How To Clean A Mattress: The Ultimate Guide 2021

Memory Foam

You’ve probably heard before that memory foam mattress requires some special care, and I’m not going to lie to you – it can be a bit of a hassle. However, if you follow these simple tips I’m about to give, you’ll learn all the tips and tricks of how to clean a memory foam mattress like a pro.

Plus, if your mattress came with a removable, machine-washable cover, you’re already halfway there.

Let’s get started!

• If possible, remove the cover and wash it according to the instructions.
• Start by vacuuming the mattress. Make sure you use gentle, circular motions that won’t damage the surface.
• Now, you should mix warm water and mild liquid detergent in a two to one ration, pour it in a spray bottle, and treat the mattress lightly with the cleaning solution.
• Let it air out, but make sure you’re not leaving it outside in direct sunlight.
• Once it’s dry, sprinkle baking soda all over the surface, and let it sit overnight.
• All you need to do now is vacuum your memory foam mattress.

Additional Tip: If you want to freshen up your mattress, you can mix ten ounces of water with four ounces of fabric softener, spray it all over the mattress, and leave it to dry. Works like a charm every time!

Latex

Latex mattresses can be super comfortable – but they’re quite expensive, as well. So, as a latex mattress owner, you’re probably looking for ways to clean yours without accidentally damaging it in the process.

Don’t worry; you have me in your corner, and I have excellent news for you – latex mattresses are very easy to clean because they mostly require common household ingredients!

• Mix three to four drops of liquid soap (preferably a mild one) with warm water, and stir it a bit to form soap bubbles.
• Dip a white cloth into your soapy mixture, and spot-clean your mattress. Don’t forget to squeeze out the excess water before you start!
• Dampen another cloth (again, make sure it’s white) under warm water, and use it to wipe the soapy cleaning solution from your mattress.
• Lastly, leave it out to air dry. That said, leaving your latex mattress in direct sunlight is a bad idea, so try to keep it in the shade while it dries.

Traditional

Innerspring, or “traditional,” mattresses don’t have many of the anti-allergenic or anti-bacterial features that the majority of new foam mattresses boast. As such, they require continuous attention and care from their owners.

Luckily for you, though, caring for an innerspring mattress can be pretty easy, as long as you follow a few essential guidelines. On that note, here’s how to clean an innerspring mattress:

• Start by vacuuming the mattress – top, bottom, and sides. That should help get rid of dust mites and all the dirt build-up.
• Mix water and white vinegar in a two to one ration, pour it in a spray bottle, apply all over your mattress, and let it sit for an hour or so. It’s one of the easiest ways to disinfect your bed.
• Soak a towel in warm water and use it wipe down the mattress, and remove the cleaning solution.
• Next, sprinkle some baking soda on it to get rid of the smell. If you notice any discolorations, you can use a brush with soft bristles to “massage” in the baking soda. Leave it like that for an hour.
• Lastly, vacuum the mattress again, and let it air dry.

Keep Your Pillows Clean, Too

By now, you know you should wash your sheets once a week (two weeks tops), and that your mattress requires a certain level of care, too, although not as frequent. What about your pillows, though? How often should they be cleaned?

First off, you can’t even imagine the amount of gross stuff that builds up in your pillow. Saliva, sweat, oils, dirt, and sometimes even mold – to name a few. So, yes, you should clean your pillows at least two times a year. If you live in a warm climate (meaning you sweat a lot during the night), you should probably make that four to six times a year – or every few months.

Sweat

Everyone sweats, especially when they sleep, there’s no point in denying it – it’s a perfectly normal bodily function all of us have to deal with on daily (well, nightly) basis. However, your mattress won’t be as understanding, and before you know it, sweat stains will rear their ugly heads!

Here’s how to take care of them:

Hydrogen Peroxide, Baking Soda And Liquid Soap

• Mix three tablespoons of baking soda and eight ounces of hydrogen peroxide with one drop of liquid soap (dish soap will do), and pour it in a spray bottle.
• Spray the stains and let the solution sit for around five to ten minutes.
• Use an absorbent pad to blot out any residue.
• Let the mattress air dry.

