed fabric design that looks very much like a pen and ink work. The most elegant toile fabrics are still printed using engraved plates or rollers.

The majority of bedding created from toile today is based on country themes.

For example, Waverly’s toile comforter of 100% cotton depicts a scene that appears Colonial or Old World in nature, with men, a woman riding a donkey and greenery. The bedding is trimmed in a tiny gingham check of 100% cotton toile. This particular bedding selection of toile comes in blue and cream or black and cream. The comforter is bound on three side and reverses to a gingham check for a change when you want something different.

C&J Enterprises offers a gorgeous toile set for your bedroom. Called simply “Midnight”, this bedding features deep blue nearly-black and soft white to create a bedding set that has a French feel. The graceful floral provides a country feeling. The soft rows of quilting make this quilt feel so cozy and inviting. The quilted pillow shams, pillows, and throws complete this lovely bedding set of toile. Choose some accessories in the gingham checked pattern to add a whimsical touch to the bedding.

Sferra Brothers provides a beautiful toile set for your bedding collection. The crimson or dusky green toile pattern is printed on Celeste 406 thread count percale sheeting with hand drawn hems. The quilted coverlet is reversible with one side having a light background with dark toile print; the reverse side is dark background hosting a light print. Pillows shams are available with either light or dark background and look wonderful with two of each. You’ll love this bedding set of toile for your bedroom.

Kouchini has designed a traditional toile set in the French Country style. The bedding set contains a comforter, bed skirt and shams. Matching sheets, pillow cases and throw pillow are available. The comforter is created in the European style which does not have center quilting and is a bit thinner than other styles of comforter. The charcoal grey is beautiful against the soft cream background.

For a little pizzazz, mix the traditional toile print sheets with solid colors or plaids to showcase the fine country prints of the toile. This bedding set will give your bedroom a cozy, inviting ambiance.

Designer Vera Bradley has created a new toile set that provides that look of fine old linen in a bedding set that truly looks antique. The pastoral countryside depicted in this toile of 100% cotton. The three color choices coordinate with Vera Bradley’s other designs like Seaside Vermicelli and Signature Paisley designs.

This bedding would definitely become on of your toile favorites. Toile water chestnut, summer rose and blue willow are all gorgeous choices for your bedding sets.

Baby nurseries look so serene and peaceful done in delicate toile. What do you mean you’ve never thought of using toile for baby bedding? =)

Baby bedding made of small toile prints look just right whether for baby girl or baby boy. Choose from pink, blue or sage when you choose a Burlington Basket bassinet liner set. Made of a cotton polyester blend, the delicate country prints on while backgrounds make these beautiful baby bedding sets of toile. These sets include sheet, skirt and bassinet hood cover.

If you love the tradition country look of top-quality toile, you’ll want to care for yours properly.

Most sheets, pillow cases, bed skirts and shams are machine washable. Some comforters are labeled machine washable, but comforters are simply too heavy when wet to be washed in most home laundry machines. For only a bit more expense, and actually much less expense than a washing machine repair, you can have the heavier bedding in your toile collection laundered in a commercial laundry or dry cleaned.

This way you’ll enjoy the charm and casual elegance of this wonderfully unique bedding for along time to come!

Patricia Bowlin informs and entertains you as you shop for home bedding! Find out everything you need to know about chosing the perfect pillows, comforters, and bedding here now.

About the author:

Patricia Bowlin is an entrepenuer, writer and researcher who loves to share her tips, sense of humor, advice and ideas on creating the perfect bedroom sanctuary. Get hundreds of Free useful tips, advice and ideas now by visiting http://www.best-in-bedding.com

Written By: Patricia Bowlin

Sooner or later, almost every mattress ends up with a stain. While it’s true that only the person who changes the bed will see whether or not the mattress is stained, ignoring the stain won’t make it go away. You can learn how to clean mattress stains using either commercial products or things you probably have in your kitchen. After any stain removal, place a dryer sheet on the mattress before covering it with the bottom sheet to neutralize any odors and keep it smelling fresh. Here are some techniques for how to clean mattress stains of various types.

General mattress cleaning

For stains of an unknown nature, spray a citrus based cleaning product on the soiled area and let it stand for approximately five minutes to penetrate the stain. Using a clean white absorbent cloth, blot the area, pressing down firmly without rubbing for 30 seconds. Repeat this blotting process until the area is dry and odor free. Citrus based cleaning products may be used on almost any type of mattress stain.

As an alternative, you can use a mild dish detergent for spot cleaning. Blot the stain with the detergent and wipe it clean with a damp sponge.

Cigarette odor removal

In addition to the risk of starting a fire, the problem with smoking in bed is that cigarette odors can penetrate absorbent materials such as mattresses deeper than the surface area that can effectively be cleaned. If you’re not ready to replace your mattress, you need to find out how to remove this smell. Working in sections, use the citrus cleaner technique specified above. Repeat the cleaning and blotting process on each section of the mattress until the whole thing is dry and odor free.

