Follow this tutorial on how to clean your mattress for a healthy night’s sleep. General mattress cleaning tips, stain removal guides and mattress maintenance ideas included.
Why should you clean your mattress?
How to Clean Your Mattress
Before you get started on your mattress, strip all of the bedding and mattress covers off of the bed and wash them in hot water (over 130 F). This will kill any dust mites. Add 1/2 -1 cup of vinegar to your wash to remove any extra odors and soften your sheets. If possible, open up the windows to let in some fresh air and light while you clean.
Late winter/early spring is generally the best time to clean your mattress for dust mites as it will kill the dust mites that survived the winter and reduce their numbers in the summer months. If you use and launder a mattress cover regularly, cleaning your mattress once per year should be sufficient {you may want to clean it more frequently if you have allergies}. Otherwise, you should be cleaning your mattress monthly.
Cleaning Option #1
- Sprinkle baking soda over the mattress and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes {longer is better} to absorb any odors. Using the upholstery attachment on your vacuum, vacuum the mattress paying extra attention to any stitches and crevices.
- If you have any particular stained areas that you are needing to treat, do this prior to the above cleaning options but do vacuum the mattress to remove any loose dirt or dust before working on the stained area. Remember that the quicker you can treat a stain, the easier it will be to remove! See below for specific stain treatments.
- After you have cleaned your mattress, ensure that the mattress is COMPLETELY DRY before putting the covers and sheets back on. Any moisture will encourage the growth of molds, mildew, and bacteria. Let your mattress dry out in the sun or run a fan over it for at least several hours until dry. A blow dryer works too if you just spot treated stains. If you can’t get your mattress outside, you can pull it off your bed and prop it up by an open window to get more air circulating.
Cleaning Option #2
- If you really need an extra deep cleaning {and the weather permits!} take the mattress out in the morning on a sunny day to allow it to air out. Place a clean tarp or drop cloth down on the ground and place your mattress on top. The sun has a natural cleaning ability and can kill off bacteria hiding in the mattress.
- Now the fun part… Grab a bat, golf club, 2×4, etc. and give your mattress a good beating for 10-20 minutes. This will get rid of dead human skin cells, dust mites and their feces, and dander and will also give you a good workout!
- Let your mattress sit in the sun for the day remembering to turn it around to the other side half way through the day. You might want to give it another quick beating before bringing it back in at the end of the day.
How to Remove Stains from your Mattress
If you have any stains on your mattress, follow these general stain removal guidelines. For more persistent stains, check out the specific stain tips below.
- When you’re treating mattress stains, keep your cleaning fluid use to a minimum to avoid over-saturating the mattress. You do not want the interior padding of the mattress to become wet as it can develop mold and mildew or damage the wood inside of the mattress.
- It is important to get to mattress stains as quickly as you can . To avoid spreading the stain, blot {do not rub or scrub!} up any excess liquids or moisture moving from the outside of the stain inwards. Use pressure to remove as much of the liquid as possible.
- For general stains, you can use an upholstery cleaner and follow the directions as indicated on the bottle. Again, ensure that you do not saturate the mattress too much.
- To help remove odors, sprinkle baking soda over top. For a light, fresh scent, you can add some drops of your favorite essential oil to the baking soda and mix it in prior to sprinkling {it’s the same mix I use for freshening our carpets}. Let it sit for a couple of hours. Vacuum up any residual baking soda.
Blood Stains
Apply hydrogen peroxide {3%} to the blood stain. {NOTE: The hydrogen peroxide may bleach fabrics so check for color fastness if this is a concern}. You can spray it on with a spray bottle if you are treating a larger area or put it on with a Q-tip for small spots. Blot while it is bubbling with a clean, white cloth. Once it has stopped bubbling, leave it on for an additional 5-10 minutes. Spray lightly with COLD water {the stains can set more if you use hot water due to the proteins in the blood} and blot until dry. Repeat if necessary. A salt water spray or dish soap mixed with water {1 tbsp. dish soap and 2 cups cold water} can also be used if treating a fresh blood stain.
