The Advantages of Rip-Proof Covers on Detention Mattresses

Most detention mattresses come standard with some form of waterproof or water-resistant covers, but if you aren't considering rip-proof covers for the detention mattresses in your facility, you really should be. Keeping moisture out of the inside of the mattress will protect its condition and allow you to get a great return on your investment. However, rip-proof covers are designed to prevent ripping, something that can pay off for detention facilities in a variety of ways including increased security, better durability, and reducing opportunities for self-harm. Let’s take a closer look at what rip-proof vinyl is and what makes it so important in a detention facility setting.

 How Is It Different?

With standard vinyl, you may be able to create a long, even rip just with your two hands. Once the material has been compromised or punctured, it’s relatively easy to rip without any tools at all. Of course, standard vinyl is perfectly useful for a wide variety of applications, but it’s not right for every job. In some settings, a rip-proof variety is a better choice.

In rip-proof vinyl, a crosshatch pattern is used to break up the progress of any small tear. So, instead of running through a large section of the material, it will be stopped quickly because of the crosshatch weave pattern that was used. We will get into the benefits of this feature for detention mattresses below, but it is also good for many other applications. Those include hot air balloons, camping equipment, military gear, and more.

Long-Lasting Performance

Let’s start by talking about the longevity of the mattresses that you bring into your facility. Quite simply, a mattress that lasts longer is going to be a better investment and will serve your budget well. Buying a cheap mattress might save you in the short term – but you are sure to pay for it in the long run.

When you opt for mattresses with a rip-proof cover, you are taking a step in the right direction toward longevity. Avoiding rips and tears will allow you to keep these mattresses in use longer while getting reliable performance day after day. Even if your only consideration was financial – and it isn’t – a rip-proof cover would still make for a great pick.

The Matter of Self-Harm

For detention facilities, preventing self-harm is an important manner. The goal is to avoid providing individuals with anything that could aid in a suicide or self-harm attempt. This includes anything sharp, of course, but also anything that could be used to fashion a rope or string. Hanging attempts are a relatively common incident in detention facilities if individuals are provided with something that makes it possible.

One way to create a rope or string for a hanging attempt would be to tear apart the cover of a detention mattress. Strips that are then formed into a rope could become a dangerous opportunity for a suicide attempt. This is why furnishing your facility with mattresses that feature a rip-proof cover is such a smart move. Thanks to the design of the material used to form the cover, it can’t be torn up by hand to make strings or strips. In the end, you have one less thing to worry about in your facility, and the individuals in your facility will be safer as a result.

Maintain a Sanitary Environment

Sanitation is one of the keys to any detention facility. With so many people living in such close quarters, it’s essential to keep everything in the facility as clean as possible on a day to day basis. Mattresses are a natural place for bacteria to grow and develop, so they need to be cleaned periodically to avoid any trouble.

Fortunately, mattresses that include a rip-proof cover are extremely easy to clean. Knowing there won’t be any rips in the material, they can simply be wiped down with an appropriate cleaning solution and they’ll be ready to get back to work. Efficiency is key in this kind of operation and your staff will appreciate how easy it is to properly clean this type of mattress.

Not the Only Important Feature

It’s important to keep the big picture in mind when shopping for a mattress for your detention center. If you fall in love with just one specific feature, you might miss out on other things that could be a problem later. Only a well-rounded, quality product is going to be able to hold up over the long run.

So, beyond a rip-proof design, what else should you be looking for in a great mattress? Consider the following points –

• A comfortable platform. Sure, the mattress you provide individuals in your facility is never going to match up with a luxury hotel, but that isn’t the point. You should still consider comfort to help everyone get a good night's sleep in what can be a difficult setting.
• Include a pillow? Some detention mattresses have a pillow built right into the design of the mattress. This can simplify life for your staff by removing the need for a separate pillow.
• Recyclable materials. This is especially important for large detention facilities that will be ordering significant mattress quantities. Purchasing products that can be recycled when their useful life is over does the environment a significant favor.
• Like it or not, every purchase has a budgetary constraint that comes along with it. With that said, buying the lowest-priced mattress on the market can actually cost more in the long run, given the short lifespan it will provide and other problems that may come up.

Buying a detention mattress that features a rip-proof vinyl cover is a great choice for the operation of your facility. It’s likely that your main motivation for choosing this kind of cover is the safety it offers. Without the ability to rip clean strips or strings, it will be much harder to use the material for any attempts at self-harm. Additionally, these mattresses deliver outstanding durability and are easy to clean. As soon as you are ready to buy a new set of detention mattresses, be sure to put a rip-proof cover near the top of your priority list.