A creaking bed may look fun on the movie screen, but in reality, it’s so uncomfortable and annoying.
You may not realize it, but a creaking bed may be harmful to your health. Depending on the source of the noise, a creaking bed may prevent you from entering a deep, peaceful stage of sleep.
This, in turn, means that you may wake up and, despite sleeping for several hours in bed, you’d feel that you hardly fell asleep at all.
What can you do to avoid this creaking?
Common causes of bed squeaking
Beds, spring mattresses, bed frames, or any combination of them can create a creaking sound. To determine the source of the squeak, it is best to test each section separately.
Remove the mattress and spring box from the frame. Roll on the frame, or push on different sides of the bed to find the source of the noise. Test the frame by pushing different positions and then shaking them gently to find out if there is something in the frame (such as loose bolts) that’s making you stay awake.
Pay close attention to the source of the noise, as this will let you know if the problem can be solved and how you can solve it. Although some noises (i.e. loose anchor bolts) can easily be resolved by tightening the bolts, there are those issues that are not as easy so it’s time to change your mattress.
Internal spring mattresses are a common source of annoying sounds. Hundreds of springs interconnect built-in spring mattresses. Over time, constant pressure on the spring can cause the spring to wear out and cause squeaking when the metal rubs against the metal.
Some internal spring mattress designs (such as spring mattresses with continuous or bias coils) are less likely to squeak. Eventually, as an innerspring mattress gets older, they can also grow larger. This can also happen with hybrid mattresses with foam layers and coils.
Although the old springs in the foundation may make noise, the wooden frame of the box spring was likely rubbing against the bed frame. This problem is especially common if the box spring has a metal-tipped edge to provide additional protection from contact with the metal bed frame.
Finally, the sound may come from the bed frame itself. Over time, movement on the bed may cause the bolts in the frame to loosen, causing the frame to shake and creak.
If you have a wooden bed frame, changes in humidity can also cause the bed to squeak because the wood swells and shrinks with the weather. This will rub the clips against each other and make a sound that keeps you awake.
Not only the various parts of the frame can cause friction and noise. The creaking bed may occur as the bed moves, the legs of the bed frame will rub against the floor.
Also, if the floor is not flat, it may cause the bed to shake, or the bed frame may hit the wall due to movement which can create a very annoying noise.
Fix the creaking
If the noise comes from your mattress
If your tests show that the source of the squeak is the mattress itself, it is time to replace it with a new mattress from Orange County mattress stores. The creaking mattress is not only annoying, it also won’t get you the best sleep.
When a mattress reaches the point where the spring wears out, it usually means that it can’t provide enough back support.
Squeaking springs are almost always sagging springs. Sagging springs mean that your spine is not adequately supported, which will prevent you from getting good sleep and may mean that you will wake up.
However, if you can’t buy a new mattress right now, you can turn it over to temporarily reduce squeaking and make the bed more comfortable. Placing a thin layer of plywood between the mattress and the spring box may also help increase firmness and temporarily stop making squeaking noises.
Adding a mattress cover can also make your bed more comfortable and reduce the squeaking sound of some mattresses. But in the end, only a new mattress from Orange County mattress stores can solve the problem.
If the noise comes from a spring box, foundation, or bed frame
If the problem is with the spring box, especially with the coil, the answer is the same: with a new spring box. However, if the noise comes from wood or metal, adding some filler or lubricant can prevent friction.
Try putting a felt, socks, or an old T-shirt or towel between the spring box and the bed frame to prevent friction. If the problem is the metal bed frame rubbing against the spring corner of the metal box, a WD-40 gush will mute the sound.
Adding a plywood bumper between the mattress and the spring box can also help reduce the noise produced by the spring box. Again, this is a temporary solution and should only be used until a new solution is available.
When the creaking sound comes from your bed frame, you will most likely not need to buy a new bedstead unless you take any action to stop it from sounding.
Some attempts to reduce creaking bed frame:
- Add cushions to the foot of the bed to prevent rubbing on the floor.
- Tighten loose bolts and screws. If the bolt cannot be fully tightened, add a plastic washer between the frame and the bolt to make the joint firm and quiet.
- If you have a wooden bed frame that doesn’t have any bolts holding it together, a small cork that can be bought in a hardware store is placed in the creaking area between the bed frame and the mattress, which dampens the sound.
- Use beeswax to wipe the wood and place a cloth between them. Lost companion socks can be used for this purpose. No available beeswax? Rub wax candles on wood; you may need to add several layers of wax to eliminate noise.
- Flatten the swinging bed by placing items under uneven bed legs. If your bed is on wheels and some casters cause squeaking, pick up some caster cups at the hardware store-or remove the squeaking wheels.
- Place some pillows between the bed frame to prevent the bed from moving as it moves.
You may experience pain and sleeplessness when the noise comes from an old worn mattress. So when your bed makes more noise, please don’t bury your head under the pillow and try to fall asleep again, find the problem and fix it.
With some ingenuity and hardware, you might be able to eliminate the problem. If not, the only other solution for a creaking mattress is to replace it with a new mattress from Orange County mattress stores. Your back and sanity will thank you.