The 3 Best Waterproof Mattress Protectors and Pads of 2025

Accidents can happen wherever, whenever. So we focused both on encasement-style mattress protectors for nighttime use as well as pads that offer protection while traveling or for other surfaces (like on couches, in kids’ playpens, or in the car). After speaking with experts, reading parenting and incontinence forums, and researching options from popular brands, we focused on waterproof protectors and pads that met the following criteria:

• Leakproof and highly absorbent: According to Vestal, waterproof mattress protectors and pads should hold at least 400 to 500 mL (13.5 to 17 ounces) of liquid — about the volume of a full bladder release. Ideally, a mattress protector’s absorbency should be able to handle multiple episodes. Our final picks were protectors that could hold this much liquid, plus a little more, for at least two hours without leaking into the mattress.
• Durable, reusable, and easy to wash and dry: Waterproofing material may degrade with frequent washing and drying. And, according to Harrison King, VP of Quality Control at American Textile Company, the durability of waterproofing materials can vary from protector to protector. Most big brands conduct independent testing that involves five or more cycles of laundering, to prove effectiveness. But as any potty-training parent knows, five washes really isn’t much! We preferred the protectors that held up well through seven to eight cycles of washing and drying — without degrading or losing their waterproofing ability. Additionally, since waterproof protectors are meant to hold water, we favored the models that still dried in a reasonable time. (Note: It is not necessary to regularly wash your waterproof mattress protector if it’s not exposed to leaks or spills. It’s perfectly fine to wash your protector three to four times a year in these cases, according to King.) For waterproof pads, we preferred fully reusable options, rather than those that relied on a disposable top layer.
• Affordable and returnable: We gave the most consideration to protectors that cost less than $50 in queen, or those that were affordable enough to buy in multiples. Having more than one waterproof protector is convenient if you need to re-make a bed quickly in the middle of the night. We also preferred protectors that had either a 30-day return policy or a warranty. However, we found that most companies’ policies were limited.
• Comfortable and quiet to sleep on: Mattress protectors live underneath your sheets, so their absorbency is more important than their overall feel. That being said, we disqualified excessively rough or scratchy-feeling protectors and those that sounded or felt plasticky when we were tossing and turning in bed.
• Oeko-Tex certification or other testing for PFAS: Waterproof protectors typically have a vinyl or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) layer. Waterproofing materials can sometimes contain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of chemicals that have been linked to a host of health risks). For this guide, we selected encasements that were Oeko-Tex–certified; this voluntary certification means the product has been independently tested for certain chemicals (including, as of January 2024, PFAS) and found to be harmless to human health. If a product did not have Oeko-Tex certification, we noted if it claimed to have been independently tested to be free from PFAS (like our budget pick, the IKEA Grusnarv).

First, we poured water containing blue dye on each protector, and then we placed weights on the stains for an hour. If a protector allowed the blue dye to seep through to the mattress, we eliminated it from the running. (The initial blue-dye spill test helped us to eliminate seven protectors and one pad). Then we washed and dried each remaining protector five times, following the manufacturer’s care instructions and noting any degradation.

After our washing and drying tests, we poured one cup of blue-dye water onto each protector, with seven layers of paper towels underneath. We then put a five-pound weight on top of the soiled area and let it sit for an hour. If water leaked through to the paper towels, we eliminated that protector from the running.

We did a second round of spill tests on the remaining contenders. For this test, we set up each protector on a mattress and covered it with a fitted sheet. We then poured splotches of food-grade pig blood and homemade, synthetic concoctions designed to mimic urine, bile, and diarrhea on a bed.

To figure out how to simulate urine, bile, and diarrhea so they’d have the same density as the real substances, I spoke to Sammy Wang, a senior scientist at Procter & Gamble’s Fabric Care department.

For urine stains, I used a 13.5-ounce mixture of water, saline, and yellow and orange dye per spill; 13.5 ounces is the typical amount held by an adult bladder before the urge to urinate becomes strong, according to Vestal. Children ages 4 to 9 will likely release between 6 to 9 ounces.

To accurately test the effect of menstrual blood on a mattress protector, I consulted with my own gynecologist, Emily Blanton. She noted that very little research has been done to measure the volume of period blood released per day, per cycle, but she cautiously guessed that it might be around 40 mL, or 2.7 tablespoons, per day.

To mimic bile and diarrhea, I mixed carbomer, baby food, and saline solution in varying quantities. We landed on using two tablespoons of “bile” and three tablespoons of “diarrhea” on each protector. We then let these substances sit on each protector, under a 10-pound weight, for two hours.

With the waterproof pads, before we spilled the liquids, we tossed and turned on the pads to see whether they would bunch up or slide around the bed.