Working out how to keep bed sheets in place can be really frustrating. The best way to keep flat sheets on your bed is to use sheet grippers. When it comes to fitted sheets, the best way to keep them tight on your bed is to use sheet suspenders or a Bed Scrunchie.
As loose sheets can be unconfortable if they bunch up under you, it’s important to take steps to keep them in place. Read on for all our tips on how to keep sheets on your bed.
Why won’t my bed sheets stay on?
Have you ever wondered why your bed sheets always seem to come loose in the middle of the night? There are a few reasons why this might happen, depending on the type of sheet you are using.
Why won’t my fitted sheets stay on my bed?
If you’re using a fitted sheet, it could be that the sheet is the wrong size for your mattress. It could also be that the sheet has stretched out over time, or that your mattress has compressed somewhat from use.
Why won’t my flat sheet stay on my bed?
If you’re using a flat sheet, it’s possible that you’re not tucking it in tightly enough. Alternatively, the fabric of your sheet may be too slippery, or the surface of your mattress may be too smooth.
Whatever the reason, there are a few simple tricks you can use to keep your sheets in place all night long. So next time you find yourself wrestling with your sheets in the middle of the night, try one of these tips!
How do I get my sheets to stay on my bed?
You might be wondering how it’s possible to get your sheets to stay put all night. Well actually, there are a variety of ways of keeping your bed sheets in place no matter how much you move around on your bed.
You can use physical products to help your sheets stay in place on your bed, or you can simply make your bed up slightly differently. Whichever way you choose, our tips below will help you get a more comfortable and wrinkle free sleep.
How to keep sheets on the bed: easy methods:
Make sure the fit of your sheets is correct
Did you know that fitted sheets don’t just come in different widths (like single, king etc) but also different depths? Most mattresses are around 20-25cm deep, but some are much deeper. Make sure you know the depth of your mattress before buying fitted sheets – otherwise they’ll either be too big or too small.
If you’re not sure how deep your mattress is, measure it from top to bottom. Once you know the measurement, add 2.5cm-7.5cm to allow for tucking the sheet under the mattress.
A fitted sheet that’s the wrong size will never stay in place no matter what you do!
Zippered sheets
Zippered sheets are very much like normal fitted sheets when you first put them on. But, unlike your regular sheet, when it comes to changing them you don’t need to lift the mattress and awkwardly fit your sheet every time. Instead, you only have to ‘install’ your zippered sheet base once, and then simply unzip the top part of the sheet when it comes to laundry day.
How to use zippered sheets
Struggling to understand how to use a zippered sheet – see this video to get a full picture of how a zippered sheet works.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=352980808782921
How a zippered sheet stays in place
From the point of view of movement, a zippered sheet stays put a lot better than a regular fitted or flat sheet. It has a firm band of elastic which fits several inches under your mattress, keeping your bed sheets tight all night. Also, because you only have to ‘fit’ the sheet onece, you don’t have to lift and move the mattress – making it less likely that your sheet is in the wrong place after you’ve changed it.
Bed sheet clips to keep your sheets in place
Bed sheet clips, otherwise known as bed sheet suspenders, are elastic straps which work on your fitted sheet to keep it from moving at the corners.
Basically, each suspender has three straps which clip accross the corners of your sheet, under your mattress. You use one suspender set on each corner. This holds the corners together.
This is one of the best ways to keep a fitted sheet in place, especially if your sheet is a little too large or stretched on your bed.
However, the main downside is that it makes changing your bed a bit harder, and you need to be able to access the underside of each corner of your mattress.
These sheet fasteners do make your sheets stay snug, but they can be awkward to fit.
Read also: How to keep futon mattress from sliding
DIY sheet suspenders
If you fancy trying this method out without going to the expense of purchasing special sheet clips, you can make your own suspenders using elastic and safety pins.
Get some heavy duty elastic and cut into twelve strips of around 5 inches each (unstretched).
Pin 3 strips together and repeat four times until you have four sets of three strips. Then, use a safety pin to attach one strip to the centre point of the underside of your sheet corner.
Next, pin the other two straps across from the centre point, with one stretching to the top edge and one to the side edge.
Repeat this on each of the corners.
Once you have tried this method out you may decide to invest in some heavy duty sheet suspenders.
Do bed sheet suspenders work?
Bed sheet suspenders definitely work to keep your fitted sheet wrinkle free and in place on your bed.
Stretch straps to keep sheets in place
Ever thought about using giant elastic bands to keep your sheets in place? No? We hadn’t either until we saw the Rubber Hugger.
This goes over your sheet, so you don’t have to awkwardly lift your mattress to fit it under your sheet. Instead, you place it halfway down the sides of your mattress, over the top of your shee.
It can be a bit awkward to stretch over thinner and softer mattresses, so you may want to ask someone to help you stretch it.
Once on, it holds the sheet roughly in place, although it doesn’t stop your bed sheet from sliding out from under the mattress, just from completely coming off.
Sheet grippers
If you’re tired of your sheets constantly slipping and sliding around on your mattress, bed sheet grippers may be the answer. These brackets slide under your mattress near the four corners and then offer a fixing point against which you can pin your standard sheets with a special button. Buttons at each corner act as locking mechanisms which helps to keep sheets in place, even if you move around a lot in your sleep.