Baking soda is another option. Sprinkle the whole top of the mattress with baking soda and leave it there overnight to absorb and neutralize the odors. In the morning, vacuum the powder off.

Removing mold and mildew stains and odors

Cleaning mold and mildew from mattresses is a difficult, especially if they have penetrated deep inside the mattress. Since mold and mildew are caused by moisture, it might be beneficial to run a dehumidifier, heater or air conditioner in the room periodically to take the dampness out of the air to prevent mold and mildew from attacking the mattress.

Another alternative for how to clean mattress stains caused by mold and mildew is to take the mattress outside on a sunny day. Sweep off all visible mold and mildew and then vacuum the mattress with a heavy duty vacuum cleaner. Allow the sun to shine on the mattress for several hours. This will dry and freshen it.

Removing urine stain and odors

Accidents happen. When the accident involves pets or small children and mattresses it is more than just embarrassing. Urine can saturate absorbent materials such as mattresses well beyond the surface area. Cleaning urine from a mattress is difficult if it has penetrated deep into the cloth materials. This creates ideal conditions for bacteria and mold growth and the related unpleasant odors.

It may be possible to rescue your mattress if you know how to clean mattress stains. First blot up as much of the urine as possible with an absorbent cloth. Then spray a product like PAWS – Pet Accident Washup Solution or Bio-OX Citrus Concentrate or any other brand that mentions urine odor removal on its label on the soiled area. Follow up with the blotting and drying techniques indicated above.

Vinegar will also remove urine stains. Saturate the stain with vinegar and blot until no more of the urine can be removed. Cover the area with baking soda to neutralize the odor, leaving it on overnight. In the morning, vacuum the powder off.

Removing Kool-Aid stains from mattresses

Kids, brightly colored beverages and beds don’t mix. Even the most careful child will have spill something eventually if they drink in bed. A mattress will soak up these liquids. It is impossible to remove the entire liquid spill from inside the mattress. The dyes in Kool-Aid generally leave a permanent stain, but you can try to remove the surface stain. First, blot up as much of the liquid as possible with an absorbent white cloth. Use the citrus cleaner techniques shown above.

You might also try spraying vinegar onto the stain and letting it sit for about an hour. To remove as much liquid from the mattress as possible, cover it with a thick cloth and weigh the cloth down with a heavy book or brick. After the hour is up, spray the stain with vinegar again and blot it with a clean cloth to lift the color. Repeat the process until the stain is completely removed or no further reductions of the colored stain occur.

About the author:

Jean Feingold is a copywriter for Catalogs.com. Catalogs.com is the Internet’s leading source for print and online catalog shopping – and a growing hub of original content and “how to” information at www.catalogs.com.

Written By: Jean Feingold

The organic movement, which started with organic food, is moving to the bedroom in a big way. “The bedroom? ” you say. Yes, my dear, the bedroom, where organic mattresses and organic bedding are becoming an important new trend in the quest for a healthier lifestyle.

The organic bedroom trend is motivated by some very recent disturbing discoveries about the petroleum-based foam mattresses most of us sleep on every night. Studies of household dust have confirmed that your mattress is likely one of the most significant sources of cancer-causing chemicals in your home. The average mattress consists of petroleum-based foam covered in petroleum-based polyester fabric. During its 10-year average lifetime, a foam mattress loses up to half its weight, and the lost weight goes on your bedroom floor in the form of toxic dust and in the air in the form of formaldehyde gas which is a by-product of the foam breakdown. Those dust bunnies under your bed could be a real threat to your health, unless you use an organic mattress which does not break down into these toxic by-products.

The foam mattress story gets even more scary. The average petroleum-based foam queen-sized mattress is soaked in about a pound of fire retardant chemicals called PDBEs, which have already been banned in Europe, but not in North America. PDBEs are chemicals which are similar to the banned PCBs, and they build up in the body like DDT and PCBs. The PDBEs are used because they are the simplest and cheapest way to conform to United States mattress fire resistance codes. They are also promoted by the chemical industry, which recently sponsored tightening of the mattress fire resistance codes, which will cause even greater quantities of PDBEs to be used in the manufacture of mattresses beginning in 2006. While these new codes will save an estimated 27 lives a year from fires, these new regulations play Russian roulette with the future health of the 285 million Americans that sleep on these petroleum-based foam mattresses. Those calling for a ban on PDBEs say the greater danger is not the lives lost in fires, but the potentially millions of cases of cancer caused by exposure to these chemicals over the coming decades.

