Formerly, mattress makers made and retail stores sold plenty of double-sided, also called flippable mattresses. That said, many moons ago, it was customary to flip the mattress over as an everyday chore. Now, double-sided mattresses still exist, but mostly inside hotel rooms rather than residential homes. Now, it is mostly hotels that use flippable mattresses, sourced from non-retail hospitality mattress lines offered by specific brands and manufacturers, most of which are not available for sale at a mattress or department store.

Today, flipping a double-sided mattress is essentially a chore of the past. Decades ago, when flippable mattresses were more common, flipping over the mattress was the golden ticket for longevity. Since then, mattress composition has evolved significantly, becoming more innovative and technology-based, such as hybrids, for the benefit of the sleeper and improving sleep health.

Are Purple Mattresses One-Sided or Two?

Modern mattresses, such as Purple Restore Hybrids that utilize the GelFlex Grid, are only one-sided. Recent advancements in memory foam, natural latex rubber, and all mattresses made by Purple provide a stable support system and distinctly durable comfort layers, eliminating the need to flip the mattress over entirely.

Factually, flipping a mattress that's not supposed to be flipped will likely cause adverse results. For instance, if you flip it, you might notice the surface feels stiff when pressing against your body, which can cause discomfort when attempting to sleep or lie on what's actually the wrong side of the mattress. By flipping a non-flippable mattress, you'll be sleeping on the base layer, which will also adversely impact the support value and your overall comfort.

Nevertheless, there are still other mattress accessories and maintenance practices you can perform to extend the lifetime of your Purple mattress, as well as those of many different brands. But you'll want to confirm which type of mattress you have to avoid flipping a one-sided mattress and sleeping on the wrong side.

Rotation: The New Way to Maintain Your Mattress

The best quality mattresses available today can be a well-deserved investment, making longevity a key consideration if you plan to have the mattress long-term. Most people desire long-term durability from their mattress to sleep comfortably, so routinely spinning it, more commonly called rotating the mattress, will help to maintain its like-new condition as long as possible. To do this, spin or rotate the mattress head-to-foot, or vice versa.

Rotating it more often will also help slow down the progression towards the inevitable— when your mattress needs a replacement. Now that we know most mattresses today aren't designed to flip over, how often should we actually rotate our mattresses?

It's wise to inquire specifically with your mattress brand and manufacturer for detailed information regarding your mattress's warranty. If you have a Purple mattress, it's definitely not double-sided or flippable. So, now that you know it's likely that your mattress is not designed to flip over, the sleep specialists at Mattress World Northwest will guide you through the basics of mattress care and maintenance.

We'll begin by exploring the specifics of ideal mattress rotation routines, then provide recommendations for establishing a solid framework to maintain your mattress's durability, along with your support and comfort.

Mattress Rotation Routines Explained

For starters, say goodbye to the once or twice a year mattress maintenance routine. Not to worry, one-sided mattresses aren't much more high-maintenance than the double-sided ones. For many people, the time and effort spent preserving a mattress largely depends on how much they value a good night's sleep and enjoy the mattress enough to maintain it.

Still, with the advanced and innovative materials, like the Purple GelFlex Grid, that are integrated into mattresses these days, if you want to sleep well and thrive, you'll truly want to be mindful of how and how often you care for and maintain your investment in a new mattress. 

After all, the goal of a mattress is to provide your body with a healthy posture and a comforting surface, enabling you to achieve deep and restorative sleep quality. That said, nothing lasts forever, so we should strive to preserve the things that are most valuable and meaningful to us, like our mattress and our sleep health.

The standard suggestion for mattress rotations recommends spinning or rotating it every three to six months to help extend the lifetime of a Purple mattress, or any mattress for that matter.

However, the sleep specialists at Mattress World Northwest are highly skilled and proficient in both mattress knowledge and sleep health, giving you another rotation routine to consider. And, well, mattress nerds and sleep geeks like me suggest rotating your mattress more often than most other retailers. Why? Because your comfort and support only last as long as your mattress does!

