We spend a lot of time on our mattresses and replacements are pricey, so it's essential to look after them for as long as possible. One of the best ways to do this is by picking up a reliable waterproof mattress cover, as these can protect your beds from spills and stains like bed wetting and protect you and your kids from bed bugs, dust and other allergies.
Whether you're after a specialist zippered protector for a king, queen or memory foam bed or a breathable one for hot sleepers, we’ve put together a simple buying guide to ensure you know what to look for. After that, we’ll list the ten best buys on Amazon, Argos and more from brands like Silentnight, John Lewis and Olivia Rocco. Moreover, we partnered with interior designer Belen Dakak to review and fact-check the article to deliver the best information.
Quick List - Top Mattress Protectors
John Lewis & Partners
High Quality, Plant-Based, Anti-Allergy Mattress Protector From John Lewis
Silentnight
Mattress Protector Approved by the British Allergy Foundation
Belen is an interior designer (residential and retail design), having worked for top retail brands including Estee Lauder, Seasalt and John Lewis, as well as working with private clients on residential projects and RoomLab, an online interior design platform.
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Belen is an interior designer (residential and retail design), having worked for top retail brands including Estee Lauder, Seasalt and John Lewis, as well as working with private clients on residential projects and RoomLab, an online interior design platform.
Belen is also a landscape garden designer with an RHS Level 2 in Principles and Practical Horticulture.
This factor might seem pretty straightforward, but it's worth touching on. In short, the dimensions of your bed will determine the size of the protector you require – but even if you have a regular double or single bed, it will pay to get the measuring tape out and cross-compare to be sure. Of course, you can also find queen or king protectors if you need them.
The width and length will always be given by the mattress protector company. However, if you want that little bit more protection from a fitted sheet style, it’s worth looking into the depth as well. As well as being pertinent if you have an especially deep mattress, the more surface area you can cover, the more protection there is.
To protect your pillows, explore our suggestions for the best pillow covers.
Having trouble sleeping? Try out these memory foam pillows for comfort and support.
As with sheets and duvet covers, natural cotton is one of the most popular options as it is breathable and excellent at regulating body temperature. Cotton protectors can be antibacterial and waterproof and will feel soft and smooth to lie on as well as being less noisy than the alternatives.
The only downside is that cotton covers do need a little more care, otherwise they may shrink a little after the first couple of washes. That said, this can be mitigated by washing at a low temperature and by avoiding putting them in the tumble dryer.
The next option to consider is a synthetic material such as polyester or polyurethane. Generally speaking, synthetic protectors are a little more cost-effective and they come with hypoallergenic, antibacterial and waterproof options as well.
However, firstly, they’re not the best for keeping you cool at night as they’re not as breathable as natural materials, so if you run hot while snoozing, this could be a problem. Secondly, the quality can be lower, so they’ll likely need replacing sooner and can be noisy.
Finally, we have bamboo, an up-and-coming natural option that is taking the bedding world by storm. The main reason for this is that bamboo makes for a wonderfully comfortable and soothing fabric, plus it is moisture-wicking, which is ideal for those who sweat a lot. Moreover, bamboo is naturally hypoallergenic.
That’s not all either – bamboo is one of the most sustainable materials on the planet, so if you’re environmentally conscious, this is a good choice. The problem is that, like cotton, natural materials are more expensive to buy, so if you’re working with a smaller budget, this might not be an option.
If you need an extra layer of comfort for your mattress, here are some of our favourite mattress toppers!
At the end of the day, accidents happen, whether that’s your little one having a troubled night or you having a minor disaster and spilling that glass of red you took to bed with your favourite novel. When these incidents occur, having a waterproof protector is bound to come in handy. With a waterproof option, spills will bead up and run off the bed without damaging your mattress.
However, there is a payoff. Many of these protectors can be loud and rustle as you move at night, which can be somewhat disturbing. Synthetic covers can also lack breathability as the extra protection may come from an added layer of plasticky material. If this is a no-no for you, we recommend checking out how the cover has been waterproofed.
Currently, the only way to get complete waterproof protection for a mattress is with a plastic lining or membrane in a cover or protector pad. But it’s important that you choose the right plastic, as not all plastics are the same. In fact, most can be quite toxic.
Void Vinyl/PVC as it is a known human carcinogen. Other plastics include PEVA/EVA, which is less toxic than PVC but may still contain chemicals that are better avoided. Lastly, polyurethane is relatively safe, depending on how it’s formulated.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | IMFAA Mattress Protector | ![]() | Waterproof, Antibacterial Mattress Protector for a Bargain Price | |
2 | John Lewis & Partners Specialist Synthetic Active Anti-Allergy Mattress Protector with Plant-Based Treatment | ![]() | High Quality, Plant-Based, Anti-Allergy Mattress Protector From John Lewis | |
3 | Silentnight Anti-Allergy Mattress Protector Plus | ![]() | Mattress Protector Approved by the British Allergy Foundation | |
4 | Panda Bamboo Mattress Protector | ![]() | Luxury Fitted Protector Made From Silky-Soft Bamboo | |
5 | GMtextiles Hotel Quality Mattress Topper | ![]() | Quilted Protector With Hypoallergenic Microfibre Filling | |
6 | Olivia Rocco Total Encasement Protector Cover | ![]() | Complete Mattress Protection From an Up-And-Coming UK Brand | |
7 | Umi - Amazon Brand Waterproof Mattress Protector | ![]() | Perfect for Those With Allergies, Asthma or Eczema | |
8 | High Living Total Encasement Protector | ![]() | Protects Mattress Against Spills and Bed Bugs | |
9 | John Lewis & Partners Natural Cotton Quilted Mattress Protector | ![]() | Reduces 99.9% Of Bacteria Growth With an Additional Layer of Comfort | |
10 | John Lewis & Partners Temperature Regulating Quilted Mattress Protector | ![]() | Temperature-Regulating Mattress Protector Developed by NASA |
While IMFAA might not be a brand on the tip of everyone's lips, they have somewhat of a cult following online. Just look at the reviews – it has the best part of 10,000, 90% of which give the product 4 stars or above. Why is this? Well, this protector offers everything one could want.