Sheet grippers work best with flat sheets, but they can also be used with fitted sheets. However, they may not be the best option if your bed is against a wall, as it can be difficult to reach the grippers in this case. Additionally, they don’t necessarily stop the flat sheet from pulling out from under the mattress, so it’s possible that your bed will still end up looking a bit messy.
Sock tape to keep sheets on the bed
If you are looking to keep your sheets in place on a budget, using sock tape may be a good solution. Sock tape is used by hockey placers to keep their socks up. You can use this sticking power to fix your sheets to the underside of your mattress. The downsides of this method are that it won’t stop your fitted sheets pinging off if they are slightly too small, as the tape won’t be able to combat the tension, and you will have to be able to lift the mattress at each corner to fix the tape.
Bed Scrunchie
When it comes to fitted sheets, the Bed Scrunchie is probably the best and most convenient way of keeping them in place.
The Bed Scrunchie attaches to your fitted sheet before you place it on the bed, meaning that you don’t have to lift the whole mattress to change your sheet.
The way it works is to attach a band all the way around the edge of your fitted sheet and then place the sheet on your bed as you normally would. The special Bed Scrunchie band has special tightening straps which you simply pull at the bottom of your sheets, which stretch it to make sure your sheets stay snug all night.
Non slip rug corners
If you find that your sheets are sliding off your bed at night, you can try using non slip rug corners at the top and bottom corners of your mattress to keep your sheet secure. This works particularly well if your problem is that your mattress or mattress topper is slippery, or if the sheets you have chosen are silk or other slippy material.
Safety pins
Need a quick and easy solution right now? Simply pin your sheets to the mattress, around halfway down the mattress sides at all four corners. This will provide a temporary solution but shouldn’t be used in the long term as it may damage your mattress or sheets.
Rough under-sheet or mattress protector
Again, combating silky sheets from moving off the bed in the night can be done by simply placing a rough linen undersheet, or using a mattress protector or topper with a textured surface. This way you can still benefit from lovely soft sheets, whilst also providing extra friction underneath to stop too much movement.
Replace your sheets regularly
If you find that your sheets just won’t stay put, it may be time to replace them. Old or worn out sheets are more likely to move around as they have stretched and lost textrue, so it’s worth considering buying new ones if you’ve had your current set for a while. When choosing new sheets, look for 100% cotton percale as these are less likely to move than other materials.
Best way to keep flat sheets in place
Flat sheets often don’t move as much as fitted sheets can, because they have a lot more area under the mattress to keep your bedding in place. Linen or cotton flat sheets which are big enough for your bed therefore don’t usually need anything to prevent movement.
If you do need something extra, you can use sheet grippers to provide a locking mechanism between your box spring, mattress and sheets. Alternatively, large rubber bands can be purchased which go all around the outside of your mattress to keep your sheets in place.
Best way to keep fitted sheets on the bed
With fitted sheets you have more options, such as elastic band sheet suspenders or clips. These sheet fasteners tend to work pretty well. For an easy to use solution look at the Bed Scrunchie as you don’t have to be able to mess around underneath the mattress to use it.
How to keep silk sheets in place
Silk sheets can feel luxurious, but can also move throughout the night. Help to keep them secure by using a textured material under them, or sheet grippers to keep them wrinkle free.
A textured pillow protector also helps keep silk pillowcases on your pillows.
How to keep satin sheets on the bed
Similar to silk sheets, satin sheets require extra friction between them and the mattress to stop them moving too much. Use a linen undersheet, mattress protector or rug grippers under your sheet to help them stay in place.
Which types of sheets stay on your bed best?
100% cotton or linen sheets stay on your bed best as they do not have a slippery texture and so move less. They also tend to be of higher quality than synthetic sheets and are more durable after multiple washes.
Read also: Characteristics of bed linen made from cotton
How to keep sheets on memory foam mattress
A memory foam mattress can be smoother than some more traditional box spring mattresses. This means that there is less friction to keep your sheets in place. Also, as a memory foam mattress is heavy, you aren’t going to have to get to the whole underside to fit sheet suspenders or straps. Because of this, we recommend the Bed Scrunchie or zipping sheets for a memory foam mattress.
How to keep sheets on an adjustable bed
Adjustable beds pose particular problems when it comest to keeping bed sheets in place, as the beds themselves move. This means that your bottom sheet will have to be able to move around the mattress. The best way to keep sheets in place on an adjustable bed is to use straps underneath to hold your sheet or the Bed Scrunchie.
How to keep sheets tucked in on platform bed
A flat sheet is easy to use on a platform bed as you can easily access the mattress to tuck it in. If you combine this with sheet grippers at each corner then you can pull the sheets tight and keep them that way.
Read also: How to keep blankets from sliding off the bed
Conclusion: How to keep bed sheets in place
There are a few different ways to keep bed sheets in place, depending on the type of sheet and mattress you have. For fitted sheets, you can use sheet suspenders or clips. Flat sheets usually stay in place better, but you can use sheet grippers if needed. Memory foam mattresses require extra friction to keep sheets in place, so we recommend using the Bed Scrunchie or zipping sheets. Adjustable beds also require extra friction to keep sheets in place, so we recommend using the Bed Scrunchie or straps underneath the sheet. Finally, platform beds are easy to keep flat sheets tucked in place by using sheet grippers at each corner.