Why Nylon and Vinyl Make The Best Camp and Dormitory Mattresses

Cotton is a natural, traditional fiber that is used in an incredible number of applications including mattress covers for generations. Without a doubt, cotton plays a vital role in the modern world and can be wonderfully useful in the right setting like mattresses for use in a home. 

But cotton is not right for everything. And as a cover for camp or dorm mattresses, cotton simply doesn’t work. If you are shopping for new mattresses for your facility, turn away from cotton in favor of nylon or vinyl. You’ll get a much better value for your money over the long run, and you will provide a better experience for all involved.

Let’s take a closer look at why you should kick cotton to the curb as a mattress cover material in settings such as college dorms and summer camps.

The Problems with Cotton

At first, you will be pretty happy with your order when you receive a set of new mattresses featuring cotton covers. After all, they will look nice and clean, and they’ll feel pretty cozy. They’ll be put into place on the beds and all will be well. 

Unfortunately, things are going to take a turn for the worse soon after. That clean and crisp appearance will soon be stained by sweat, oils, and other bodily fluids. This is a problem regardless of the age of the mattress user, but it is particularly troublesome with small children. Even the best cotton mattress is soon going to look old, worn, and nasty.

The heart of the problem is simply the nature of the material. You can’t get cotton as clean as you can other materials, since just wiping off the surface isn’t going to do the job. Cotton is porous and it is going to accept whatever lands on it. Those using a used cotton mattress are never going to be fully comfortable, knowing the mattress can’t be completely cleaned and disinfected properly. Fortunately, there are better options on the market today.

Nylon and Vinyl Solve Many Problems

Many of the problems presented by using a cotton mattress are solved by switching over to either a nylon or vinyl product. These materials are far easier to clean properly and won’t stain as easily as cotton. So, even if one of these mattresses has been in use for some time, it will still look like it is in good condition when a new person comes to stay.

It’s not just about how the mattress looks, however. These kinds of mattresses can be expected to last much longer than cotton, since they resist water and are more durable overall. That means you need to purchase new mattresses less frequently and will save money in the end. Between saving money and delivering a better experience, it’s hard to imagine why you’d even consider cotton for your facility.

Picking Between Nylon and Vinyl

So, we’ve established that you should rule out cotton as a cover material in your mattress search. But you’ll still need to pick between nylon and vinyl – which one is right for your needs? The following points should help you make the choice.

• Nylon covers are comfortable for the user, so they are a great pick when serving adults such as in a college dorm setting
• If your mattresses are going to face some abuse, vinyl is the way to go. It’s a tough material and can be produced with sealed seams to improve waterproofing. Facilities like camps that serve young children will likely want to pick vinyl for these reasons
• In terms of flexibility, nylon is a better bet for mattresses that need to be packed up or folded – it can flex without cracking. The cracking of the material is an issue that can pop up with vinyl as it ages

To keep it simple, think of it this way – when you want to favor comfort while still getting an easy to clean and durable product, opt for nylon. To turn more in the direction of toughness and sanitation, vinyl is the way to go. Either way, you’ll be doing far better than if you went with cotton, and you should get excellent long-term performance.