The Complete Mattress Cleaning and Maintenance Guide

If you really think about it, there are much worse things that can happen to your mattress than dust mites. What about sweat, urine, and blood? Or mold and mildew? Or worse – what if all that gets mixed up together? Not a pleasant topic, but surely an important one if you want to live in a healthy home. 

A little-known fact is that mattresses can be easy to clean, as long as you take proper care of them. Looking for some tips on proper mattress maintenance and cleaning? Keep reading. 

Mattress Maintenance

Regularly change your sheets

It’s best to change your sheets at least once a week. Clean bed linen is not only more comfortable to sleep in but also will prevent dead skin from building up and settling into your mattress. Thus, you will stop dust mites from attacking your home. Change them even more often if you’re sick. 

Avoid excess sweating 

Sweating during sleep is normal, but if you wake up soaked most nights, it can become a problem for your mattress, as it will encourage the growth of mold and mildew. Take the necessary precautions to avoid it. You can wear different clothes, or get lighter sheets, and most importantly – adjust the temperature. 

Vacuum your mattress

Regularly vacuuming your mattress is a vital part of maintenance. Use the upholstery attachment of your vacuum cleaner to clean the top and sides of your mattress and the bedspring. Use pressure to get all the dust and dirt out.

Use a mattress protector 

And don’t wait for your mattress to wear out to get a mattress protector. Get one from the moment you get your mattress. A quality mattress cover will protect your mattress from spills and accidents and will also reduce the amount of dust and debris that makes it into your bed. Thus, it will prolong the lifespan of your mattress.

Air your mattress

It’s a good idea to air your mattress once every few months. The fresh air and sunshine will help you get rid of odors and can bleach out stains.  If you don’t have the right conditions to do so, you can stand it up near a sunny open window. 

Don’t make your bed right away

Yes, every motivational video says that making your bed in the morning is a great way to start the day and will help you be much more productive. But don’t do it right away. Making your bed first thing in the morning traps the moisture in and helps bacteria spread. Leave your bed undone while you’re getting ready for the day so it can air out. 

Regular Mattress Cleaning

Wash the sheets

Remove pillows and bedding until your mattress is bare. Put them in the washing machine for a quick spin in hot water. Regular washing of the bedding will help get rid of dust mites.

Vacuum the mattress

Use the upholstery attachment to go over the entire surface, including the sides and the bedspring. Use the crevice attachment for any hard-to-reach places that may have accumulated hidden dirt or dust. 

Spot clean

Memory foam is not supposed to get wet. So, don’t apply the solution directly onto the mattress or you risk having to dump it to trash. Use a soft cloth soaked in the solution and blot the stained area with it. After that, with a different cloth soaked in cold water, continue blotting until the blemish lifts. The type of stain remover you’re going to use depends on the dirt. More on that later. 

Sprinkle baking soda

Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the whole mattress and let it rest for a few hours. If possible, open a window and let the sunlight in. Baking soda breaks down and absorbs the remaining moisture and odor from the mattress, and the sun’s UV rays will help kill bacteria. The longer the baking soda stays on the mattress, the better results you get. 

Once the baking soda works its magic, it’s time to thoroughly vacuum the mattress. Carefully remove any baking soda residue from the mattress. If you have a fabric headboard, not is a great time to vacuum that, too.

Now that one side of the mattress is clean, it’s time to get to the other one. Turn the mattress over and repeat the previous steps for the best results. The rule of thumb is to flip your mattress every few months to avoid sagging. However, don’t forget to check with the model manufacturer first. 

Protect the mattress

Once your mattress is dry, cover it with a mattress protector. This will make cleaning much easier in the future. The protector will prevent spills, dust, and dirt from settling into the mattress. Also, it’s a good idea to use fitted sheets. They serve as an additional protective layer against dust.

Protect yourself

You don’t know what could be in your mattress. There might be bed mites, molds, mildew, dust, and other bacteria. You’ll want to keep yourself protected from whatever elements that could be hiding there.

So when cleaning your mattress, it’s also important to keep yourself protected. Gloves may be the best kind of protection you can give yourself. But better use medical grade nitrile gloves because they’re sturdy and guaranteed to keep your hands safe from cleaning agents, dirt, and bacteria that you’ll be handling.

Mattress Stain Removal 

Enzyme cleaner

There are several types of stains that may appear on the surface of your mattress, but for biological stains, Fantastic cleaning experts advise to use an enzyme cleaner. When an enzyme cleaner applies to a surface, it digests the dirt if we allow it the needed time to dwell. 

So, remember to wait for enough time to pass. Enzymes are great for stains like blood, sweat, and urine. A great alternative for not so tough stains can be a DIY solution of water and mild dish soap. 

White vinegar

A great all-natural solution for mattress stains can be white vinegar. 

• Use a spray bottle to apply. Remember not to use the pouring method because it can over-saturate the mattress. 
• Let it sit for about 15 minutes. If you have a ceiling fan, turn it on, or at least open the windows. Airflow speeds the process and removes the odor and the stain. 
• Use paper towels or clean rags to soak up the vinegar and sprinkle baking soda generously all over the mattress. After a few hours, you’ll notice the baking soda caking as it soaks up the vinegar and removes both odor and the stain. 
• Finally, vacuum up the baking soda. 

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide has bleaching properties that can reduce the appearance of stain on your mattress. That is why it can be great for tough stains, but it needs to be used with caution, as it can be very harsh on the surface. Before you start, mix it with water and test it on a small section of the mattress. If it’s working well, spray it on the stain and allow it to soak for a few minutes. After that use a dry clean cloth to blot the excess. Don’t forget to put on protective gloves!