How to Clean a Mattress

Every single night most of us spend at least 6 or 7 hours in bed. During this time just think how much sweat, dead skin cells and oils from your body have the opportunity to transfer onto your bed. Regularly washing and changing your bed linen is just another part of the household chores, but have you ever considered washing your mattress too? It is more important than you think.

Every six months at least, simply attach the upholstery element to your vacuum cleaner to freshen up your mattress. This is a simple way to ensure any dust mites are removed efficiently. Pay close attention to both the seams and the area nearest your headboard, as these are the most common areas they tend to gather. Also remember to rotate your mattress around every three months, this way you will find it lasts far longer and continues to offer the support it had initially. Flipping your mattress over works just as well too, as long as it is recommended by the manufacturer as some can be ‘no turn’!

Stains are likely to occur over time if a mattress protector has not been used underneath the fitted sheet. To remove these stains, it may take some patience while you experiment with different products. Firstly, use a cloth or sponge to target the area rather than paper towels which will disintegrate and make the stain worse (avoid getting your mattress too wet in the process). Following this use the vacuum cleaner to go over the target area from any dust and dirt, then go in with the cloth again to scrub away the problem. With young children accidents do happen, but be aware when washing dirty bed linen to select a cool wash. By washing at a high temperature, the stains are more likely to be set rather than be removed as hoped.

Top tips for common stains:

Bed Wetting

1. After stripping the bed completely, blot the mattress as much as possible with a clean try towel or cloth.
2. Then mix three tablespoons of baking soda with a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide and a small amount of washing up liquid until the powder dissolves.
3. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle and apply to the problem area and leave for an hour minimum.
4. Finally, use baking soda to cover the stain and use a vacuum cleaner to remove around 8 hours later. This should successfully get rid of the smell too as well as the stain!

Vomit

1. Use a white cloth so the colour doesn’t transfer onto your sheets and rub on the affected area with undiluted household ammonia.
2. Then wipe the area with another clean damp cloth to lift the stain. Add baking soda over the top to neutralise the odour from the ammonia and remove any remaining moisture.
3. Finally, vacuum the area thoroughly once dry.

Blood

1. One of the most difficult stains to remove effectively. Start by spraying the blood area with 3% hydrogen peroxide.
2. Then go over with a wet cloth until the mark fades away completely. Use cold water as hot water will again make the stain set.
3. If this fails, lemon juice can also be a great liquid for removing a tough mattress stain.

Next time an accident occurs - fear not! Keep these clever techniques in mind and you will save yourself from the costly replacement of a new mattress.