I have been looking at a few condos, and some of them have had the plastic cover still on the box spring mattress, even though people have been living there before! To me this is very odd, I've never ever heard of this before. The one thing I have heard about beds and mattresses are that it's crucial that there is good air circulation to prevent fungus and other nasty stuff building up in there... seems the plastic would sort of defeat that? Albeit, it might not let much moisture in either.

 

Can someone explain the reasons for this, to me very unusual, behaviour? Maybe it's just me who has never encountered it before during my 35 years... perhaps it's a common thing to do?

 

I did have a girlfriend a long time ago whose parents kept a plastic cover on their sofa... to me it just looks ridiculous, but at least there I can understand that they don't want it to get stained or damaged... but a mattress? It's not like you can see it anyway. Plus the springs will be worn out after X years (especially on the cheap Thai ones!), no matter how much plastic you covered it with...

Thais love to leave the plastic on. Same goes for the economy stickers on refrigerators and aircons. The last car I bought here was a 16 yr old Audi and it still had the blue protective film on the interior alloy trim  TiT !

Most likely to try and stop stains
probably the worst of which are from menstrual blood !

OP get used to it if you live here.

Thais love to leave the plastic on, my electric hospital bed which i use every day is almost 3 years old, still has the plastic on it from new, asked the wife why, she answered take it off it is not new anymore.

I have tried to understand , but buggered if i can.

Just rip the mattress condom off the mattress.

 

That reminds me of the episode on Everybody Loves Raymond where Marie takes off the plastic cover.