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It’s a summer day. You just came back home from work. Your shirt is soaked in sweat and you’re tired right down to the bone. All you can think of is crashing on your couch. Still, you can’t help taking that smelly, soaked shirt off, and taking a bath before you crash. Now, what if someone told you that you couldn’t do that? What if you had to wear that same shirt again and again for months on end? That is exactly what it is like to sleep on a mattress that is never cleaned. Hence, mattress cleaning is essential.
We sleep for a third of our lives. Our mattresses outlive most of our relationships. People usually have the same number of children and mattresses in an average life span. All of this leads to one sure conclusion; buying and keeping mattresses is a serious affair. Hence, in this article, we’ll discuss how to clean a mattress.
Disclaimer: To find out about the best mattresses for Australia in 2023, visit our homepage.
How Often do you Need to Clean a Mattress?
Mattress cleaning is as easy as it is essential. You only need to do it once every six months, when you turn it over. However, in many modern mattresses, there are proper top and downsides. Regardless, you can still take the six-month mark as a reference point and a rule of thumb.
Three Simple Steps to Clean Your Mattress
Let’s run through 3 simple and easily repeatable steps to clean your mattress.
Step 1: Remove All Bedding Accessories
In this step, we will deal with all that covers or sits atop the mattress.
Remove Linens, Pillows, and Decorations
Begin by taking off the bed sheet, pillows, linen, decorating cushions, and other accessories. Vacate the area around your bed and cover up any carpeted floor to avoid damage and staining.
You should also remove any mattress cover or protective sheets. They are to accompany the pillow covers and bedsheets to the laundry. Your mattress should be completely exposed.
Wash Them up
Now, throw them in the washing machine and clean them up. After all, by the time your mattress needs it, they need it more.
Make sure that you follow the given care labels when you wash these fabrics. Use the highest heat setting on your washing machine and dryer. Along with cleaning them up, this will kill off any bacteria. If you use a duvet, it needs to be washed too.
Step 2: Clean and Freshen Up Your Mattress
This is the most important and time-taking step in this process but it is also easy.
Vacuum it all
Start with vacuuming your mattress. You should use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Move it all over the mattress and don’t miss any nook or cranny. Then, attach the long nozzle to access all crevices, corners, and cracks. It can be used to vacuum all sides and edges. This way, you’ll be able to get as much dust, filth, and infestation out as possible. Don’t underestimate the amount of debris you’ll find and get ready to be surprised. Moreover, you must ensure that your upholstery attachment is clean before use.
Treating Newer Stains
We’re all familiar with the famous idiom “Nip the evil in the bud”. It is the same for mattress stains. You should treat them as soon as possible and, preferably, before they dry. Take a clean and damp cloth and dab the stain with it. Don’t rub or press it because that will only spread the stain wider and deeper. Turn the cloth as you dab the spot to make sure that you don’t stain the mattress again. Your job, at this point, is to absorb all moisture and minimize damage.
Removing Non-Biological Stains
You may think that removing a stain from a mattress is difficult. However, it is actually easy to do and pretty much a DIY thing. All you need is a couple of tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide and a spoon of ordinary dishwashing soap. Mix them up and use some old toothbrush to scrub the affected area. Later, wipe it away by using a damp cloth.
This method is useful for most kinds of non-biological stains such as food or dirt. However, be careful with memory foam as it is not supposed to get wet.
Removing Biological Stains
The enzyme-based cleaners are the best choice for these kinds of stains. Simply spray some on a clean cloth. Then, dab it on the stained spot until it accumulates a sufficient quantity of the cleaner. Give it some time to work its magic and remove it using another wet cloth. If you don’t want to buy an enzyme cleaner, you can make one at home.
Note: Never spray a stain directly. Moreover, memory foams are to be dealt with extra care.
Freshening it up
After you’ve dealt with the stains, it is time to give your mattress a makeover. We have to remove any odors that may have accumulated and made for an unpleasant sleep. Here’s the easy way to do it:
Baking soda
Baking soda is an excellent option to remove any odors. Take a full box of baking soda and add some essential oils in it. Make sure that there are no lumps and sift it to make the powder as fine as possible. Now, spread it uniformly all over the mattress. Give the baking soda at least 30 minutes to do its job. This will result in three things:
- All acids absorbed by the mattress will be broken down.
- Any smells will be absorbed.
- No liquid will be leftover from the stain removing earlier.
Vacuum it again
Once the baking soda has done its job, it is time to go back to your trusty vacuum cleaner. As it sucks up the soda, it’ll take away any remnants of the odor and debris.
Give it some sunshine
Don’t just jump on your bed after you’re done vacuuming it. Let it stand in the air for a while and sunshine too, if possible. This will help dry out any moisture inside the mattress. If that moisture is not dried, it can lead to fungal growth which is hard to treat. Luckily, the UV rays in the sunlight have a natural disinfectant and anti-bacterial effect. Hence, it will kill many bacteria and microorganisms.
Step 3: Long Term Cleanliness and Protection
Just like any long-term investment, taking care of your mattress is a continuous process. Let’s check out some tips to keep it extra clean and protected:
Mattress covers
It is a plastic cover used to protect mattresses from dust, spills, bugs, and stains. You just have to slip your mattress in it and zip it up.
Mattress pads
If you find mattress covers uncomfortable, you can use a mattress pad. It sits on top of your lie and does the same job as a mattress cover.
Sunbaths
As mentioned above, sunlight has a killing effect on many bacteria. It is not a bad idea to give your mattress a sunbath every few weeks. As a matter of fact, it is one of the best ways of sanitizing your mattress. Another way of disinfecting your mattress is by using an anti-septic fabric spray.
Never eat on the bed
Eating on your bed is among the worst things you can do. You are practically throwing the bed bugs a grand feast. Just don’t do it, O.K?
Wash your sheets regularly
Make sure that you throw your bed sheet in the laundry every week or so. This will prevent dust, dirt, and debris from building up.
How to Clean Your Mattress Naturally?
There are a few chemical cleaning products out there for mattresses. However, there are natural substitutes for them that you can also consider. Take a full box of baking soda and add some essential oils in it. Sift it to make the powder as fine as possible. Then, spread it uniformly all over the mattress. Let it sit there for at least half an hour. After that, vacuum all of it up. Use the upholstery attachment for most of the flat and accessible surfaces. The deep-cleaning nozzle should be used to access piping, crevices, and cracks. Vacuuming your mattress regularly is not a bad idea too.
Conclusion
So, there you have it. We hope we were able to answer your question on how you can clean your mattress. As a last piece of advice, we’d recommend that you try and keep your mattress as clean as possible so you won’t have to go through this drill repeatedly.
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