If you have gone through the meticulous process of selecting a mattress from the various stores in Orange County, then you’re probably glad that it’s home now and the old one is headed out the door. You may have spent days researching different sorts of materials, poring over reviews online, and you might have had multiple conversations with relatives and salespeople. If you think you’ve figured out which mattress is the best for you, then hopefully you’ll have many nights of comfortable sleep ahead. As you get ready for that first night, though, follow these guidelines.

You should never cut off a mattress tag. It’s not illegal, as urban myth might have you believe, but it’s a way to identify the mattress if you want to check out some aspect of the warranty. It will also have directions on there which indicate how best to care for the mattress which will doubtless come in handy down the line.

You might think that there’s no harm in letting your kids jump on the new mattress, but if you want to get the longest life out of it, you should discourage this sort of behavior. The interior of the mattress could be harmed, and also, it’s easy for a child to be injured if they collide with a wall or a piece of nearby furniture.

There are certain universalities among mattresses, but there are also ways of caring for each brand and model that might be unique. Look over the manufacturer’s instructions and follow them to the letter. If something goes wrong and you did not follow some direction, then there is a chance that you might void the warranty.

Now that your new mattress is installed correctly, you can get rid of the new one. Don’t pass it down to a friend, neighbor, or relative, but instead throw it out. If it wasn’t good enough for you, then it shouldn’t be good enough for anyone else. Handing down a mattress that was worn out and perhaps was causing you discomfort or pain isn’t doing anyone a favor.

Going forward, be sure to vacuum the mattress and change the cover on it regularly. You can always call the mattress stores Orange County if anything goes wrong with the new one and you want a replacement, but if you take good care of it, your new mattress should last for many years to come.