The solution to this problem is to remove petroleum-based bedding from your home, and this has spawned the burgeoning organic bedroom movement. The cornerstone of this trend is the organic mattress, which is the same kind of mattresses our ancestors used before the rise of the petrochemical industry after World War II. It is also interesting to note that current cancer rates are more than 5 times higher than before World War II, when everybody was sleeping on organic mattresses by definition, because there was no petrochemical industry during those times.

Examples of an organic mattress include:

1. Organic cotton and wool batting innerspring mattresses with an organic cotton fabric cover. Wool is naturally fire retardant and meets all US fire codes.
2. A Natural latex mattress, whose foam is made from the latex sap of the rubber tree and which require no fire retardants because natural rubber does not burn well.
3. Luxury organic mattresses which use combination of all three materials, organic cotton, wool, and latex, to produce maximum comfort mattresses that rival any non-organic mattresses.
4. All organic cotton mattresses. Although cotton does not burn well, it requires a doctors prescription because cotton does not meet US fire resistance codes.

Organic mattresses also have comfort advantages over traditional petroleum-based foam mattresses. They wick away moisture from the body much more thoroughly than clammy polyester and man-made foam, stopping night sweating and cutting down on problems like athletes foot and jock itch. Wool also regulates body temperature very well, which is important for a restful sleep. Natural latex foam and wool are resistant to dust mites, which cause allergies in many people, and organic cotton and latex foam are both hypoallergenic materials. Organic mattresses are also considered a must for people with chemical sensitivities.

Major North American manufacturers of organic mattresses include Vivetique/Crown City Mattress, located in South El Monte, California, Royal Pedic, headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, and Obasan, located in Ottawa, Canada. Retailers of organic mattresses include a variety of local mattress stores who carry products from these manufacturers, and nationwide web retailers, like Dax Stores, which often have the best prices for these mattresses.

About the Author

Mark Sweiger is a freelance reporter on home and garden topics and ecological news, and he can be reached via email at msweiger@NOSPAMearthlink.net . He is a definite believer in the value of using organic sheets and organic mattresses .

Written By: Mark Sweiger

We spend around one-third of our life sleeping or at least lying down. How much is making that experience the best part of your day each day worth to you? Is it worth as much per day as, say, what you spend to watch television while you’re waiting to get that sleep?

Having troubles sleeping?

The truth about Insomnia Cures. Although a simple insomnia “cure” is what most people are looking for, insomnia can be very complicated and the causes can vary widely for different people. It would be misleading in most cases for anyone to say they actually have a cure for insomnia.

One type of product that has become very popular in the last few years to help you sleep better is Memory Foam.

Memory Foam is a foam made from polyurethane with additional chemicals that add to its viscosity level, thereby increasing the density of the foam.

Fagerdala World Foams of Gustavsberg, Sweden, spent almost ten years perfecting the material for mass production. It was first introduced in Sweden and became known around the world as the Swedish Sleep System. Tempur-Pedic licensed the material and became the US manufacturer.

Fagerdala manufactures foams for insulation, sealing, shock absorption, protection, cushioning, comfort, floatation, filtration, and rigidity. Fagerdala World Foams is the parent company of an international group specializing in the development, manufacture and marketing of polymer foams.

The group employs approximately 1.500 people and operates 30 factories in 14 countries, with a total building area of 265.000 m. The head office is located at Gustavsberg Harbour on the island of Vrmd, 20 km east of Stockholm, Sweden, to where it was moved in 1999 from the original nearby location at Fagerdala.

It was initially developed for NASA because of its ability to distribute pressure across the entire surface, because it could ease the pressure of extreme G-forces. Because it eases pressure on the body it is now widely used in medical applications for patients suffering from pressure sores or bed-bound patients.

Previously too expensive for general use it has now become cheaper to produce. You can now buy memory foam mattresses and mattress toppers. As a matter of fact memory foam mattresses have become the fastest growing segment in the mattress industry.

There is a true proliferation of companies producing memory foam products and it is difficult to distinguish quality. The first generation of material just wasn’t very durable, and would often compress or crack over time until a Swedish company called Tempurpedic developed a Class product called the Tempurpedic Mattress.

Tempurpedic is still very expensive but worth it. Not all memory foams are equal. They differ a great deal in quality – density, hardness or softness, response to temperature, and also in their durability. In looking for the right memory foam there are really a lot of different types and qualities out there.

And while this has also meant that a good number of quality memory foams have come onto the market, it has also meant that a greater number of low quality, cut rate foams have also appeared. Try to avoid the really inexpensive pads or pillows you will find on the market. Density seems to be the key factor for Memory Foam.

4 lbs seems to be the perfect density for comfort and quality and a mattress of that kind should last 5 years or so. Stick with a memory foam that has a proven history of real world durability.

