If you have a small apartment, dorm, office where storage is an issue or you want to change your room’s look frequently, you can use futons like the Japanese.
Using sheets over your futons makes it more comfortable, just like your bed. If you have used a futon, you already know that it requires you to consider the futon sheets’ size.
Do you put sheets/covers on a futon?
You can put sheets/covers on a futon to protect it from dirt and keep it clean. A cover on the futon ensures its longevity and upgrades your room’s look with bright and vibrant colors. You will get more comfortable during sleep by placing a futon sheet that fits the size of your futon.
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Six reasons why you need a futon cover/ futon sheet-
Protection of the mattress:
Futon covers or sheets protect your mattress from dirt or coffee spills on your futon. You can change your futon cover and sleep on it. If you have pets, then a futon sheet acts as an excellent protection shield for your futons.
Decoration of your room:
You can put on covers that match your other furniture in the room and enhance its beauty. A sheet on your futon dramatically influences the look of your room. You can choose futon sheets of bright and dark colors for summer and winter consecutively.
Increases durability:
Using a futon sheet increases the longevity of your futon. You can use a futon for a long time by drying it in the sun and air, then covering it with a futon sheet. Also, it keeps the mites and bugs away.
Making your bed at ease:
With a futon cover, it becomes a lot less trouble to make your bed. You can roll up your futon in the morning. And before sleeping, you open the futon, put on the cover and can fall asleep at ease.
Multiple purposes:
You can use your futon for multiple purposes by changing the futon cover. You can change your bedtime futon sheet and put another one to use as a couch or sofa. And finally, you can fall asleep on your futon after changing it before bedtime.
Easily washable:
Futon sheets are made of sturdy heavy texture and a two-way zipper which makes them easily washable. You can take out the sheet when it gets dirty, wash it with a mild detergent and dry it under the sun or with a dryer. In the meantime, you can use another fresh new futon sheet.
How do you cover a futon mattress?
You can cover a futon mattress in three different ways-
Zipping off the futon cover:
Place the futon cover on the place of your mattress. The surface must coordinate with the frames of the mattress. It shouldn’t be a problem if the cover’s size is equal to that of the mattress.
Put the mattress on the futon cover. Push in the mattress corners inside the futon covers. Then drag the top of the cover over the mattress and zip from the two sides of the cover. Lastly, you zip off the futon cover.
Cover the futon with a sheet:
You need a bed sheet to cover the futon in this particular way. It is relatively simpler than the previous one. First, lay the futon just in the place where you want to make your bed.
Then put your futon cover, placing the width horizontally and the length vertically so that it falls right in place with the futon. Then fold the remaining extra part of the bedsheet under the futon to give it a tight fit and a nice look.
Using a fitted sheet:
A fitted sheet comes with elastic coverings on the four edges of it. The adjustable bindings are designed with four pockets that hug your futon mattress and restricts it from coming off.
You can get a comfortable and suitable fit for your futon with a fitted sheet and spare yourself from the trouble of fixing it now and then as it remains tucked inside the elastic pockets.
How to put a futon cover on?
Five simple steps to put on a futon cover-
Step 1-
Remove the mattress from the bed frame and arrange the futon cover in your bed frame.
Step 2-
Ensure the size of your cover is the same as your mattress. Place the futon cover on the empty bed space so that it covers the room of your mattress.
Step 3-
Placing the cover on the frame, unzip the futon cover. Now, put the mattress on top of the revealed area of the futon cover.
Step 4-
Insert the corners of the mattress into the cover by applying pressure. Then, push the middle part of the mattress inside of the surface. The futon cover should now take the exact shape of your mattress.
Step 5-
Now pull the top of the cover-up to the zipper. And close all of the zippers from both sides evenly. Make sure there is no empty space in your futon cover. Your futon is now ready to use!
Can I use a fitted sheet as a futon cover?
You can use a fitted sheet as a futon cover since fitted sheets come with elastic pockets on the four corners, preventing them from coming off the mattress.
First, you have to place the fitted sheet on the mattress evenly from all sides. Make sure you keep the wider part vertically so that it falls in the right course. Now clutch one of the corners over the top-right edge of the mattress.
In the same way, grasp the down left corner of the fitted sheet keeping it diagonally. Then, you can easily tuck in the rest of the corners over the mattress.
Now, you’ll have a lovely fitted futon where you can sleep comfortably at night. You won’t have to bear extra hassle since the elastic pockets will hold the mattress’s edges.
What size sheet fits a futon mattress?
The size of the sheets comes according to the different types of futon mattresses.
- King-sized futon mattresses are 54″x75″, and the size sheets for them are 57″x85″.
- The size of a queen-size futon mattress is 60″x80″, and the sheet size for such a futon is 63″x83″.
- And the twin-size futon mattresses are 39″ x 75″, and they require 43″ x 72″ size sheets.
However, the sheet size may vary from 3 to 6 inches from the original futon mattresses to give them a perfect, tight, and comfortable fit. So you have to consult with your manufacturer about the size of your mattress before buying a futon sheet.
How do you make a futon cover tighter?
You can make a futon cover tighter by sewing with a needle and thread all four sides of the cover around the mattress after you’ve put it on. Thus, you can give your futon a tighter fit. Because usually, your futon cover has to be bigger to put it on the futon.
You can also attach elastic on each side of the futon cover and make four elastic pockets. Futon covers made of elastic pockets are tighter than the typical futon covers. This way, you can make your futon cover tighter.
What do you put under a Japanese futon mattress?
Futon in Japan is known as shikibuton, which is a traditional style of bedding. Japanese layout this futon mattress over a tatami mat filled with rice straw, and the outer layer is woven rush grass covered with a plain fabric called here.
Tatami mats are better than the hard cement floor or carpet.
However, these mats are gentle, firm and have a hard surface; hence, they can’t bring the exact texture of a soft cushion, so most Japanese often use a combination of trifold pad covered with foam of 5cm or 2″ thick underneath the shikibuton or futon.
It makes the futon more comfortable and wider than the tatami mats.
These tatami mats or trifold pads keep the futon away from moisture and give protection against molds and bugs.
Are futon covers washable?
Futon covers are made washable for any spills or accidents that occur or if you have pets or children in the house. You can wash your futon cover by the washing machine, dry cleaner or spot cleaner, depending on the texture of the cover that you have bought.
You can wash the washable futon covers at home using your hands or washing machine with cold water and a gentle detergent. Make sure not to use warm or hot water. It may cause shrinkage in your cover. Dry cleaning or spot cleaning your futon covers may be a bit expensive.
After you’ve washed and rinsed your futon cover, let it dry under the sun or with a dryer at a cool temperature.
Nevertheless, you can’t ignore the importance of sheets for your futon. It protects your futon from pet scratches, spills, and even moisture.
Not to mention, you can change the futon color and patterns according to your personal preferences adding value to your room. That being said, a sheet on your futon makes you feel more comfortable and refreshed.