Urine Stains
Blot excess fluid with a clean, white towel. Make a cleaning solution of 2 tbsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. dish soap, and 1 cup 3% hydrogen peroxide {hydrogen peroxide breaks down quickly so use this immediately and discard what is not used}. You can either use a spray bottle or a cloth soaked in the solution to apply the solution to the mattress. Let this set for up to 24 hours and then vacuum or wipe up any baking soda residue. Repeat this process if any odors remain especially for pet stains. You can also try blotting the spot with a cloth soaked in vinegar.
Odors
If the odor from your mattress is not removed by the general cleaning instructions above, you can purchase a plastic mattress bag {that is used by movers} from a moving or box company. Sprinkle the entire mattress with baking soda, and place in the sealed bag for 1-2 days. Remove the bag and vacuum.
Mattress Maintenance Tips
The following tips are easy to do and can help to prolong the life and health of your mattress. Just work them into your regular routine when you typically clean your sheets.
Vacuum.
Vacuum your mattress when you change the sheets {or at least every 3 months} to reduce dust {this is much more effective if you have a HEPA rated vacuum}
Use a mattress cover.
These can help to protect against dust mites and other allergens and are easily removable and washable. It will also reduce the need to vacuum the mattress as often.
Invest in a mattress pad.
These are placed over the mattress cover and under the sheet of the bed. In addition to improving comfort, they also provide an additional barrier between you and the mattress and can be easily removed and laundered. If you have young children, using a water resistent mattress pad is always a good idea for all of those night time “accidents” that can happen.
Wash bedding regularly.
Wash bedding and mattress covers frequently in hot water (above 130F) to kill dust mites. Add 1/2 cup white vinegar to remove any odors and soften the sheets. Strip your beds if you are going on a vacation. This provides a great opportunity to really air your mattress out.
Rotate your mattress.
Rotate your mattress about once every 3 months This allows for more even wear and tear of your mattress and can help prolong the life of your mattress. {NOTE: Rotating your mattress refers to turning it 180 degrees {still keeping the top facing upwards}. Most of the newer mattresses are NOT designed to be flipped over so check your manual!}
Set your bedroom environment.
Since dust mites prefer warm, moist, dark environments, try keeping your bedroom humidity levels below 50% and the room temperature below 70 degrees when possible. Vacuum and dust your bedroom regularly to reduce dust. Lightly misting surfaces with water prior to dusting can remove up to 90% of airborne dust and HEPA rated vacuums do the best job at vacuuming without blowing dust back up into the air.
Check Labels
Be careful of using deodorizing sprays or those that claim to reduce odors. These products often do not actually remove the odor and just cover it up with stronger chemical smells. Some of them contain chemicals that are not checked for safety and contain carcinogens. Instead, look for options that are simple, natural, and biodegradable.
So hopefully that is everything that you could want to know about your mattress! A little time cleaning = a healthier, good night’s sleep! And if you still need help getting a good night’s sleep, check out these 7 tips for a better night’s sleep.
More Cleaning Tips
For more cleaning tips and tricks, check out these posts…
Free Printable Cleaning Labels
Great tips! I really have to enlist my husband’s help, so we can rotate our mattress. It is a king, and is very heavy!
Great post! Looks like I will be cleaning my mattress this weekend 🙂
Thanks this is very helpful. We maybe remember to flip our mattress once a year. That tag is genius!
Great topic we often neglect to think about. Since we have a cat that sleeps with us and I have allergies and asthma I do clean our mattress and mattress pad often. Our cat just loves to go out and roll in the dirt. He doesn’t, however,love it when we give him almost a bath before he gets on our bed again. He loves to sleep over my head on pillows and kneads in my hair at night.
I put mattress pad in the dryer every week when I wash sheets. I also sprinkle baking soda on mattress every week and vacuum. It’s very dusty where we live so I try to do what I can to avoid any worse allergies than I have to. It’s also very windy where we live so we have dust constantly. Oh Drat. We have a king mattress and it’s all us two old farts can do to turn that thing anymore.
