How to combat moisture pooling under my mattress?
I have a memory foam matress on top a cot. Every now and then I need to sun dry the mattress and cot from a decent amount of moisture trapped between the two. Is there a way to keep the moisture out or even just reduce it?
Sailors know your pain all too well. The key to preventing this is air movement. The less expensive option is some kind of material to put in between your cot and mattress, such as Hypervent Aire-Flow or Dri-Deck. An expensive solution is a Froli System, which has the added benefit of allowing you to tune the firmness for different parts of your body. I have a Froli under all of the bunks on my boat; condensation and mildew are no longer a thing now. But the price is steep.
Sailor here.
I've put those plastic shower tile mats under my mattress. The ones that help with draining water while keeping your toesies dry.
It lets enough air flow through that it can dry up under the mattress. Others just drill a bunch of airholes in their berths.
Embrace the moisture. Become one with the mold.
Been there done that. Got some good gigs as a mildew-man but eventually the mycelium grafting into my neurons was starting to cause motor function issues so I had to give that life up. Good times though it felt like microdosing on cube shrooms 24/7 overall I'd do it all again if I had the chance.
One of my more iconic acting roles you might recognize :
Stop peeing on it!
Just get one of these
Do you use a bed protector between the sheets and mattress? Humans sweat a lot at night, naturally. Bed protectors protect against the 7+ fluids that can come out of you, lol. It might be worth a shot.
"Everything reminds me of her"
You need better air flow.
I had the same issue as a student, when I lived in that pocket-sized 1 room 'apartment' with barely any airflow coming through a single and tiny window. The only solution I found to be working was, each morning, to lift the mattress and store it on its side with the bottom/downside face part of it not facing the wall, and let it like that for the rest of the day. The air would do its magic.
I also raised the bed frame that was very close to the ground.
You need better air flow.
More farts, got it.
Have you tried being cooler? Kidding, listen to the sailor at the top
Cotton topper / mattress protector. Helps to catch and distribute heat and moisture. In my experience also improves sleep quality
Do you add a tarp under your tent? Have heard that it can help with inside moisture
Drill holes in your wooden base so moisture can escape, or change the base to slats for the same reason.
You might find that more insulation helps if it's condensation. You're effectively sleeping on a hammock, so you could check out some hammock camping forums.
I had to sleep on one of those for an extended period recently and had the same problem. I highly recommend finding an alternative!
Maybe just some slats across the cot frame. I'm sure a bunkie board would sit on there just fine