Borax

• Start by dampening the stain with water.
• Pour a tiny amount of Borax onto the stained area of the mattress, and use a white cloth to rub it in using a circular motion.
• Leave it to dry and vacuum the area once it does.
• Feel free to repeat the process if necessary.

Blood

Okay, I have to warn you upfront that getting rid of blood stains might be the trickiest thing on this entire list, especially if you’re dealing with old and dried blood. As you can imagine, time is of the essence here – the longer you wait to deal with a blood stain, the harder it will be to remove.

On that note, if you discover a bloodstain that’s long overdue for cleaning, you can expect it to take several turns before you remove the stain entirely – or at least make it less noticeable.

Fresh Blood Stains

If you’re dealing with a new bloodstain, you have two stain removal methods at your disposal:

Baking Soda

• Mix approximately 20 ounces of cold water with four ounces of baking soda. It has to be cold water, though – warm water will only “cook” the protein in the blood, and set the stain.
• Use a cloth to apply this solution to the stain and let it sit for 30 minutes or so.
• After half an hour has passed, rinse the area thoroughly with a damp cloth, absorb any excess moisture with a dry towel, and leave the mattress to dry.

Water And Salt

• Dissolve two teaspoons of salt in approximately 10 ounces of cold water, and then pour it into a spray bottle. Again, don’t make the mistake of using warm water!
• Spray the salt water over the stained area, and then blot it with a dry cloth to remove excess moisture.
• Repeat the process a couple more times, to get as much of the blood out of the mattress as you can.
• Rinse the area with a damp cloth, use absorbing pads to get rid of moisture, and dry the mattress.

Old Blood Stains

As I said, dried blood stains can test your patience, as they usually require several applications. Hydrogen peroxide is your best bet here, but you need to remember that it’s still a bleaching agent, so there’s a risk of changing the color of your mattress by accident.

Hydrogen Peroxide

• Combine two ounces of hydrogen peroxide, one tablespoon of salt, and four ounces of cornstarch, and mix it well until you create a paste.
• Apply it directly to the stained area.
• Coming in contact with hydrogen peroxide will cause the blood to foam up, so blot it immediately – you’ll remove a vast portion of the stain just by doing that.
• Now, add another layer of paste, but this time, leave it to dry.
• Once it’s dry, scrape it off, and follow up with a thorough vacuuming.
• Feel free to repeat the process if the stain is still there.

Urine

Maybe your kids aren’t as potty-trained as you thought, or you waited too long for your dog’s daily walk – whatever the case may be, you now have a urine stain to remove. I’m not going to lie to you – it’s going to be tricky, only because you have to deal with the odor, as well.

By now, you’re probably sorry that you didn’t get a mattress protector, huh?

Fresh Urine Stains

Okay, this one’s going to be easy. Sure, cleaning up urine isn’t how I like to spend my days, either, but at least you caught it as soon as it happened, and you don’t have to deal with damage control and dried up urine stains.

Anyway, here’s what works in these situations:

White Vinegar

• Start by blotting the urine with paper towels – you want to soak up as much of it as possible. Don’t be afraid to apply pressure.
• Now, mix one part white vinegar with two parts lukewarm water, pour it in a spray bottle, and spray all over the stain.
• Again, do some blotting.
• If the smell and the stain persist, repeat the process a couple more times.
• Leave the mattress to air dry.
• Use water to wash out any residual solution (be careful not to wet it excessively) and blot it dry.

Hydrogen Peroxide And Baking Soda

• Again, the first thing you need to do is soak up the urine with a cloth.
• Make a solution by mixing three tablespoons of baking soda in eight ounces of hydrogen peroxide, and spray the urine stain with it.
• Leave it to dry, and when it does, apply some more baking soda – to be on the safe side.
• Let it sit overnight and use a vacuum cleaner to clean it up in the morning.

Dried Urine Stains

Here’s where it gets tricky – when left untreated, urine can cause permanent damage to your mattress. I’ll help you try and get it cleaned up, but I can’t guarantee you it will work:

Vinegar And Baking Soda

• Mix vinegar with warm water in a half-and-half ration and pour it in a spray bottle.
• Spray the vinegar solution on the stained area, and blot it dry.
• Next, you should sprinkle some baking soda on it, as it helps get rid of the smell.
• Let it sit overnight and vacuum the mattress in the morning.

