Most mid-range RVs come equipped with sofa beds. It is a smart space-saving solution, for the sofa bed acts as a seating area and sleeping space.
There are different kinds of sofa beds in the RV industry currently, with an improvement in quality with every passing day.
In this article, I discuss how one can make the sofa bed in their RV more comfortable. Sleep, in my opinion, is best experienced when your sleeping space is just right for you.
How to make an RV sofa bed more comfortable?
When traveling in an RV, the vehicle becomes your residence for the duration of the travel. Regardless of the estimated length of your travel, it is important to ensure that the vehicle is comfortable and equipped with modern amenities.
The bed, or the sofa bed(concerning this particular article), forms a large part in determining the comfort in your RV home.
A lot of RV regulars opt for the sofa bed. For one thing, it saves a lot of space.
Additionally, it is an economical option compared to a regular bed and can save you a good chunk of money. The downside? Most sliding sofa beds are liable to have discernable junctures.
These joints indicate a break in the material and mark different regions. The same joints can be a cause for discomfort after a point.
Luckily, there are ways to deal with the issue.
Choice of bedding
It is very important to choose the right kind of bedding for your sofa bed. Invest in a good quality mattress with enough give, nothing that is too springy.
The thickness of the mattress varies with both personal preference and the material of the sofa.
A thinner mattress works for a softer couch and keeps it from getting too saggy. On the other hand, a harder couch surface might call for some extra padding.
Invest in good-quality pillows that fit the proportions of the sofa bed without making it too cluttered.
Clean the mattress regularly
Maintaining a regular cleaning schedule is important to ensure that the mattress stays fresh and optimally comfortable.
A sofa bed, especially, can get dirty faster because it doubles both as a sofa and a bed. Use a small vacuum cleaner to suction off dirt, dust, and particulate matter that affect the normal comfort levels of the mattress.
Mattresses accumulate a lot of sweat and are bound to get greasy at some point. Baking soda is an easy and cost-effective way to achieve mattress freshness.
Sprinkle liberally on both sides, and let the powder sit for a while before you brush it off.
It is also a good idea to deodorize the mattress once in a while. There are also quite a few mattress fresheners available in the market.
Fight off Sagging
Mattresses get saggy over time. A saggy mattress that is not suitably firm will not provide adequate support and shall certainly be uncomfortable to sleep.
You can prevent your mattress from sagging by regularly flipping not to concentrate pressure on only one side. Avoid the formation of dents.
Ventilate the mattress
A trick that is centuries old would be to keep mattresses ( among other items) under the sun before being put to use. The reason behind this is simple- fabric gets constricted when in storage for too long.
When exposed to the atmosphere, the material molecules open up and make space for air to pass through.
It gets rid of any lingering odor, plumps up the material, and rejuvenates the fabric.
Invest in good quality fitted sheets.
If you are alien to the many benefits of a fitted sheet, it is time you joined the club! Although a fitted sheet is indeed rather difficult to fold, they are excellent at staying put.
Yes, you can make an apple pie bed to perfection while ensuring that the fit is snug but never too tight.
Additionally, fitted sheets are great for quick makeshift bedding regardless of the surface of the material you are on. Regular sheets are more inclined to slip off, but that does not pose a problem with fitted sheets.
Mattress Topper
A mattress topper can greatly enhance the quality of an RV sofa bed. It greatly improves both structure and support while also bringing the bed some much-needed height.
Remember to choose carefully, for you will need the mattress topper to be of the right size. Secure the topper with fitted sheets and drape the bedding accordingly.
You can add an extra comforter and pillows to the bed to make it more comfortable.
What kind of sofa bed is suitable for your RV?
There are different kinds of RV sofa beds in the market, each of them fulfilling a different requirement, some of them better than others.
It is important to choose a sofa bed that is both strong and durable and fits the spatial dimensions of your RV.
There is, of course, the classic folding mattress set-up.
It involves a folding mattress that you can use as bedding over a couch. It is quite comfortable, although the construction is quite boxy and thereby takes up more space than its other counterparts.
A jackknife sofa bed is more practical in terms of dimensions. It doubles as a couch and a bed( you can achieve the latter by pulling out a bottom tier).
These beds are reasonably lightweight and might need some reinforcements to prevent movement during travel.
The downside, however, is that these beds have prominent bars in the frame and can be uncomfortable without an adequately thick mattress.
The other viable option a lot of travelers opt for is an inflatable air mattress.
It comes with the advantage of being used both indoors and outdoors if you want to go camping.
Most of them meant for RVs are sized to fit inside a vehicle. Be careful when using it to prevent lasting damage and holes in the material.
Some people also use a regular couch bed in RVs, with suitable reinforcements and additions.
Conclusion
It is important to note that there is no right way to achieve optimum comfort.
Comfort is a relative quantity and varies for every individual. However, it is imperative for the classic RV experience and more so when concerning sleeping surfaces.
Remember to always conduct thorough research before making a purchase and investing in products that fit your purpose.