It's made from breathable natural cotton while also being waterproof, antibacterial and anti-allergen, plus it is temperature regulating, comfortable and large enough to cover even deeper mattresses. But there's one brilliant factor, which is that it's an absolute steal! Sometimes you get what you pay for, but other times, you get more.
John Lewis is synonymous with quality products, so it's no surprise that a few of their protectors ended up on our list. This specialist offering, meanwhile, is the best of the lot. The quilted, 100% cotton cover is soft and naturally breathable.
Silentnight are the self-proclaimed sleep experts. So, the chances are, they know a thing or two about creating quality sleeping accessories to go along with their popular mattresses. This is their anti-allergy protector, which focuses on blocking bacteria and allergens and keeps your mattress fresh and clean.
Their own anti-allergen fibres are endorsed by the British Allergy Foundation, which is the ultimate seal of approval. Better yet, the fabric can also be machine washed without you needing to worry about the treatment becoming damaged.
This offering from Panda is made from 70% bamboo and 30% cotton, making it eco-friendly, waterproof, antibacterial, hypoallergenic and generally just a pleasure to sleep on. It's also designed to be as unintrusive as possible, meaning it should do its work silently in the background.
Additionally, this mattress protector can be machine washed and tumble dried, which is always a winner. It is a little bit more expensive than the other options, hence why it isn't higher up the ranking. However, if you're willing to pay that little bit more for luxury, we assure you it will be money well spent.
As the name suggests, this product from GMtextiles is sold to hotels up and down the UK. It will add an extra protective layer as well as a boost of soft comfort due to the bouncy quilted layer over the top.
Microfibre has been used here as a solid alternative to both feather and down that's completely allergen-friendly. The protectors are also available in a wide array of sizes – seven in total – so there's sure to be something that fits your mattress.
Olivia Rocco is a new British homeware brand founded in the heart of Manchester. Their aim is simple – to make affordable goods from top-quality materials. This design employs a zippered fit on three sides of the cover and their patented enclosure system to secure against anything getting in or out of there.
The protector is polyester, so while it won't be as breathable as natural materials, it does help keep the price down. The validity of the waterproof claims has also come under question a few times, so perhaps water-resistant would be a more accurate description for this one.
This fitted mattress protector from Amazon's own brand Umi is good value for money and comes with a host of excellent ratings. It's made from terry cotton with a membrane coating that protects against spillages, giving the best of both worlds. In addition to that, the sheet is hypoallergenic, making it perfect for kids or anyone with allergens, asthma or eczema.
Moreover, it's quiet too, even with this additional membrane, and the material is machine washable for easy cleaning. Some people have found that it can lose its shape pretty easily, so you may want to be delicate when hanging, just to make sure it doesn't sag too much.
High Living offer many different sizes here from cot to super king, all of which offer membrane protection against incontinence and spillages as well as allergens. The encasing has three-sided covered zippers, plus these zips are bug-locked, ensuring that none of the little creatures will make their way in.
Due to the materials used for its high protection, some buyers have found this cover to be quite loud, which could be a problem if you're a light sleeper or someone who moves around a lot during the night. Still, if you are struggling with a bed bug problem, it could be worth the noise.
This 100% cotton protector is light and breathable with a quilted layer on the top for extra comfort and softness. Furthermore, the company uses their antibacterial Micro-Fresh tech to ensure the prevention of odour-growing bacteria and lasting freshness.
John Lewis & Partners claim the Micro-Fresh reduces 99.9% of bacteria growth, which won't only help the mattress but your bedding as well. It also comes in a good range of sizes including small single and double options. However, you'll want to wash with care as it is known to be prone to shrinkage.
This protector from John Lewis is designed to safeguard your mattress as well as buffer changes in temperature during the night. Interestingly, the Outlast technology used by the company was invented by NASA to help them with sudden temperature changes, so if it's good enough for space, it should be fine for your semi-detached in Barnsley.
However, despite it being a premium option that deals with temperatures well, it is missing a few other features that stop it from being higher up the list. For example, there is no waterproofing nor any antibacterial qualities, which for this price, you'd expect.
One of the biggest advantages of owning a mattress protector is that the added layer protects against the wear and tear from sleeping. Over time your bed can get dirty or pick up a few rips or holes, so these add an extra line of defence to combat this.
Moreover, many protectors (although not all) can safeguard against stains from accidental spills, bed wetting and incontinence. This will not only protect the mattress, but it will also prevent mould and mildew that could grow as a result of fluids soaking into the bed.
Lastly, many mattress protectors are antibacterial, so they will further safeguard against dust, dust mites, bed bugs and other bacteria that could form. The options that have this are also a wise choice for people who have asthma, allergies or other respiratory problems as it minimises the risk of a reaction.
On top of providing extra protection for your mattress, many mattress protectors have an added layer of padding. This layer provides additional cushioning, which will increase the comfort of your bed.
Written and researched by Lewis Clark
No. 1: IMFAA|Mattress Protector
No. 2: John Lewis & Partners|Specialist Synthetic Active Anti-Allergy Mattress Protector with Plant-Based Treatment
No. 3: Silentnight|Anti-Allergy Mattress Protector Plus
No. 4: Panda|Bamboo Mattress Protector
No. 5: GMtextiles|Hotel Quality Mattress Topper
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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