Pet Urine

Let’s say you left your furry companion unsupervised for a couple of hours, and when you finally came back, they greeted you with a big, wet spot on your bed. Ah, the wonders of being a pet parent!

Anyway, here’s what you can do to take care of the stain:

Enzyme-Based Cleaners

• Start by absorbing as much as you can with a cloth.
• I strongly recommend using enzyme cleaners for pet urine stains, because they’ll break the uric acid.
• Once you apply your cleaning agent of choice, let it sit for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
• Use an absorbent pad to blot up the enzyme cleaner, and leave the mattress to dry.
• If it doesn’t work the first time (which could happen with older stains), you should give it another try.

Vomit

Yes, it’s gross, I know, but no one pukes on purpose, and I’m sure whoever did this to your mattress is feeling even worse than you are. Anyway, let’s get down to work – you have some vomit stains to clean up, and I’m going to help you!

• The first step is the hardest, I promise – you have to get rid of all the solid parts before you move on to the liquids.
• The next thing you should do is remove the sheets, as well as anything else that might have been affected, such as a mattress protector. Wash everything on a high-temperature setting.
• Now, soak up the remaining liquid with a dry cloth. Try to get as much as possible out, but make sure you’re not rubbing the stain.
• Pour some hydrogen peroxide on the affected area, but try not to soak the mattress.
• Let it sit for approximately five minutes before you blot it out with a dry towel.
• Lastly, sprinkle the stain with baking soda, let it sit overnight, and vacuum the mattress the next day.

Other Common Stain Types You Should Know About

To know how to clean a mattress the right way, you first need to figure out what type of stain you’re dealing with – and this table should be able to help you with that!

Mission Impossible: When You Should Call It Quits

With such a detailed guide at your disposal, you might think you’re ready for anything, but the unfortunate truth is that sometimes the damage is pretty much irreversible, because your mattress’ condition reached a point of no return. There’s nothing left for you to do – it’s as simple as that.

In times like that, it’s important to know when to call it quits, and move on to a more critical task – choosing a new mattress.

To stop you from fighting a losing battle, here’s a detailed list of stains you probably shouldn’t bother trying to remove, because the effect they had on the fabrics is most likely permanent:

• Acne medication and creams that contain benzoyl peroxide
• Stomach acid
• Chlorine bleach and chlorine, in general
• Strong alkalis found in most homes, such as oven or drain cleaners
• Old urine stains
• Plant food and fertilizers
• Germicides and disinfectants
• Pesticides
• Harsh cleaning agents, such as those used for bathroom cleaning
• Epoxy cement
• Furniture stain

Odor-Free Zone: How To Keep Your Mattress From Smelling

You have to admit that sleeping on a smelly mattress can be quite an off-putting experience and no amount of freshly washed sheets can change that. Plus, if you don’t address it in time, it will most likely become even worse, and affect your sleep quality and comfort. So, ignoring the problem isn’t the way to go here.

Now, if you notice some not-so-pleasant odors coming from your mattress, your first instinct will probably tell you to get one of those store-bought deodorizing products. Let me stop you right there – these won’t deal with the source of the problem, and instead, they’ll cover it up, often with a much stronger, chemical smell. Doesn’t sound great, right?

Luckily for you, there are some effective methods you could try that will keep your mattress odor-free and smelling fresh. Of course, the first thing you should try is merely airing it out – leaving it outside for a few hours could do wonders. But if that’s not the option, here are some other things you could do:

Baking Soda

The best thing about baking soda and the reason why it’s my go-to method for odor removal is the fact that it doesn’t merely mask the smells – it absorbs them and balances out the pH levels. Plus, it’s widely available, and you probably already have some in your home, so why not give it a try right away?

All you need to do is remove the sheets, and sprinkle baking soda directly on your mattress. Don’t be afraid to use a generous amount – there’s no risk of damaging the fabric.

Let it sit for at least an hour or two, although I strongly recommend an overnight treatment for the best possible results. So, if you have a spare bed, now would be a good time to use it – this is where an air mattress could come in handy.

All that’s left to do now is to vacuum up the excess baking soda, dress your mattress in a clean set of sheets, and you’re in for a night of odor-free sleep!

