How Old Is Your Mattress? - House Digest Survey

Take a moment to consider which item in your home was the most expensive. Perhaps a high-end piece of technology, your sofa, or your dining room table comes to mind first. However, while all these pieces may have cost a pretty penny, there's another expensive item you use daily: Your mattress. According to Ghost Bed, mattresses can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,000 or more, depending on the quality and type. While this is quite a large investment, it's usually well worth it, as most mattresses last for at least 6 years but are ready to be replaced after the 10-year mark, per CNET.

To discover if people keep their beds beyond their expiration date, House Digest surveyed 629 people. Each participant was asked to answer this question: "How old is your mattress?" Possible answers included less than 1 year old, 1 to 2 years old, 3 to 5 years old, 6 to  9 years old, and 10 or more years old. Below, you'll discover how these choices fared and some signs that your bed is ready to be replaced.

According to the survey, most people have a 3 to 5-year-old mattress, as this option was chosen by 223 participants and gained 35.45% of the vote. Therefore, depending upon the state of their specific mattress, most should be able to keep their bed for up to 5 more years. The next most popular choice was 1 to 2 years old, which gained 21.14% of the vote and was chosen by 133 people. This means that many have recently purchased a new mattress.

However, others may need to buy a new bed very soon, as 6 to 9 years old was chosen by 100 people and got 15.90% of the vote, and 10 years or older was chosen by 91 people and had 14.47% of the vote. According to CNET, unless you have a latex or a high-quality foam type that's in pristine condition, those with one that's older than 10 years should most likely replace it.

Finally, 82 participants and 13.04% of the vote said their mattress was less than one year old. If you're in this boat, it's important that you take care of your new piece so that it lasts for years to come. To do this, Serta says to use a waterproof protector, regularly vacuum the surface, and rotate it often.

When deciding whether or not to replace your mattress, you should consider both the age of your bed and also other factors. For instance, the Sleep Foundation says that those who often struggle to fall or stay asleep or who find that they get more rest when sleeping on a different mattress should get a new one. Further, if yours is sagging in the middle, squeaking when you move, or appears damaged, it's time to start looking for a replacement. Finally, those who experience worse allergies when sleeping at home or who often feel stiff in the morning should invest in a higher-quality mattress.

Also, consider the type of mattress you have, per Tech Radar. While they may be the most expensive upfront, latex mattresses should last the longest, with some lasting up to 25 years. Memory foam ones should last 8 to 10 years, while hybrids will last 7 to 10 years. Innersprings are usually the cheapest upfront but will need to be replaced in 5 to 7 years.