Sleeping with your mattress on the floor is mostly fine. In fact, it can help you sleep cooler and some people love the feeling of being low. As long as your mattress is comfortable, you’ll sleep well.  

The main problem with sleeping on the floor is hygiene. You are exposed to more allergens including dust and dust mites leading to allergy symptoms that disrupt your sleep. 

Your mattress also doesn't breathe as well as it would on a foundation, so moisture can build up inside the mattress. This increases the risk of mold and mildew growth. Mold and mildew can cause or worsen respiratory and allergy health problems. 

Here’s a quick guide on how to keep your bed clean if you sleep on the floor. 

Keep The Floor Clean 

You’ll need to be even more rigorous in keeping the floor around and under your mattress clean. Even if the floor looks clean, small particles of dust, dust mites, pollen, pet hair and other allergens can quickly build up in a matter of hours. 

At night, you’ll be breathing in all those allergens. The health effects can be especially bad if you already have an existing allergy or a respiratory health condition like asthma. 

Vacuum the floor at least twice a day, more often if you live in an area that’s dusty or during pollen season. At least once a week, mop the floor for a deep clean.

Talking of floors, stick to hard flooring. Any carpeting under or around your mattress is a magnet for dust, moisture, germs and allergens.    

Get a Fully Encased Mattress Protector

A mattress protector is a must-have whether you sleep on the bed or on the floor. It keeps your mattresses from becoming home to allergens, bacteria, fungi, dirt and other kinds of gunk. 

A mattress protector is even more important if you keep your mattress on the floor where it is more directly exposed to dirt, allergens and bugs. 

Don't get the standard mattress protector that only covers the top and sides of the mattress. You need a fully encased mattress protector that covers even the underside.  

Change Your Bedding Frequently 

With your mattress on the floor, your bedding is going to get dirty sooner. Dirty bedding is a recipe for skin problems, asthma attacks and allergies. 

At the very least, wash your bed sheets, pillowcase and duvet cover once a week. Twice a week is even better especially if you have sensitive skin or already have asthma or allergies. 

Air Your Mattress Daily

One advantage of sleeping on a proper bed is that your mattress has space to breathe. This reduces how much moisture is strapped in the mattress, especially for foam mattresses. 

Trapped moisture can invite mold and mildew, and make your mattress smell stuffy and funky. 

If you keep your mattress on the floor, it breathes less and can easily get smelly and moldy especially if you sweat a lot at night or during humid weather. 

To prevent problems caused by too much moisture, air your mattress daily. This can be as simple as leaving the mattress uncovered for 30 minutes to an hour every morning. Open the windows to improve airflow. 

An even better way to air it out is raising it off the floor and leaning it against the wall, for the whole day if you can. 

Raise Your Mattress Off The Floor

Putting your mattress on a bed frame and foundation is the best way to improve hygiene. But if you prefer sleeping on the floor or can’t afford a bed right now, the next best option is slightly raising your mattress off the floor. 

There are plenty of ways you can do this without getting a bed. Pallets work great and they are cheap. Join a couple of them to make your own bed frame. You still get to sleep close to the floor but with better mattress breathability and less exposure to allergens. 

You can also get a low profile metal bed frame like this 7-inch one on Amazon. They are fairly affordable compared to wooden frames.   

Get Antibacterial Bed Sheets

For extra protection against bacteria and other germs, get a set of Hercleon antibacterial Jax sheets. They keep your bed hygienic and odor-free, so you can sleep on the floor without worrying about acne breakouts and other infections.