Vinegar

I know you might be hesitant about bringing vinegar into your bedroom, and I get it – the smell can be a bit overpowering. However, when it comes to natural deodorizers, plain white vinegar is your best bet. Plus, the scent usually doesn’t linger for long – it’ll evaporate in a matter of hours.

All you need to do is find an empty spray bottle, fill it with white vinegar, and spray the entire mattress with it – or just the affected area, that’s entirely up to you. Be careful not to overdo it, though. The goal isn’t to soak your entire mattress in vinegar!

After that, open up the windows, and let the sunlight hit your mattress – not only will it help dry it out completely, but could remove any lingering odors, as well.

Additional Tip: If you’re not entirely satisfied with the results, you can repeat the process in a week or so. These are all natural ingredients that aren’t harmful to you or your mattress, so there’s no need to worry about using them “too often.”

Oh, and one more thing – if you want your mattress to smell divine, putting a scented dryer sheet under your bed sheets will undoubtedly do the trick.

Mold

If mold starts developing on your mattress, it usually means you’ve left a wet, dirty spot untreated for way too long. There’s no point in pointing fingers now, though. What you need to do is act fast – if you’re lucky enough, it will only be a surface issue, and you’ll be able to save the mattress!

• Vacuum your mattress on both sides, and to avoid spreading the spores (mold is a fungus, after all), dispose of the vacuum bag immediately.
• Next, you need to disinfect the mattress. Mix equal parts of water and rubbing alcohol for a DIY disinfecting solution.
• Dip a cloth into the solution and scrub the moldy area of the bed with it, but be as gentle as possible – you don’t want to damage the fabric.
• Bring the mattress outside, preferably in direct sunlight, and let it spend several hours there – until it’s dry, that is.
• Spray it with the disinfecting solution again, but this time cover the entire mattress, to be on the safe side. Make sure not to saturate it, though.
• Let it dry completely.

Additional Tip:If you happen to notice that there’s black mold growing on your mattress, it’s time to get a new one. The mold has most likely penetrated the deeper layers of your bed, which makes it pretty much impossible to clean.

I know it can be quite an investment, but sleeping on a moldy mattress presents a severe health risk – and you can’t put a price on health, now, can you?

Dust Mites

You may not be able to see them, but the creepy crawlies have probably made themselves at home in your mattress. Sure, it’s better than having bed bugs, but it’s not like you want them to stick around, right?

These tiny creatures can aggravate allergies to the point of making your mattress a not-so-pleasant place to sleep. So, is there anything you can do to get rid of them?

Of course, there is. Dust mites don’t respond well to drastic changes in temperature, which means that you can either let them freeze or boil them. Since you can’t shove your entire mattress into the freezer, using a steam cleaner every few months might be your best bet.

For even better results, vacuum the mattress regularly to keep the situation under control in between steaming sessions, and remember to wash the sheets once a week on a high-temperature setting, too.

Bed Bugs

There’s nothing worse than the idea of having bugs in your bed. Unfortunately, though, the number of infestations has been rapidly growing in the United States – after all, all it takes is one night in a sketchy hotel, and you might pick up an unwanted hitchhiker on your way home.

If that’s the case, don’t panic. Letting the bed bugs bite might be your childhood nightmare, but you can treat most infestations efficiently – you have to be thorough and persistent, though.

Before we start, here’s a quick checklist of common bed bug infestation symptoms:

• Tiny bloodstains on your mattress that you can’t explain.
• Rashes and red, itchy bumps on your body.
• Dark spots on your sheets and bed, which are most likely bed bug feces or molted shells.
• Finding live bed bugs in or around your bed.

Now, let’s see what you can do to get rid of bed bugs as soon as possible!

Throw Everything In The Washing Machine

As I said previously, don’t panic. If it turns out you do have bed bugs, the first thing you need to do is throw everything – and I do mean everything – in the washing machine. So, clothes, bedding, curtains, blankets, and pillows all need to have a trip to the washing machine.

Don’t forget about the stuffed animals, too – they’re a good hiding spot for these tiny bugs!

At least 30 minutes on a hot setting should be enough to kill not only live bugs but the eggs, too.

