We have a cottage up on the south Bruce Peninsula, and it is very humid and damp. We’re replacing old mattresses, and I’m wondering, what is the best type of mattress that will not hold moisture?—Caroline MacDonald, email
Sadly, mattress-makers don’t create versions that are specifically designed for damp, humid environments. That said, Stan Stadnyk, the owner of Mattresses of Muskoka in Bracebridge, Ont., suggests that you go with coil mattresses over foam. “You’ll get more airflow.”
On the other hand, Rolands Oskalns, the owner of Vivid Cleaning, a steam-cleaning company based in Toronto, believes that a conventional foam mattress—not a memory foam mattress—could work fine in a humid environment. “It’s synthetic, lightweight, and easier to clean,” he says.
Either way, covering the mattresses with waterproof protectors could help. Or it could backfire. If you seal up a mattress in a very humid environment, you risk trapping in any existing moisture—and that could lead to mould.
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Here’s the thing: fully enclosed, waterproof covers are meant to protect against spills and bathroom accidents. If your mattresses are this wet from humidity, “that sounds like a deeper issue with the cottage,” says Oskalns.
If the problem is interior dampness from high humidity, the solution is usually increased ventilation. So, boost it, either passively or actively. Steam from bathrooms and kitchens jacks up the humidity level in a cottage; adding exhaust fans and running a dehumidifier could make a difference. Reducing the dampness will be better for the mattresses—and for pretty much every other fabric and material inside your cottage.
This article was originally published in the March/April 2024 issue of Cottage Life.
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