THE BREAK-IN PERIOD: Like a new pair of shoes or a leather saddle, a futon mattress undergoes a break-in period. At purchase, the standing loft of your futon mattress will be anywhere from six to twelve inches. During the first few months of use particularly, the futon mattress will settle to what is called its working loft about half its original thickness. This change occurs as the compression introduced by the weight of the body forces air from between the cotton fibers and the fibers themselves are brought to their compressed state. This process is both naturally occurring and desirable for once compressed; the independent long staple fibers are providing a working support surface on a cell per cell basis on the body. In short, a futon mattress gets better with age. However, static sleep patterns can create occasional hollows and valleys beneath the areas of compression, while leaving the other areas unaffected. For this reason it is very important with a cotton content futon mattress that these two points be kept in mind:
Flip and rotate during compression - Especially during the early break-in stages it is very important in order to distribute compression over the entire area of the futon mattress, that your futon mattress be rotated and flipped from head to toe. This will distribute the area of the futon mattress most affected by compression, that area beneath the torso and trunk of the body. Your futon mattress needs to be supported with a futon frame using an approved wood slat system to allow airflow to help breathe the mattress, required for the warranty.
Think in terms of using the entire area of the futon mattress, paying some attention to using the overall area of the futon (and not simply the center most portion) will assist in an even break-in.
SIZE AND DIMENSIONS: Your Devon Chase & Company futon mattress is sized as closely as possible to standard mattress dimensions. However, since a futon mattress does not maintain rigid geometric lines, you may find that your futon mattress is a few inches or so shy in either dimension. This is a deliberate part of the making process. As a futon mattress reaches its working loft, it will spread slightly in both directions. At neither loft will there be any noticeable difference in how your futon mattress accepts most fitted sheets and covers.
SUN DRYING: Not enough can be said about the benefits of occasionally sun drying your futon mattress. In its growing state, the cotton in your futon was a sun nourished material and as such, it seems to respond to renewed exposures to sun and air. Sun drying sterilizes the cotton fibers, lifts the loft and dries the futon mattress of absorbed moisture. And like cotton sheets, which have been hung on the line rather than machine dried, a futon mattress, which is sun, warmed and fresh from the outdoors is a real pleasure. It seems almost like a battery that has been newly charged. Frequency is a matter of choice, but every couple of months or so it is a good idea to drape your futon mattress across a couple of chairs in the back yard allowing it to breathe above and below. Try it and see for yourself.
CLEANING: Like conventional mattresses, your futon mattress can neither be washed nor dry-cleaned. Should something spill on it, blot up the stain as quickly as possible with an absorbent cloth or sponge. If you wish to sleep on your futon mattress it is recommended that you use a fitted flannel under sheet under your regular sheet, or a mattress pad. This will absorb body oils and protect your futon mattress better than sheeting alone can do. If you use your futon mattress as a couch during the day, it is recommended you use some kind of removable, cleanable cover on it as the permanent unbleached cover cannot be removed, and is thereby is limited to its cleaning.
Copyright 1989 Devon Chase & Company • Orlando, Florida v3.09