Vacuum, Vacuum, Vacuum

The majority of bed bug population in your household chooses to call your mattress their home. It makes sense – you’re their primary source of food, so naturally, they’ll try to stay as close to you as possible.

Once you remove the sheets, the next thing you need to do is vacuum the entire mattress thoroughly – better yet, make that the whole bedroom. Pay particular attention to all the folds, creases, and crevices!

Don’t forget to throw away the vacuum cleaner’s bag afterward, though.

Seek And Destroy

Look at it this way:

You’re playing hide and seek with the bed bugs in your bedroom – and the creepy crawlies know how to pick the perfect hiding spot. That’s how most infestations go unnoticed for so long!

So, grab a flashlight, and start searching – check every nook and crevice at least twice. Don’t skip the nightstand and the bed frame, either, in case the bugs decided that your mattress is becoming too crowded and that it’s time for them to move to other furniture in your bedroom.

Have a vacuum cleaner nearby and deal with any unwanted guests accordingly.

Bring On The Heat

You’ve probably heard before that they are sensitive to heat – so, use that to your advantage! Steaming is an excellent way to fight off a bed bug infestation since it kills both the adults and the eggs.

Start by steaming all the pieces of furniture, but don’t forget about all the crevices in the floor and walls, as well as all those hard-to-reach areas. You’d be surprised how creative bed bugs can be when it comes to hiding. The more thorough you are with the steaming process, the lesser the chances of a re-infestation happening.

Use An Encasement To Be On The Safe Side

Okay, so, you have everything thoroughly vacuumed and cleaned up, but the job is not over yet. You should consider getting a mattress encasement, just in case – if you missed a bug or two, and you don’t have anything to protect your bed, you’re looking at another infestation in a few months. Better safe than sorry, right?

The encasement will prevent the bed bugs from getting in and out of your mattress, making it impossible to feed. Eventually, they’ll starve to death. That said, keep in mind that you should have the mattress encasement on for at least a year.

Tools You’ll Need

If you’re interested in assembling your stain-removal kit for all future cleaning purposes (and yes, you could use most of this stuff on other pieces of furniture, not just your mattress), then you should probably start with the tools.

Here’s a quick list of the essentials:

Solvents And Chemicals You’ll Need

Okay, now that we have the tools covered, it’s time to talk about supplies that do the actual cleaning – solutions, solvents, chemicals, that kind of stuff.

Solvents

Solvents are usually the first, as well as the last step in a majority of stain removal methods, and these include:

• Water, either lukewarm or cold.
• Rubbing alcohol – but make sure it’s uncolored and unscented.
• A detergent solution you get by mixing one cup of warm water with one teaspoon of any mild dishwashing detergent.
• Paint and grease removers.
• Amyl acetate in its pure form, or a nail polish remover with acetone (the non-oily one, of course).
• Dry cleaning solvents are an option, too.

Lubricants For Water-Borne Stains

Some stains you encounter will be partially washable with water (as a result of being water-borne), meaning you can use the following to loosen them up:

• Glycerine.
• Pre-treatment sprays, such as ones used for laundry, might be of enormous help here, too.

Remember to wash these lubricants off with water thoroughly, though.

Lubricants For Greasy Stains

If you’re dealing with a greasy or an oily stain, using a lubricant to loosen it up might not be such a bad idea.

One thing you need to be careful about with these is that you have to wash them out entirely using a dry solvent. If not, you’re risking some nasty-looking yellow stains on your mattress, which kind of defeats the purpose of stain removal in the first place, right?

• Mineral oil.
• Dry Spotter solution, a combination of mineral or coconut oil, depending on what you have available, and a dry cleaning solvent, in one to eight ratio.

Acids And Alkalis

Now, let’s talk about some contrasting agents that all have very similar uses:

• Lemon juice is more than just refreshing – it can help you remove stains, too. Plus, it doesn’t have that strong smell that vinegar has, even though the acidity level is almost the same.
• Vinegar, either mixed with a detergent solution or diluted with water – mix 1/3 cup of vinegar with 2/3 cup of water.
• Ammonia solution can be added to detergent solutions, as well, or combined with water – one tablespoon of ammonia per half cup of water.

