6 Ways to Make A Bed Skirt Stay In Place And Prevent Sliding

We spend a lot of time in our bedrooms so we like to decorate them. Many people have bed skirts to decorate their beds, but if the bed skirt is not staying in place, it can become a source of irritation. It's especially annoying to anyone who likes to have everything neat and tidy (which is the point of a bed skirt after all!). Nobody wants a messy bedroom caused by a bed skirt that falls off all the time. So, we'll discuss how to make a bed skirt stay in place in this article. 

To keep a bed skirt in place, you can use bed skirt pins, a tagging gun, velcro strips, or a non-slip grip. There are also wrap-around styles that don't require lifting the mattress to use, and are kept in place with elastics.

A bed skirt that doesn't stay in play can be more than aesthetically unpleasant or irritating. It can also pose a safety risk if it presents a tripping hazard, especially in the middle of the night. This is a problem that you are going to want to solve as quickly, easily, and affordably as possible. For other bed skirt ideas and options, read our article about bed skirt alternatives. 

What is a Bed Skirt?

A bed skirt is a useful addition to a bed that serves three essential purposes. It covers the construction of the bed, prevents dust from accumulating under the bed, and hides everything that may be stored under the bed.

A bed skirt is a skirt-like covering designed to cover the legs and supporting structures of a bed, as well as the space under the bed. Bed skirts can either be attached to the side of a bed frame or tucked between the mattress and box spring. 

Bed skirts can be made of a variety of materials and styles to suit any decor. A bed skirt can lend traditional charm to the bedroom or be more tailored to suit a more contemporary style. To learn more about bed skirt designs, read our article about 10 bed skirt styles and ideas. You may also find more useful information in our common bed skirt designs and their benefits too.

When the bed skirt touches the floor, it can help prevent dust from accumulating on the floor under the bed. Dust allergens significantly affect health - especially for those with allergies or respiratory diseases - so anything that reduces the movement of dust can be useful. Read this article titled, "Bedroom Allergen Exposure" that explains how exposure to dust is strongly related to allergic respiratory disease. 

Some bed skirts, like this tailored design, wrap around so the mattress never needs to be lifted. Image Source: Amazon.

Many people complain when a bed skirt falls off the bed, gets dragged on the floor, gets caught on something, or gets dirty. A slipping bed skirt may even become a tripping hazard for some people. Many people choose not to use a bed skirt for these very reasons. This article from ScienceDirect offers insight into some common safety hazards in the homes of elderly people, including items in the bedroom that could cause someone to trip and fall. 

To make a bed skirt stay in place bed skirt pins, fabric tags, or velcro strips can be used to anchor a bed skirt to a bed. Bed sheets or grip strips can be used to prevent the bed skirt from slipping. 

Buying a wrap-around bed skirt that is secured with elastics will avoid the issue altogether. You might also more useful information in our related article on how to keep a bed skirt in place as well.

1. Bed Skirt Pins Can Hold A Bed Skirt In Place

Bed skirt pins are a common way to secure bed skirts. For just a few dollars, you can get a few dozen bed skirt pins in one pack. They are small, inconspicuous, and very often decorative and elegant. If you want to make sure that the bed skirt does not shift and the bed skirt pins do not move, then you can simply use more of them, set more closely.

One disadvantage is that they may damage the bed skirt or other items that may catch on them if they come loose, especially if the bed skirt is accidentally or intentionally jerked. They can also sometimes fall off, and someone can step on them and injure themselves. 

You can't really go wrong buying them because their price is so low. Here is a good example of the twist pin style upholstery pin from Amazon. There are also flat styles specifically designed for use with bed skirts. Take a look at some other ideas in our article about what bed skirt hardware you need to install a bed skirt too. 

2. Tagging Guns Can Hold a Bed Skirt with Barbed Needles

This product was originally used for clothing. But that means it is suitable for use on all types of fabric. Using a tagging gun with its small needles works on the same principle as bed skirt pins. It can be used on the edges of the bed skirt to attach the skirt to the mattress to keep it from moving and sliding.

Tagging guns come with a lot of barb fasteners, so it can be used often before needing to buy refills. The main benefit is speed and efficiency. This BS One tagging gun from Amazon comes with 6 replacement needles and 1,000 fasteners, all in a handy storage bag. You can use it for fixing your bed skirt and for fabric based arts and crafts. 

3. Velcro Strips Can Stick to the Underside of a Bed Skirt

You might already have some of these affordable velcro strips around the house because many people use them to solve a wide variety of problems. Simply attach the velcro strips under the bed lining and attach the cover to them. Velcro has the advantage of allowing you to remove the bed skirt for cleaning. This is a very cheap and fast solution.

This Velcro Brand Sticky Back Strips with Adhesive from Amazon can be purchased in strip or block configurations depending on the weight of the bed skirt that you need to attach to the bed frame. 