Awesome tips! My mattress could use all of them!
Thanks
Hygs
Cami @ TitiCrafty blogspot
Great tips! We are moving at the end of the month, so I’m thinking that I’ll wait to clean the mattress so it can be left outside for the day.
Hi!
We are doing a Spring Cleaning Week our blog next week and I’d love to feature this post if its okay with you (with a link back of course!)
Let me know if you would mind! We’d love to share these tips with our readers!
Hugs,
Mallory
Holy Cats! I wish there wasn’t snow on the ground outside right now.. I want to drag that thing out and CLEAN IT UP! Lol. TFS.
I’m visiting you today from Sunday Scoop. I hope you get a chance to stop by my blog and leave a comment and Link Up, too!
~ Megin
Thanks for sharing this post this makes me NEED to drag my mattress outside right now, alas it’s raining. I was hoping you could stop by my link party and share this.
Abbi
Great tips and thanks for sharing at Monday Funday. Take care, Laura
Do you mind if I quote a couple of your posts as long as
I provide credit and sources back to your website?
My blog is in the very same niche as yours and my users would
definitely benefit from some of the information you provide here.
Please let me know if this alright with you. Thanks a lot!
Your welcome to use a photo and a sentence or two with a link back! I just ask that you don’t reproduce the post. Thanks!
I love these tips on getting rid of dust mites on your mattress. I didn’t know much of what you posted when it comes to those buggers, but I feel assured that I’ve sent them packing. I did also feature this post and your blog on a recent post about must have cleaning tips. Thanks!
Thanks so much Destiny! 🙂
I have a question, i used this on my 4 year old’s bed and i have vacuumed it multiple times and replaced the sheets but both of my children that have slept in the bed have gotten a crazy rashes so is there a chance it can give a chemical burn? its only when the sleep in this bed since i did this.
That’s weird. I definitely can’t see anything giving a chemical burn and especially with sheets on, even if there was a trace of the baking soda left on the mattress that they happened to be allergic too, I’d be surprised if it would be enough to give them a rash. Was it completely dry before you put the sheets back on? Did you use anything different when washing the sheets themselves? Other than that, I’m stumped.
I want to take my mattress outside in my backyard. I live in chicago and we are already having a cool September. Plus my neighbors have a small garden in our backyardBut i desperately want to get rid o the urine smell , Do you know of a way to either keep the bugs off the matress while it’s outside or just make sure i don’t bring any back in on the mattress? PLEASE HELP I’M SO DISCOURAGED!
You could either try just keeping it inside but position it by a window so it still gets lots of light or if you do take it outside, make sure to keep it upright {rather than laying flat} and give it a good vacuum as soon as you bring it inside.
I’m trying to get rid of the urine smell from my mattress. I was initially clueless on how to do it. I think the option no 2 that you have is what I’m going to try. I never thought of using baking soda and clearing it up with a vacuum would work. It looks like a logically wise thought. Thanks for the great tips.
Would these tips be safe for a memory foam type mattress?
Hmmm…I don’t have a memory foam so I am not sure. Is there a label on your mattress at all with cleaning recommendations? I would imagine that any of the tips with dry ingredients would be fine.
Really needed this post. have some dirty mattress at home, and nobody care about to clean them 🙁
Jenn I love this post on cleaning your mattress. Just make sure for anyone who has a memory foam mattress to not get it wet unless necessary, the memory foam soaks up water like a sponge and takes a long time to dry which can promote mildew or mold growth. Also you can add essential oils to the baking soda, a nice lavender can help you to relax and smells great!
Yes, great point!!
Wow I really liked this post! I’m planning to clean my mattress this weekend, I will use what I have read to your post. Thank you for sharing Jenn! Keep sharing!
I’ll definitely try to use these tips to clean my mattress. I’m sure a lot of change will happen to my mattress. Thank you for sharing Jenn!
Awesome tips! My mattress could use all of them! Thanks for organizing and sharing all to us.