Bleaches

When it comes to bleaches, the rule “less is more” applies perfectly. Make sure not to overdo it, both regarding amounts you’re using and the duration of the treatment – due to their harsh nature, bleaches can quickly ruin the fabrics.

Bleach, in particular, shouldn’t be left on for longer than two minutes, and shouldn’t be used on wool, silk, and spandex, in general. Make sure you check the label on your mattress, too, to see if bleach is a safe option.

• Chlorine bleach solution requires a controlled application, so make sure you use a medicine dropper. The best way to make it is to mix a tablespoon of water with a teaspoon of bleach.
• Hydrogen peroxide – the 3-percent solution – is something you’ll likely need, as well.
• Color Remover.
• Sodium perborate, a less harsh substitute for hydrogen peroxide. It gives the same results, but it does take a bit more time to work, and usually requires more washing after the initial treatment.

Enzyme Products For Starch And Protein

Now, if you ever end up treating a stain with a protein or starch content, you’re going to need some help in breaking them down:

• Laundry detergent with enzymes is a must-have here, so make sure it contains enzymes or has a “protein remover” label.
• Pet stain removers.
• Enzyme presoaks – make sure the label says “stain-lift” or “pre-wash stain remover.”

1 Check The Label

When it comes to cleaning a mattress, labels are your friend. You’ll find everything you need on there – from the exact materials your bed is made from, to whether or not specific cleaning agents and solutions might be suitable for the fabrics in question.

Checking the label is the first and most important thing you should do to avoid further ruining your poor mattress, so don’t skip this step!

2 Do A Test First

Labels might say it’s safe to use a specific stain removal method on the mattress, but most of the time, they do so in broad terms, without taking into account particular solutions, which means you won’t know until you try – and maybe accidentally destroy the mattress.

To avoid these types of disasters, I strongly recommend you do a test on a small patch of fabric first, to see if the two will get along or not. Here’s how to safely test a cleaning solution on your mattress:

• Perform the test on a small area of the stain.
• Apply the cleaning solution – be it pure water, a dry cleaning solvent, bleach, or whatever you plan on using – with a medicine dropper. Only two to three drops should suffice.
• Use an absorbent pad (a white one, of course) to press the area lightly – if you notice there’s a change in color or it’s transferring to the pad, wash out the cleaning agent, and consult a professional cleaner. But if not, you’re good to go.

3 Bleach And Ammonia Don’t Mix – Ever

Mixing bleach and ammonia results in a chain of chemical reactions, one of which produces an extremely toxic gas – chlorine gas. If you paid attention in history classes, you know it was used as a chemical weapon before, and I don’t have to tell you how dangerous creating something like that can be for your entire family. Please, don’t start chemical warfare in your home.

Repeat after me:

Never mix bleach and ammonia.

4 No Rubbing

Another thing you should avoid when you’re trying to get rid of a stain is rubbing. Sure, it’s a good way of cleaning everything else in your household, but with mattresses, it might have the opposite effect and cause the stain to spread even more.

So, unless the instructions specifically tell you to use a rubbing motion, you should stick with blotting, pressing, and tamping.

5 Work In A Well-Ventilated Room

As you saw previously, some stain removal methods will require the use of strong-smelling cleaning agents and harsh chemicals that produce toxic fumes, which could potentially irritate your respiratory tract, or cause you to feel lightheaded and dizzy. You may even end up with a headache.

Of course, you’ll want to avoid that if possible, which is why it’s always a good idea to do the cleaning in a well-ventilated room. You should also spend some time outside afterward, to get some fresh air.

6 Moisture Is The Enemy

Using water is pretty much inevitable when you’re cleaning your mattress, especially when it’s time to wash out the cleaning agents. However, that doesn’t mean you should allow it to get dripping wet – that would probably be the worst thing you can do to your mattress.

Moisture control is essential here – use liquid solutions sparingly, and blot with an absorbent pad as frequently as possible.

7 Know When Bleach Is Not The Solution

Lastly, I want you to remember that bleach shouldn’t always be your go-to cleaning agent. Even if you’re accustomed to using it around your home – it does have exceptional disinfecting abilities, after all – you might want to skip the mattress.

Materials such as wool, spandex, and silk don’t do well when treated with bleach, so be careful not to ruin your mattress in the process.