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How to clean your mattress

How to Clean Your Mattress

Got a dirty mattress? Make it immaculately clean easy with these simple steps

Your 8 hours in bed affect the 16 hours that you are awake. So, it’s right to prioritize your sleep. You deserve it.

This guide is for you if you have you been struggling with the stubborn stain and offensive odor of your mattress. You are bothered by your bed’s foul smell and unsightly stains. You are not up for the idea of buying another mattress, it is time to learn how to deep clean it.

Mattress cleaning does not have to be stressful and arduous. This post will give you an in-depth guide on how to make the cleaning process faster and without too much stress.

Importance of cleaning the mattress regularly

Mattress cleaning is often the most overlooked and usually postponed home maintenance task. However, it is extremely important for two reasons – your health and mattress longevity.

A. Health reasons – Studies show that adequate sleep has a huge impact on long-term health and productivity. Experts also point out it’s a must to clean the room and the mattress to improve sleep quality. If not cleaned regularly, the mattress could become a breeding ground for disease-causing bed bugs and dust mites. Stains and foul odor could also trigger allergies, making you unable to get a restful sleep.

B. The longevity of the furniture – If you clean it regularly, you can keep your mattress fully functional and in top condition for a long time. Why so? Allowing urine, water, and other liquids to linger on the mattress could ruin the furniture’s layers of foam and fabric. Improper cleaning could do more harm than good.

Yes, cleaning a mattress could be time-consuming and tiresome, more so if you have a king-size bed. But it is a must to do it for the sake of enjoying a good rest and to preserve the furniture.

Common causes of mattress stain and odor

Are you fond of eating on the bed? Or are you allowing pets inside the bedroom to play or sleep? Remember that food and pet urine are common causes of mattress stain. The following could also be the reasons you might need to clean your bed more frequently than necessary:

  • Bed bugs and dust mites
  • Blood
  • Urine, either from pets or children with a history of incontinence
  • Body fluids
  • Mildew

A step-by-step guide on removing any type of stain and odor from mattresses

It is quite tempting to just buy another mattress when the stain builds up and the odor becomes overwhelming. But do not lose hope. This step-by-step guide helps you get rid of any type of stain on your mattress. This cleaning method can remove almost any type of stain, including sweat, pee, blood, moisture, and vomit, except mold

Step 1: 

Prepare all the materials you need

Don’t start the cleaning process if you don’t have everything you need. Make sure you have the following before getting started:

Cleaning Equipment:

a.  Spray bottle
b.  Toothbrush
c.  Vacuum cleaner
d.  White rags

Cleaning Equipment

Cleaning Consumables:

a.  Clear dish soap (Avoid colored ones to avoid staining your bed even more.)
b.  White distilled vinegar
c.  Bicarbonate of soda (Consider the size of your mattress but buy at least three boxes.)
d.  Hydrogen peroxide

Cleaning Consumables

Once you have everything you need, remove the bed covers of the mattress.

Step 2: 

Clean the top of the mattress thoroughly using a vacuum cleaner

This step gets rid of the first layer of unseen particles on the bed, including pet dander, hair, and dust.

Step 3:

Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over the mattress

Use the sifter to spread the bicarb evenly on top of the mattress. It’s okay to sprinkle too much, especially on areas with tough stain.

Step 4:

Rub the bicarb into the mattress

Using a toothbrush or vacuum brush, rub the bicarb on the mattress to ensure it penetrates the fiber and the foam. Then, let the bicarb sit for 10 minutes. This process helps lift or neutralize the foul smell of the mattress. 

Step 5:

Vacuum the bed again

Get rid of the bicarb on top of the mattress to see if it worked its magic on the stains. Empty the vacuum before moving on to the next step.

Step 6:

Create a cleaning solution

Fill a cup with cool water. Then, mix it with a cup of hydrogen peroxide. Add two squirts of clear dish soap in the mixture. Then, shake to mix the solution thoroughly. Pour the solution in a spray bottle.

