Why does my mattress squeak?

It can get quite irritating when every shuffle in bed creates that squeaking sound. Where every irksome sound jerks you awake and leaves you wondering – why?  Now you probably will immediately point your finger to your mattress, and though it could be coming from there, it is not the most common reason.

There are several reasons why your bed may be squeaking – it could be down to three reasons:

1. Your mattress 
2. Your bed frame
3. Your box springs

Mattress

If in fact your mattress is the source of squeaking, then it is due to the springs and coils within the mattress, which have lost its ability to stay in that tightly coiled form because of wear and tear, aging and weight. As of this, they may rub against one another when compressed with weight, emitting a springy, squeaky sound.

So, if you have an innerspring mattress or a hybrid mattress, then this is a possible reason. To be safe, check your mattress by doing some checks:

• Remove your blankets, pillows and bedding and take your mattress off your bed.
• Use your hands and press over areas of your bed and listen out for any squeaks. Make sure to check the sides, centre, and corners. 
• If no sound is produced, you may want to sit / lie on top of the mattress – try moving about and keep an ear out for squeaks.

Bed Frame

If your mattress isn’t the culprit, then it could be that your bed frame needs renewing. If you have had your bed frame too long, it could squeak.

If your bedframe is made of wood, it could have become worn out overtime, or warped because of heat or damp.

Loose screws or bolts may be causing squeaking – check if they need tightening.

Worn out bed slats – these are bars that are connected horizontally across, where the mattress would go on top of. Whether you have solid or sprung slats, they could be the source of squeaking.

You can check the bed frame by giving it shake and moving it around.

Box springs

This is the most common cause of a squeaky bed because of damage to the springs, bars, or grid decks. The wooden frame can also be the source of the squeaking noise if the wood is old enough to creak and squeak. Or has been damaged due to humidity, heat, or damp.

When a box spring has aged, the springs will loosen and rub against other springs. They won’t be able to spring to its original position, meaning when weight is pressed on top, they spring more and so emit a louder sound.