Really look closely at not only the density of the memory foam you are buying, but the source as well. You can trust Tempurpedic because they have a vested interest in assuring that their customers get only the highest quality products. Tempurpedic, however, is four times as expensive as its competitors. But there are alternatives.

You do not have to buy a Memory Foam Mattress, you can just buy a Topper made from Memory Foam.

Can I Get By with Just a Topper, or Do I Need a Whole New Mattress?

It depends on the shape and the age of your existing mattress.

If your mattress is lumpy, feels uncomfortable and has hollows, forget it.

Here is a tip:

Buy the best bed you can find, then add your own memory foam topper.

About best beds, buy a latex or good foam bed, they just don’t wear out.

After 5 years or so, when the top starts to sag a bit, just replace the top.

If you ever buy your mattress or foam over the Internet make sure you can return them because you should try the merchandise at any cost.

About the author:

E Cauli http://www.tempurpedic-now.info http://www.life-extension-now.com http://www.pearls-now.info

Written By: E Cauli

Tempurpedic Mattresses, generically known as Memory Foam, are becoming mainstream items. Even so, with all the different options and prices of foam on the market, the consumer should know about the major differences between these products prior to paying a major amount of money for a bed they will be sleeping on for many years. I’ve personally tried out a memory foam mattress and pillow set, and can honestly express enthusiasm for this product. It adapts to the contours of the body significantly better than an innerspring mattress. In any case, I personally cannot personally recommend a specific brand because every sleeper has different preferences due to weight and sleeping habits. The best thing to do is to visit your local bed store and try laying down on a couple different bed systems. When the sales staff have to prod you awake, you know you’ve discovered the right brand.

The importance of getting sufficient good-quality uninterrrupted sleep cannot be overstated. No-one functions well on lack of sleep. Due to the abundance of artificial lighting and late-night entertainment and activities, the vast majority of people in the developed world are sleep-deprived, and sleep deprivation is a important cause of accidents. Remember the Exxon Valdez? That accident took place in the early hours of the morning, and industrial accidents peak on the graveyard shift. Sleep-deprived students learn poorly. Chronic sleep deprivation has an effect on the appetite centers of the brain, causing overeating and subsequent obesity. Any bed system which allows you to reach a deeper level of sleep will substantially improve your quality of life.

There are many benefits to memory foam above a conventional mattress: it’s hypoallergenic, molds to the individual contours of anyone’s body, and will provide a form-fitting cradle of insulation on cold nights so you require fewer weighty, dusty allergenic blankets and comforters. All the pressure points that cause discomfort, and subsequent tossing and turning, are eliminated.

Memory foam was first introduced onto the market by a Swedish firm called Tempurpedic. This brand-name top-of-the line product is very expensive, and there are dozens of cheaper competing brands, some made in China, others from the USA. In any case, be warned: not all memory foam products are alike, as with any merchandise, you tend to get what you pay for, both in quality and longevity.

Memory foam is visco-elastic, and it responds to temperature changes much as bubble gum does. Better-quality memory foam has a wide range of temperature responsiveness, while some of the cheaper brands can get as hard as wood if the ambient temperature of the bedroom goes beneath sixty degrees. Finally, as you change position the foam warms up from your body heat, it will respond and conform to your body shape, however this can take a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, pressure points and discomfort are created which could cause you to awaken. Also these cheaper brands might turn into soft goo on hot summer nights, offering no support. Better brands of memory foam, like Sensus and Temperpedic, specifically state their consistent performance through a wide temerature range.

An additional issue is the longevity of the memory foam, as all foam products eventually break down and lose their springiness. Better memory foams offer longer guarantees, twenty years, whereas the cheaper brands offer ten years.

So, in summary, you do not have to acquire the brand name Tempurpedic product, however it’s best not to pinch pennies and buy the cheapest either. You’ll spend many nights regretting a bad choice of mattress. Two or three hundred dollars is not really a large additional expense when spread out across decades of memory foam mattress utilization.

As well as differences in quality, there are also differences in memory foam mattress construction. Mattresses can have either three or four inches of memory foam across a denser supportive core. More isn’t necessarily better, because if the top layer of memory foam is too thick, you’ll sink in quite far prior to hitting the supporting layer underneath. Tummy sleepers should purchase two inch foam, side sleepers and medium sized people should buy mattresses with three inch memory foam, large or heavy people or back sleepers should acquire the four inch.

The base of the bed can diverge as well. A few memory foam systems feature loose sheets of foam of different firmness levels that can be arranged to the sleeper’s private taste, others are laminated together. As well, man-made (petrochemical foam products) are about 1/3 the cost of natural latex. People who are sensitive to out-gassing of man-made products should think about a natural product.

About the Author

Frank Hague is sort of an expert on sleep, he does a lot of it. Visit his website at http://www.tempurpedic-now.info for even more articles.

Written By: Frank Hague