Should you wash a mattress protector before use?

Yes, a new mattress protector should be washed before its first use. A wash removes factory residue, packaging odor, and loose fibers, and it softens the fabric so the protector sleeps quieter against your skin.

Protectors often ship folded tight in plastic, and many carry a waterproof backing or a fitted-sheet-style knit that feels stiff straight out of the bag. The care label on the protector sets the safe temperature and dryer setting, so follow it. Washing first also lets you catch any manufacturing smell before the protector ever touches the mattress.

A mattress protector sits between the sleeper and the mattress, so it takes the sweat and spills first.
Waterproof-backed mattress protectors usually call for a gentle cycle, because high heat can damage the waterproof layer.
The care label on a mattress protector is the authority on water temperature and dryer setting.
A new mattress protector can carry a packaging odor that a first wash typically clears.