How To Clean A Mattress

It’s said that we spend 30% or more of our lives sleeping.

Knowing this fact, you would want this one-third of your life to be spent somewhere that’s clean and comfortable!

I once read somewhere that the average mattress can double its weight over the years (I think it was 10 years) as a result of it being filled with dust mites and their debris. Yuk! If I’m spending one-third of my time on my mattress – I want to make sure it’s a clean mattress.

It really is important to do maintenance cleaning to your mattress to keep it fresh and to ensure it lasts for a long time to come. It’s a fact that a clean and sanitized mattress can make a huge difference in the way you sleep and feel!

All it takes is a few simple steps and regular cleaning.

Vacuum Away Dust Mites

One of the largest causes of a stale-smelling and allergy unfriendly mattress is dust mites.

They are simple to control, though. When you go to flip your mattress (as you should every 6-8 weeks), take a few moments to vacuum each face and all sides. Use the hose on your vacuum with its non-brush, hard surface attachment.

This regular upkeep will go a long way towards keeping your mattress clean and comfortable.

Freshen Up Your Mattress

Here are some general fresh-smelling tips to keep your mattress freshened up.

Tip #1. Use Dryer Sheets to Keep Your Mattress Fresh

Be sure to place a few dryer sheets on the mattress before covering it with the mattress cover and bedding. This will help the mattress smell as fresh as it did when you bought it from the store.

However, make sure the dryer sheets you choose have a scent that you don’t mind sleeping on every night; and if you find yourself developing a headache, it’s time to change scents.

Tip #2. Sprinkle on a bit of Baking Soda

Baking soda is safe and an efficient deodorizer and it’s an odor magnet! Sprinkle some on the top of your mattress then let this sit for an hour or so then vacuum thoroughly.

You can even add a bit of lavender essential oil to the mix, here’s how:

Get yourself a mason jar and poke some holes in the lid (to sprinkle out the mixture) then add:

1 cup of baking soda and drop in 10 drops lavender essential oil. Put the lid on and sprinkle over the mattress. Vacuum thoroughly after an hour or so.

Removing Urine from Your Mattress

Unfortunately, accidents can and do happen. Whether it’s your young child or pet stains, it can be extremely frustrating to figure out just how to save the mattress.

The first step is to blot up as much of the wetness as possible with a dry towel. Lay a towel over the area and apply as much pressure as you can to absorb the urine from as deep in the mattress. Repeat until no more liquid is being released from the mattress.

Next, spray (don’t pour) on a enzymatic cleaner designed especially for urine – these can be found at just about any grocery or home care store.

Repeat the blotting process over the enzymatic cleaner until the towels comes up dry and white (this may take several repetitions).

Finally, sprinkle baking soda over the entire area. The baking soda will help to eliminate any lingering odors and absorb remaining moisture. Leave the baking soda at least overnight, sometimes longer if the stain is larger. Then vacuum the baking soda from the mattress and use as normal.

Removing Mattress Mold and Mildew

A mattress that has had mold or mildew on it can seem impossible clean. If the mold and/or mildew covers more than 50% of the mattress and/or it appears to be extremely deep (not just on the surface), we recommend a new mattress for your overall health. However, if there’s just a small area that has mildewed, you may be able to salvage the mattress.

Take the mattress outside on a dry, sunny day. Be sure you’re wearing a protective mask, and then vacuum the mattress with a garage vacuum (Shop Vac). Allow the mattress to sit in the sun for the rest of the day. If you want to leave the mattress for more than one day of sunning, be sure to bring it in before the dew settles for the night.

Removing Cigarette Odors

Cigarette smoking in bed is never recommended for obvious safety reasons, but still some do and it leaves a mattress saturated with cigarette odors.

Even if you don’t smoke in bed, if someone in your house smokes inside, your mattress is likely to have absorbed some of the cigarette odors. To remove these less-than-pleasant odors from your mattress, we recommend starting with taking the mattress outside on a sunny, dry day.

Spray the mattress with a fabric odor remover or neutralizer such as Febreeze, and let the sun naturally bake the mattress until it’s fresh. Then, bring the mattress inside and sprinkle baking soda on it. Allow the baking soda to sit overnight, and vacuum in the morning.

Removing Vomit

Recovering from an illness can seem to zap all of your strength, and then you’re left with the less-than-charming task of clean-up. If your mattress was the unfortunate recipient of vomit, it can be cleaned in much the same way as urine listed above.

Use an enzymatic cleaner as described above to remove the vomit stain from the mattress. Then, allow the mattress to sit in the sun and use the sun’s antibiotic properties to kill any remaining germs.

After all, this isn’t a cycle that you want to repeat any time soon!

By keeping your mattress fresh and clean, you’re not only helping yourself sleep well but you’re also helping to keep yourself healthy.

A mattress that is stale and filled with foreign substances such as mold, germs, and dust mite can cause long-reaching health problems. Keep your mattress clean with these simple tips, and you’ll breathe more easily each night as you sleep.