4. Non-Slip or Grip Pads Can Increase Friction

Non-slip or grip pads are affordable products designed to hold household items in place. These strips have a self-adhesive glue that sticks easily and strongly to the surface they are attached to. Before applying the non-slip pads, test a small inconspicuous area to see if the adhesive stains leave a residue, because these pads can leave undesirable sticky marks and stains.

These SoftTouch self-stick non-slip surface grip pads from Amazon can be cut to the desired size and applied to heavy duty fabrics like denim and upholstery fabrics. 

5. Fitted Flannel or Cotton Sheet Can Also Decrease Bed Skirt Slipping

There are two ways that an ordinary bed sheet can be used to reduce the slipping of a bed skirt which has its own sheet that goes over the box spring. One is to lay a flannel or textured fabric sheet under the bed skirt to reduce the movement of a slippery bed skirt. 

The other method is to wrap a fitted bed sheet over the bed skirt to hold it in place. The sheet must fit very tightly for it to hold the bed skirt in position, and it works best if the bed skirt is laid over the mattress and not under it. This Great Bay Home extra soft cotton flannel from Amazon is a good choice.

6. Wrap-Arounds Are a Bed Skirt Hack That Use Elastics to Stay in Place

One way to avoid the issue of a slipping bed skirt is to purchase a wrap-around bed skirt that is designed to stay in place using elastic bands. If the elastic does slip, especially as the bed skirt ages, it is possible to use one of the other methods to secure it more firmly in position.

This popular Biscaynebay wrap-around bed skirt from Amazon comes in a drop length of 15-inches all the way up to 25-inches, which makes it great to use with beds that are positioned on risers for extra storage space. 

Summary of Products to Secure a Bed Skirt and Make a Bed Skirt Stay in Place

Make sure to also take a look at our article, different types of bed skirts and their uses for different ideas and tips. Additionally, you may find our article on how to choose the right bed skirt shoe organizer interesting as well.

Elastics keep wrap-around bed skirts in place. Image source: Amazon.

How to Put on a Bed Skirt Without Removing the Mattress

Lifting a mattress may not be an option for some people because of the mattress' size and weight. It's also possible that you're using an adjustable bed and don't want to tuck your bed skirt under the mattress. 

It is possible to use a bed skirt without removing the mattress by choosing a bed skirt that is put just around the sides of the bed or by putting the bed skirt directly over the mattress instead of under it. Read our thorough guide to bed skirt uses for more tips and tricks to properly fit your bed skirt to your bed frame. 

Tip 1. Use a Bed Skirt That Only Covers the Sides of the Bed

Traditional bed skirts require lifting the mattress because they have a sheet designed to cover the top of the box spring. To avoid this, use a wrap around bed skirt which is a type of bed skirt that just covers the sides of the bed and what is underneath. 

Tip 2. Put a Bed Skirt Over the Mattress

If you want to use the traditional style of bed skirt, use a large bed skirt that covers the entire bed, including the mattress, and hangs down to the floor. While this method is used rarely, it's still a viable way to avoid lifting the mattress. Just be careful to measure the dimensions carefully or the skirt won't properly cover the sides of the bed. Read our guide to bed skirt height and length for steps to correctly measure your bed's dimensions so that you get the perfect fit for your bed skirt. 

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a bed skirt and a dust ruffle? If so, make sure to take a look at our article comparing bed skirts vs dust ruffles to find out more.

In a Nutshell

Bed skirts that are properly and safely secured not only provide an aesthetically pleasing finish to a bedroom's decor, but they also prevent tripping and falling in the bedroom which could result in serious injury. If you want to read more about how a bed skirt can dramatically improve the look of your bedroom then have a look at our article that covers several bed skirt hacks. 

How to Keep a Bed Skirt in Place

Bed skirts are notorious for shifting, bunching, and sliding out of position every time you change your sheets. The traditional design - a flat panel tucked between the mattress and box spring - simply does not grip well under the weight of a heavy mattress. Here are proven methods to keep yours in place.

Pin it down: Use upholstery twist pins (also called bed skirt pins) to secure the bed skirt's fabric platform to the box spring. Push the corkscrew-shaped pins through the fabric and into the box spring surface at each corner and every 12–18 inches along each side. These pins hold firmly and are invisible once the mattress is on top.

Use velcro strips: Attach adhesive-backed Velcro to the top of your box spring and the underside of the bed skirt panel. This creates a strong bond that keeps the skirt perfectly positioned even when you are making the bed.

Try a wrap-around style: Wrap-around bed skirts attach directly to the box spring with elastic bands - no lifting the mattress required. They stay put much better than traditional flat-panel designs and are far easier to install and remove for washing.

Additional tips:

• Iron or steam your bed skirt before installing it. Wrinkled fabric bunches more easily than smooth fabric.
• Make sure the bed skirt is the correct size for your bed. An oversized skirt has excess fabric that naturally slides around.
• Place a non-slip shelf liner between the box spring and bed skirt for added friction without any pinning or adhesives.

A well-made bed frame with a clean look can eliminate the need for a bed skirt entirely - one less thing to fuss with every laundry day.