You probably change your bedding once a week, but have you asked yourself when the last time was you cleaned your mattress? Learning how to clean a mattress is a task that most of us simply forget about or don’t think of. Considering the size of a mattress, the instinct to clean it isn’t always natural. However, your mattress should have a deep clean every 6 months, this will prevent the number of bacteria and germ build-up that accumulates on the mattress over time. Follow the 8 steps below to give your mattress a thorough deep clean.
Cleaning Supplies
- A vacuum with an upholstery attachment
- An enzyme cleaner or dish soap
- Laundry detergent
- Baking soda
- Microfibre cloth
1. Remove Bedding
Start by taking off all bedding from your mattress. Give them a wash in your washing machine while cleaning your mattress.
2. Vacuum The Mattress
Vacuum your mattress with an upholstery attachment. vacuuming alone gets rid of dust, pet hair, and dirt that’s built up in the mattress. Don’t forget to vacuum the seams, crevices, and sides. A HEPA-rated vacuum cleaner is best for the job.
3. Check For Stains And Spot Clean
You can clean accidents or stains with a commercial enzyme cleaner or an upholstery cleaner. If you don’t have an enzyme cleaner, vinegar or hydrogen peroxide can work to remove bodily stains and odours from your mattress. For stains that are still wet, you can soak up most of the moisture with a clean dry cloth or paper towel, and when the stain is almost dry, spray it with white vinegar and let it sit for 10 minutes, then dab dry with a clean cloth.
For stains that have already dried into the mattress, you can mix 8 ounces of hydrogen peroxide and 3 tablespoons of baking soda with a drop or 2 of dish soap. Mix it up in a spray bottle, spray the stains with the cleaning solution, and leave it for 10 minutes before dabbing it with a cloth to dry. Repeat this process if necessary.
4. Sprinkle With Baking Soda
Once the stained areas have been cleaned and are starting to dry, deodorise the mattress with baking soda. Sprinkle generous amounts of baking soda over the entire mattress and let it sit for a few hours, or for best results, 24 hours. If you want your mattress to have an extra refreshing scent then add a few drops of essential oil to the baking soda. The baking soda will absorb moisture and remove bacteria from your mattress.
If you can move your mattress then you should put it out in the sun. This is often the best way to get stains and odours out of the mattress. The sun’s rays naturally eliminate bacteria.
5. Vacuum Everything
If the baking soda has worked on your mattress for long enough, vacuum the entire mattress again thoroughly with an upholstery attachment. If you have a fabric headboard, vacuum that too.
6. Flip The Mattress
When you’re finished cleaning the one side of your mattress and you’ve waited for it to dry, flip it over to the other side and repeat the process. Flipping your mattress at least every 3 months is beneficial for the life of your mattress, especially if you have a spring mattress.
7. Protect The Mattress
Once the other side of the mattress is also clean and completely dry, put a mattress cover on it. This will keep it from getting as dirty and stained as before. A mattress cover can be washed in the washing machine.
8. Fitted Sheet
The last thing to do is wrap your mattress with a fitted sheet. Putting a fitted sheet on your mattress prevents dust and dust mites from building up inside and on your mattress.
You now know how to successfully deep clean a mattress. Keep your mattress clean so that there is less deep cleaning needed – try not to eat and drink in bed, and if you have pets, consider getting them their own beds to sleep in instead of using your bed. If there are any accidental spills or accidents you should attend to them before they dry into the mattress. Cleaning a mattress extends its life, but after 7 years you should buy a new one. Now you can give your mattress the deep clean it needs, and if your mattress is dusty, you may want to look at how to clean a dusty mattress.
