What is under your mattress?

[Lynx]

I have read that some people have had mildue grow under their mattress and some say no. Some are saying that the body makes the water. None has said that the mattress being wet is because of the mattress being soaked from rain or the sea.

Do I need something under my mattress to ventilate so that water does not build up from Bahamas cruising?
I have read of anything from astro turf to A/C filter.

[Pblais]

Some are saying that the body makes the water.

You perspire all the time - until you die. The colder surface under the warm matress can condense moisture. They make several products you can place under the matress. I think one goes by the name of "Dry Bed". Looks almost like white cardboard but it's not made from apaper fibres. It's just a way to allow moisture to escape. You might get damage or mildew if you don't provide something.

I also have something that loooks like a 3/8 furnace filter. The green platic kind not the finer (better) filter material for removing very tiny dust particals.

[swagman]

We've installed wooden slats that sit on bunk top - great for both ventilation and it makes for comfort levels as good as at home.
JOHN

[knottybuoyz]

We're considering using this product....

HyperVent Marine - Product Information

has a number of applications other than just under mattress's.

[hellosailor]

Rick, I'd bet the hypervent is soil drainage material that is being selected and marketed for marine use. You can buy it in rolls from landscaping suppliers, it is buried to allow drainage under a layer of gravel, etc.

Similar to the 3M "not steel wool" cleaning pads, from what I've been told the stuff was originally developed in the early 60's as a road underlayment, to ensure drainage under highways. It was supposed to be spun or unrolled from a huge crawler that would level jungles, lay underlayment, pour cement, etc. and build highways across continents and jungles all in one fell swoop. (I'm told that once upon a time, humans had such high technology almost in their grasp!)

Who would have figured, it's also great for scrubbing pots!<G>

[Alan Wheeler]

Under my matress, I certainly don't have cash and I hope I don't see two beady little eyes pearing back at me ;-)
Yes a matress absorbs a significant amount of water. It is estimated that a matress holds about 7ltrs of moisture. That's appraoching 2gallons. Introduce salt contamination to that, and the mattress will easily absorb more. With a "normal" moisture content, you probably don't really notice it. But if the matress has been dried out by a dehumidifier and you have lovely clean dry sheets, the difference is unbelievable. In the summer, you will actually feel cooler. This is because your body can evaporate sweat and keep you cool. In the winter you will feel warmer, because you body doesn't have to heat up a whole lot of moisture in the bed.
Then there are the little creatures that love the moisture in there. Dust mites love two things. Dust and moisture. Remove one of them and you don't support there habitat. Many people suffer greatly from all sorts of allergies all because of dust mites.
So yes, if you can allow a bed to breath, you will have a much healtheir environment to sleep in.
Don't let the bed bugs bite ;-) ;-)

[Brent Swain]

Under me is a couple of layers of carpet on a piece of half inch foam rug liner. The works is covered with Vinyl upholstery stapled to a plywood bunk bottom. Never had a mold poroblem in the last 35 years of full time living aboard and full time cruising ,and my back has never felt better. People with back problems feel much better than they have for a long time after a night on mone of my bunks.
Brent

[lazydaysrus]

I have have used West Marine's "Dry Bunk" for about 15 years. It works great (even if you're using an electric blanket in the winter).... lasts forever...just take it outside to air-out ever 2 months...
cheryl
Lazy Days

[Pericles]

Use a bean bag. It can be dragged on deck to air. It holds the sleeper in place as the yacht heels. It's very insulating and has positive flotation. Best of all? Work it out for yourselves.

Funky Bean Bags UK. Beanbag sofas, chairs & designer lounge furniture

Pericles

Yes, the water come from your body. If you have a cool surface under your mattress it can be a real problem.

But, instead of looking at the symptom (the wet surface under the mattress) try attacking the problem: moisture migrating down through the foam.

If you add an impermeable layer (we used a light-weight painter's drop cloth: $4.99) on top of the mattress the problem goes away. Best arrangement is to put the plastic under a quited mattress pad, and you will never know it is there.

As a side benefit if you leave a hatch open and get water in, you don't soak your whole mattress.

Bill

[Sandero]

We have nothing under our "mattress" which is 2 long cushions about 26" wide by 76" long.. so we can sleep either athwarthship or for and aft.

The bunk itself is over the engine, batteries, water heater, espar heater and the diesel tank.

We've never had moisture on the cushions or the sheets for that matter unless the port was left open and rain or spray from a hose came in.

You could always use a rubber sheet if your bed is wet.. ha?

jef
sv shiva

[Alan Wheeler]

A true story (at least that was what I was told).
A couple just got married and had their first night in a Honeymoon suit in a lovely hotel. (Nights activities shall be left up to your own imaginations)
In the morning the couple ordered room service for Breakfast for two. From under the bed came a voice "ya better make that five" :-)

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

Then there are the little creatures that love the moisture in there. Dust mites love two things. Dust and moisture. Remove one of them and you don't support there habitat. Many people suffer greatly from all sorts of allergies all because of dust mites.

This is essentially correct, Wheels, but what is commonly called "dust" in an enclosed habitation, is mainly sloughed-off dead skin cells. And yes, some mites do love that kind of dust. Mites have no digestive system, so they secrete an enzyme onto the minute bits of organic matter to initiate the digestive process before consuming the organic material. In turn, they excrete the partially digested organic matter/enzyme combo, which mixes with other "dust" present. It is the inhalation of this lovely stew that causes the allergic reaction, and, probably, most cases of asthma.

See the following:

House dust mite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dust - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As the Wiki entries make clear, sunshine is the foolproof "miticide."

TaoJones