Yes, the mattress always seems to be forgotten! 🙂
I love your tips, have some dirty mattress at home I need to clean it this weekend, thank for tips.
Hope it works well for you!
Never use vinegar on your bed unless you want your bed and room to smell like vinegar for two weeks.
Even a light layer from a spray bottle is way too much.
I’ve never had that problem. I do have mine mixed 50:50 with water though so maybe that makes a difference? If you do have a smell, the baking soda should neutralize it.
Although I already know how to choose the most suitable mattress for me and my family but I have never thought about this aspect. I will pay more attention to protect our sleep. Thank you so much for sharing experience!
Nice article, Jenn Lifford. It help me a lot, your article will be very useful for many of us. Thank you for your sharing.
There. You mentioned about cleaning blood stains on mattress. Thank you so much. It did a great help to us!
Really needed this post. have some dirty mattress at home, and nobody care about to clean them
Now i can do it myself 😀
Great article. Mattresses generally contain the highest number of allergens in our homes, indeed. I love your advices. I am going to clean my mattresses next weekend. Thank you for sharing this post. Greetings!
Thank you share best tip to clean mattress I will follow your guide for my family.
This website, i found some great ways to clean my mattress. Before, i just use vacuum, but now i get more the tips to clean it.
Thank you for sharing experience.
So glad it was helpful for you!
Thanks for this guide, Jenn, we usually do not take enough care for our memory foam mattress, I have been used in for 3 years without cleaning!
I have a waterproof bag and a quilted protector because my memory foam mattress was left in a outdoor storage facility and the outside got covered in mold and the inside was salvageable after being steamed, deep cleaned, covered in a mist of lysol and dried for several days in a dehumidified room.
A better way to clean my mattress. Will follow your tips. Thank you for sharing.
Wow! This post is really helpful for me. I need this for my mattress.
Thanks for the details
Your idea of taking the mattress outside is a good one, but risky as well! Some states in the summer can be very hot, but have sudden thunderstorms. If you are going to use the method that you said, make sure to be around just in case! I also agree that baking soda and vinegar will work wonders on a mattress. You can use it on a carpet to remove stains as well!
Yes – you definitely don’t want it caught in a sudden thunderstorm!
Thanks so much, i’ll sleep better on a truly clean mattress tonight!
Love your tips! definitely a must read. I agree with you as I personally do these methods too. Baking soda is indeed great as it does the job. Have you tried lysol? it works wonders in neutralizing odor.
I haven’t tried Lysol. Since the baking soda works I prefer to stick with that rather than using chemicals. 🙂
I clean my sheets and put them back on the bed but there’s still an order will try the baking soda but don’t have a hand held vacuum can I just sprinkle a little baking soda on the mattress pad and put the sheet over it?
Hi Jenn! Loved these mattress cleaning tips. I’m really having a hard time cleaning our own mattress. I’m glad I found your blog. Thanks!
Awesome tips, I was looking for tips to clean the mattress and luckily found your article. Thanks for the well-organized article. It’s time to clean my dirty mattress.
Just an FYI— Natures miracle working AMAZINGLY for pet/people urine stains, odor and even on mattresses! I have used it in areas of our house where my dogs have peed many times(even old stains/smell) and I just saturate it many times(may take several) and it gets rid of all scent or stain! Even used it on wood flooring.I give it the old smell test, its like little Miracle men go to work haha
Thanks for the tip!
Great tips! Just wanted to give you a heads up that you were featured in my new article on How to Clean Your Mattress: Top 25 Blogs Tips to Follows
I really hope it delivers some new visitors to your site!
Cheers,
Herry Hermawan
Thanks so much! I appreciate the feature!
Our dog threw up on our bed and left a huge stain that I couldn’t get out! I tried your mixture of peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap and it’s totally gone!! Thank you so much!
Awesome! Why do dogs always throw up in the most inconvenient places??? lol!
Hi Jenn, thanks for the tips. Baking soda and peroxide always work for me too.