Molton, fleece or waterproof: Which mattress protector is right for your bed?
A mattress protector costs less than a dinner for two – and yet determines whether a mattress is still hygienic after five years. The only question is: which one. Molton, the polyester base (often called a fleece or non-slip base in stores) and the waterproof protector solve three completely different problems. If you buy the wrong product, you will either notice it in the sleeping climate or at the latest with the first stain.
What really matters when deciding
The question of the right mattress protector cannot be answered generally, because four things come together:
- What should the protector keep out? Every pad catches skin flakes, sweat, and abrasion. Liquid in larger quantities – a spilled glass, a child accident, a care situation – is only held back by a coating.
- How sensitive are you to the sleeping climate? Every waterproof layer slows down the moisture transport to some extent. Those who sleep warm anyway will feel the difference compared to pure cotton.
- Does the protector lie on or under the mattress? Molton and waterproof pads belong on top, directly under the fitted sheet. Non-slip and polyester bases belong underneath – they protect the mattress from the slatted bed base and keep it in place.
- How hot do you wash? This is the underestimated point. Uncoated molton is boil-proof up to 95 °C – a real argument in the case of house dust mite allergies. Coated, waterproof pads, non-slip protectors, and the terry cloth cover are washed at 60 °C so that the coating remains tight.
Molton, fleece or waterproof – the three types compared
This table shows which type solves which problem – and what it costs:
| Type | Property | Ideal for | Price range |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Molton pad 100% cotton |
double-napped, tightly woven cotton fabric; absorbs moisture, compensates for small unevenness; fully enclosed with fitted sheet elastic; boil-proof up to 95 °C; made in Germany | Adult beds without a risk of wetting, warm sleepers, allergy sufferers who want to wash hot | from €14.95 |
|
Polyester base with non-slip dots "Fleece" or non-slip base |
100% polyester, non-slip structure on the underside, non-slip, light and breathable; washable at 60 °C | under the mattress: if the mattress wanders on the slatted bed base or rubs against the slats | from €15.95 |
|
Waterproof molton pad Sandwich construction |
cotton top side, waterproof layer inside, cotton underside – the coating does not lie directly on the skin; washable at 60 °C | Children's beds, home care, seniors, guest beds, rental properties | from €19.95 |
|
Waterproof all-round cover Terry cloth with PU coating |
encloses the entire mattress including the sides and underside; top side 80% cotton / 20% polyester, underside PU film, concealed zipper; washable at 60 °C | maximum all-round protection, if the sides and underside should also be protected | from €59.95 |
Which one is right for you?
You simply want to keep the mattress clean – no risk of wetting in the house.
Then the pure cotton pad is enough, and it is unbeatable in terms of sleeping climate, because nothing slows down the moisture transport. Our recommendation: the Sleep & Protect Molton Mattress Pad in Natural, Art. No. 0808301 – eleven sizes from the children's bed with 70×140 cm to the double bed with 200×200 cm, fully enclosed, with fitted sheet elastic on all four corners, boil-proof up to 95 °C, from €14.95.
In the children's bed, after an operation, or in home care.
Here there is no way around a waterproof layer – but it does not have to be noticeable. Our recommendation: the waterproof molton mattress pad in sandwich construction, Art. No. 0809720, from €19.95. Cotton on top, coating inside, cotton on the bottom: You lie on cotton, not on plastic. It is washed at 60 °C so that the coating remains tight. More about the equipment in this situation can be read in the post Mattress protector in care.
You have a box spring bed with a topper.
The topper is the expensive part and at the same time the unprotected one. Our recommendation: the waterproof molton mattress pad for toppers, Art. No. 0808316, from €19.95. It is tailored to the flatter construction height of toppers – a normal pad with a deep channel will create folds here.
Your mattress wanders on the slatted bed base.
This is not a hygiene problem, but a friction problem, and it solves itself under the mattress instead of over it. Our recommendation: the Sleep & Protect Non-Slip Mattress Protector, Art. No. 0809504, from €24.95 – 100% polyester, non-slip dots on the underside, light, breathable and washable at 60 °C. Why this situation does so much for the lifespan is explained in the post Mattress non-slip base. If it is only about slipping, the flatter Sleep & Protect Mattress Base, Art. No. 0809508, from €15.95, also works.
What is often overlooked
The size is based on the mattress, not the bed. The sleeping area is measured, and for high mattresses, it is worth looking at the channel height: A pad with fitted sheet elastic forgives height differences, a tightly cut fitted sheet does not.
All-round protection means really all-round. Every pad only protects the top side. Those who want to cover the sides and underside as well – for example in a holiday apartment or with a high mite load –, need a cover: the waterproof terry cloth mattress cover, Art. No. 0809960, from €59.95, with a concealed zipper on two sides.
The protection lives from washing. Every four to eight weeks in the machine, more often if necessary – that is exactly what it is there for. No fabric softener: It reduces the absorbency, so exactly the property for which molton is in the bed. How to do it in a material-appropriate way is explained in the post Wash and care for mattress protectors. And if it is already too late for that: The mattress is discoloring explains where the stains come from.
Molton is not a supplementary item at biberna. We have been weaving in Hamminkeln since 1932, and our molton pads are produced in full-stage production in Germany – the same expertise from which our stage molton also comes. You notice it by the density of the fabric and by the fact that a pad still has its shape after many boil washes.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a mattress protector if I have a fitted sheet?
Yes, the two have different tasks. A fitted sheet is thin and lets moisture through, a molton absorbs it and keeps it away from the mattress. The order is: mattress, mattress protector, fitted sheet.
Does the bed get warm under a waterproof protector?
A waterproof layer slows down the moisture transport – that cannot be argued away. The sandwich construction mitigates it significantly, because cotton lies above and below the coating. Those who sweat heavily and have no risk of wetting still have a more pleasant experience with pure molton.
Molton or non-slip base – which lies better?
The question arises less often than you think, because both lie in different places: Molton goes over the mattress, the non-slip base underneath. In many beds, the combination of both is the clean solution.
How often should the mattress protector be washed?
Every four to eight weeks is usually enough, more often with allergies or in care. Uncoated molton tolerates 95 °C, coated pads, non-slip protectors, and the terry cloth cover 60 °C.
Does a normal mattress protector fit on a topper?
Usually not well: Toppers are flatter, a pad for mattresses creates folds on it. For this, there is the topper variant Art. No. 0808316.
What does shipping cost?
Nothing. biberna always delivers free of charge within Germany, without a minimum order value – even for a single pad.
You can find an overview of all qualities in our collections Molton Mattress Protectors & Mattress Pads, Waterproof Mattress Protector and Mattress Protector & Mattress Protectors – or collectively in the series biberna Sleep & Protect. Why the protector is worth it at all is summarized in the post Mattress protector – Benefits for a hygienic sleep.