How to Stop a Bed from Squeaking
As we all know sleeping is one of the crucial activities for our body, just like eating or drinking water is.
Living without it is not an option, as it affects our mental health, mood, endocrine, and other systems in our body, or better said our life overall.
Many of us don't pay that much attention to it and go for days and weeks without sleeping enough, as many other activities take their toll on it.
Believe it or not, a person can survive without sleep for 11 days only and it does sound quite serious when you give it a thought.
This is why many people who suffer from chronic insomnia usually survive 1-2 years after the diagnosis and even less – 6-12 months after diagnosis of parasomnia, which prevents any real REM sleep.
It happens often that the lack of sleep can be caused by our loud neighbors, a change of bed and pillow, changing time zones, stress or many other factors, however, one thing that should never keep us awake is a squeaking bed.
If you are reading this you are probably looking for a solution, but don’t worry because there are many ways to take care of this annoying problem and enjoy your peaceful sleep.
Why Is Your Bed Making Squeaky Noises?
Your bed most probably consists of three parts: the frame, the box spring and the mattress and one or more of them are creating the noise.
In order to conduct a thorough search for the noise, you will need to separate all of the pieces and inspect each of them.
In case you don’t have enough space in the room where your bed is, you can take the mattress to another one.
1. The Mattress – Your mattress is less likely to produce any noise, especially if it’s made of foam.
However, if you have an older one with springs, then you should test it.
Once you’ve taken it off the bed place it on the floor and roll all over it or you could also jump on it to see if it will create any sounds.
2. The Box Spring – Now this is the piece that is most likely to create that awful annoying squeaking.
Box springs as the word itself says incorporate many springs that make the bed quite comfortable, but they can start squeaking after several years for several reasons, such as rusting.
If your bed’s box spring can be separated from the frame, it is best to do the same as for the mattress, roll over it and jump on it.
If the frame and box spring are encased and can’t be detached, try to rock it and see if it creates any noise.
3. The Frame – Even if you’ve found the source of noise in the box spring on the mattress, it is good to check the bed frame as well. You should do this by rocking every side and pressing the slats to see if they are squeaking.
You might also like: Quietest Bed Frames in 2020
How to Stop a Bed from Squeaking
What You'll Be Needing:
1. Rotate Your Mattress
This sounds quite simple, but it might do the trick. Often people don't rotate their mattresses and keep them in the same position, which leads to its change in shape due to the uneven weight distribution.
Those parts that are pressed the most tend to squeak the most.
That’s why the best way to regulate this is to rotate the mattress so the part where your feet were goes where your head should be. You should do this every 6 months.
2. Buy a New Mattress
We often forget that mattresses do have an “expiration date” and sleep on very old ones until nothing more could be done to make them more comfortable or to stop the squeaking.
I remember how I used to sleep on a mattress on which my mother slept when she was a kid.
If you’ve decided to purchase a new one and wish to stop dealing with noise, I recommend that you opt for the foam or latex one.
They are very comfortable, but not too soft, as it is not too good for the spine.
The material keeps them cool and they are 100% silent as they don’t have any metal components that tend to squeak.
Since we mentioned weight distribution, the memory foam mattresses could be a good idea, because they distribute weight evenly-however they are too soft and hold onto heat.
3. Spray the Mattress Coils
In case that now is not the right time for buying a new mattress, there is an option that is a bit tricky, but that does wonders.
When you roll over the mattress or jump on it, you will see where the noise is coming from.
Now, after you’ve identified the noise, you will need to make a slit on the mattress just beside the coil and spray it with a WD-40.
Use more spray so you cover that coil completely and stop the noise.
4. Oil the inside of the Box Spring
If the box spring is the root of squeaking then I suggest you oil the coils inside of it.
The coils are covered with the fabric and you will have to make smaller holes above every coil or just cut the whole area above them and then sow it or staple it afterward.
After all, no one will see this work of yours, as it will be covered by the mattress.
When I say “oil," I think of WD-40 primarily, because it comes with a small long straw that helps you get the oil evenly into the smallest corners and is quite helpful if you don’t want to cut the whole material.
5. Purchase a New Box Spring or Mattress Foundation
If there is no way to fix the box spring it might be time to buy a new one or opt for another option, such as a mattress foundation, which is also cheaper and will create less noise.
However, mattress foundations need to be assembled first and they may create some noise after a while, as they possess metal parts.
A small tip is to use oil right away when you put it together and not worry about squeaking later.
In case you don’t wish to use either of these options you could simply put a blanket between your frame and the mattress, as it will absorb any noise and will be comfortable enough.
In case you are facing the squeaking problem in a hotel, a small tip is to use your clothes and put them under the mattress.
6. Tighten the Bolts and Screws
Even though the box spring is most likely to cause squeaking, the frame is the one that has the most potential causes of it.
The first thing you should check if the frame is squeaking and moving when rocked is if the bolts or screws are tight enough.
If not, you will need some tools, such as a screwdriver, open-ended one, etc that will let you tighten then properly.
In case that your bed frame is weak and just nailed together, you should definitely add corner braces and screws to make it stronger and firmer.
7. Oil the Screws
If you are having trouble while tightening bolts and screws it means they need some lubrication, and I recommend WD-40 once again. It will make them enter into the frame much easier.
In case you aren't able to buy WD-40 for any reason, you could use a bar of beeswax or bar of soap, as it will create the same effect.
While you are oiling bolts and screws, it is a good idea to oil the wooden parts of the frame that rub against each other as well.
8. Put New Bolts/Screws and Washers
If nothing seems to help and you just can’t seem to tighten these little pieces then it means they are probably too rusty and need to be replaced with the new ones.
It is a good idea to add washers as well since they will let you screw them tighter.
When you are adding new washers, think about purchasing rubber ones, as they will not rust nor rub on metal screws/bolts and create any noise.
9. Add Pads
The source of the noise could as well be the fact that there isn’t any material between the feet of your bed and the floor, especially if the floor is wooden.
First of all, this way you will scratch it easily and secondly it can create squeaking.
Also, if the floor is uneven and your bed rocks due to it then furniture pads are the best option for you.
Final Word: How to Stop Squeaky Beds
I hope that you will find some of these tips helpful and that you will enjoy a good night’s sleep once again after the squeaking has been eradicated.
None of them will take much time and effort but should help you find the problem and implement the proper solution.
How to Stop a Bed from Squeaking
Instructions
- Rotate Your Mattress
- Buy a New Mattress
- Spray the Mattress Coils
- Oil the inside of the Box Spring
- Purchase a New Box Spring or Mattress Foundation
- Tighten the Bolts and Screws
- Oil the Screws
- Put New Bolts/Screws and Washers
- Add Pads