Step 7:

Spray the cleaning solution on top of the mattress

Cover the entire surface of the mattress with the cleaning solution. Pat the surface to ensure there are no dry spots. The cleaning solution is non-toxic. So, you do not have to worry about touching it.

Step 8:

Sprinkle bicarb again and rub

The mattress should be damp already at this point. And you need to cover it with bicarb again. Cover darker stains with more bicarb. Then, rub the surface of the mattress again using a white rag.

Step 9:

Add extra layers of bicarbonate of soda and cleaning solution on tough stains

Cover darker stains with more bicarb and cleaning solution to penetrate the fiber and get rid of the deep-seated stain.

Step 10:

Let the mattress sit for at least 8 hours or overnight

Letting the mattress sit allows the cleaning solution and bicarb to take full effect. Prepare another bed for you to sleep on.

Step 11:

Scrub the mattress

After eight hours, scrub the bed using a vacuum brush or any type of brush with stiff bristles to remove the bicarb residue.

Step 12:

Clean the mattress using a vacuum

Use your vacuum cleaner again to remove the bicarb residue and other particles on the mattress. Beat the mattress with a rag or tennis racket to dislodge bicarb particles faster for easier vacuuming.

Step 13:

Use white vinegar mixture to get rid of the remaining stain and funky smell

Are there dark stains left on the mattress? Does it still smell funky? If yes, a mixture of white vinegar and bicarb is the solution. Mix a few capfuls of vinegar with a few tablespoons of bicarb to form a paste. Cover the dark stains with the paste and let it sit for at least one hour. Peel the paste off and vacuum the mattress again.

FAQ

Yes, mattress cleaning could be a real challenge, but only to those who are new to this task. Take note of these important insights to clean your bed more effectively and maintain its good condition:

What causes yellow stains on a mattress?

Yellow stains are usually due to urine, bodily fluids, hair oil, foods, and sweat. Many people
often postpone cleaning it, considering that it’s the toughest type of stain. However, the stain
becomes more difficult to clean as the days pass. It’s a must to get rid of the yellow stain right
away to preserve your mattress.

Can I use bleach to clean my mattress?

Yes. Bleach would be a great help if you are cleaning a white mattress with yellow stain. It can also neutralize odors. If you like to use bleach, be sure to dilute it with water and ventilate the area to avoid keeping the bleach fume circulating inside the room. It also helps to wear gloves and put the water and bleach mixture in a spray bottle. Bleach is a great cleaning solution. But it could also ruin the fabric of the mattress if you overdo it. It is best not to postpone the cleaning until you need bleach.

Does pee ruin a mattress?

Yes, pee can ruin a mattress. It seeps into the foam layers. And if not cleaned properly, it can
damage the fabric, foam, and other materials. Although getting rid of the traces of urine on your
mattress could be a real challenge, it is still possible. With the right cleaning method and
materials (e.g., bicarbonate of soda, bleach, white vinegar), you can recover your mattress and
make it look as if that night of incontinence never happened.

What causes brown stains on a mattress?

The brown or rust-colored discoloration on your mattress could be due to mildew build-up, bed
bugs, or dust mites. Unlike other types of stains, these could be more challenging to clean,
considering the need to get rid of the pests first. It’s best to contact a deep cleaning expert and
pest exterminator to clean the bed thoroughly and prevent the mites and bugs from coming back.

How do you kill bacteria on a mattress?

Sanitizing and disinfecting a mattress could be done in many ways. You could use organic, non-
toxic cleaning consumables, such as vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. Or you could use a
mattress deodorizer, enzyme cleaner, and antibacterial spray. The process of disinfection
depends on the type of stain and mattress you have.

Mattress cleaning is a long process, considering that you need to let the furniture absorb the cleaning solution for at least eight hours. Hence, it is best to clean your bed during the weekend. Prepare another area for you to sleep while waiting for your mattress to be clean and ready for use again.

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