The best and most educated mattress professionals recognize that rotating your mattress from head to foot is one of the only ways to preserve that genuinely beneficial comfort. By being aware of your mattress's condition and rotating it frequently, you can get the best value for your investment and keep your mattress for as long as possible.

The recommended routine for rotating your new or current mattress is as follows:

• Rotate the mattress from head to foot every 2-3 weeks for the first 3 months or 90 days of sleeping on it. The initial frequency of mattress rotations helps break in the mattress evenly, softening and conditioning the surface along with your body's shape.
• During the first few weeks, preconditioning the mattress layers with a frequent 2-3 week rotation schedule gradually wears in the materials to make them softer and more flexible. This approach is similar to how athletes precondition their footwear to maximize performance and prevent injuries.
• For the remainder of the mattress's lifetime, aim to rotate it from head to foot at least once a month, starting from the initial 90-day preconditioning and body adjustment period. If you miss a month, it's no big deal; just make sure to perform a rotation the next month, or as soon as possible.

Pro Tip: Set a reminder on your phone for your own mattress rotation schedule. Similarly, develop a habit of rotating it every time or every other time you change your bed sheets.

Do Purple Mattresses Require a Boxspring Foundation?

The foundation and bed frame that go with your mattress are like the foundation beneath your home— it should be sturdy, substantial, and able to support any structure or weight that they bear on top. That said, Purple mattresses do not require a boxspring flat foundation, nor are they the ideal foundation for any Purple mattress. Instead, mattress experts and associates engaged with Purple suggest the use of an adjustable bed or a strong, sturdy platform with all Purple mattresses. This suggestion is also a wise proposition for all mattresses.

All Purple adjustable beds and platforms are approved for use under their warranty stipulations because they are certain that their foundation(s) are strong enough to bear the weight of the mattress, as well as the number of sleepers on top, for the suggested lifespan, which is up to ten years.

If you're currently using a boxspring(s) with a Purple mattress, please be sure they are of the spring-free variety. The Purple manufacturer's warranty clarifies that by using a flat (box) foundation, it "must be firm, flat non-spring construction, must be placed on a bed frame, and cannot be used directly on the floor." Purple also indicates that if using a platform bed frame, and it is "constructed by slats, they must be no more than 3.5 inches apart."

The bottom line: Purple mattresses do not require a boxspring, nor do they last the longest or function best when using a boxspring as their foundation. Instead, for a Purple mattress, consider a heavy-duty and multi-functional adjustable bed or a platform-style bed frame with an ample slat count.

Savvy Ways to Care and Maintain Your Purple Mattress

Rotating a mattress is similar to how you rotate your tires and change the oil on your vehicle. To keep your car or truck reliable for getting you from point A to point B, you need to care for and maintain it. This concept also applies to the quality and frequency of a good night's sleep, which is influenced partially by the condition of your mattress. Care and maintenance are more effective when a pattern is in place, forming a habit that activates you to perform the beneficial routine more easily and more often.

Just as our cars and trucks require time, effort, and attention to maintain, your mattress needs similar care to preserve its comfort and integrity for the "long haul." You should strive to rotate your mattress closely to the prescribed routine noted above. Likewise, always use a mattress protector, especially if you co-sleep with kids or pets, to safeguard your sleeping surface from unwanted moisture build-up, which can lead to premature deterioration of any type or style, not just the Purple Hybrid mattress.

Now that you have a better understanding of what to do and what not to do with your Purple mattress, Mattress World Northwest is pleased to share that each of these recommendations comes from professionals at one of the best places to get a mattress. This mattress company is full of reliable mattress guidance based upon information from skilled, knowledgeable, and professional sleep geeks and mattress enthusiasts, many with years and even decades of mattress experience.

Now, you don't need to pause or fact-check our precise and reliable mattress-related information. Next, you can visit the online mattress shop, or simply head down to Mattress World Northwest; there's sure to be a local location near you! At these family-owned sleep shops, you will find the best Purple mattresses on display to try, along with other sleep accessories designed to enhance your comfort and support the lifetime of your mattress!