A good mattress is not cheap, that’s why you want to ensure that it will last by learning and knowing how to clean and maintain it properly. Over time, mattresses will harbor dust mites, dirt, dead skin, and much other debris – that means you need to clean it frequently and hire mattress cleaning services at least once a year, especially if you have pets at home, suffer from allergies, or fond of midnight snacking on the bed.
Knowing that you have a clean mattress can give you peace and better sleep at night. To help you achieve that, we’ve come up with the below easy and practical guide on how to clean your mattress, remove stubborn stains, unpleasant odors, and irritating allergens and make it looking good as new.
Why do you need to clean your mattress?
Dust mites and dead skin cells from your body
Did you know that out of the 1.6 trillion skin cells that you have on your body, around 30,000 to 40,000 are falling off every hour? Do the math and multiply it by the number of hours you sleep, and you will probably conclude that you are shredding roughly 300,000 dead skin cells while you are sleeping.
Sure, you have your sheets to catch most of the skin cells that fell off from your body, but bedsheets won’t be able to shield your mattress from the hundreds of thousands of dust mites that feed on the dead skin cells.
Body moisture, mold, and mildew
Even if you are doing nothing physically when you sleep, you still lose body moisture during slumber. Some of that moisture comes from your breathing and others from sweating, especially if you are suffering night sweats or hot flashes while sleeping. Most of these damps evaporate in the air, but plenty also soaks into your mattresses. As these dense materials stay in your bed under a warm and dark environment, mold and mildew spores will inevitably breed and develop.
Little Kids, house pets, and other clutter
Having little children at home can mean mattresses that have urine stains. Animal pets who share the bed with you can also make your mattress damp as they lick their paws or jump on the bed after a bath. You, as an adult, can also leave other messes on your cushions.
To get rid of all these and get your mattresses looking and smelling new again, you need to hire a professional who does mattress steam cleaning, or you can allot a day or half of it to do your own mattress deep cleaning.
How to properly clean your mattresses?
Before you start cleaning your mattress, strip off the sheets first. This is also the perfect time to wash and replace your bed linens.
· Launder your sheets and blankets using the hottest setting allowed on your washing machine to kill and get rid of dust mites
· Take the time also to wash your fabric mattress toppers and all your pillows
While waiting for the washer and dryer to finish their jobs, begin cleaning your mattress or mattresses by following the below steps that have somewhat the same effect when you call in the experts to do dry mattress cleaning services for your bed.
1. Vacuum your mattress’ top and sides
The best home tool for mattress cleaning is your vacuum cleaner’s upholstery attachment. Begin vacuuming the top and work your way down until you reach the overlapping and narrow paths. Continue vacuuming the sides the same way as you did the top. Do not turn your mattress yet to clean the other side, as we will address such in step 5.
2. Get rid of bad odors using baking soda
Sprinkle and rub the plain baking soda into your mattress. Make sure that the baking soda bonds well with the surface moisture of your bed. Let it sit for ten to fifteen minutes to continue neutralizing the unpleasant odors.
Never use essential oils in cleaning your mattress as these oils will only attract dirt and cause permanent stains.
3, Vacuum your mattress again
Once the baking soda had enough time to bond with the mattress’s surface moisture and bad odor, remove them by using your vacuum’s upholstery attachment. Just like how you did it on step 1, vacuum using overlapping strokes and ensure not to press too hard to avoid interfering with the suction of the machine and snagging the fabric of your bed.
4. How to get rid of mattress stains
The common stains that your mattress may acquire are urine, blood, and other body fluids. Sometimes, removing stains immediately is not possible due to your busy schedule. The good thing is you can still clean these kinds of stains even after they have been there for quite some time.
Can you use a steam cleaner?
Some steam cleaners and carpet shampooers, especially those you have at home, do not fully extract moisture. So, when you use them in your mattresses, which is like a huge sponge, you are just trying to push water into it that can eventually lead to mold problems.
It will be better to contact mattress cleaning services in your area or use the methods mentioned below.
Removing blood stains from your mattress
To get rid of fresh blood stains from your mattress, using a liquid dish soap mixed into cold water is generally enough. In case there are remaining brown tinges, you can wipe or rub it using a clean cloth with hydrogen peroxide.
For dried blood stains, a solution that includes one tablespoon of salt, one tablespoon of liquid dish soap, and 2 ounces of hydrogen peroxide can be used. Spread the mixture on the bloodstain and scrape it away with a spoon after 10 minutes. Any residue can be removed using a white rag with hydrogen peroxide. Dry the area by vacuuming.
Getting rid of urine stains from your mattress
You can remove fresh urine stain from your mattress by blotting it with a clean and dry towel. As for the smell, you can neutralize it by sprinkling baking soda to the affected area and letting it sit for twenty to thirty minutes. Vacuum after.
For dried urine stains, mix 3 8 ounces of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide with three tablespoons of baking soda and a little amount of liquid dish soap. Using a white rag, dip it into the mixture and dab it to the old urine stain in your mattress. Remember not to drench it and use a fresh cloth to lift the stain.
Eliminating wine, vomit, and other stains in your mattress
Wine and vomit are the tougher stains to remove from your mattress. To dismiss them, combine one tablespoon of water with two tablespoons of powdered laundry detergent. Whisk them until you create a dry foam. Spread this mixture on the affected area of your mattress, let it sit for 10 minutes, and scrape it away afterward. Get rid of the remaining residue by using a rag dipped in hydrogen peroxide. Dry and vacuum thoroughly.
5. Flip and do the same
Before flipping your mattress to clean the other side, ensure that the areas treated for stains are dried already. Repeat steps 1 to 4, and once done, your entire mattress will definitely be stain-free, looking new and smelling fresh.
How to keep your mattress looking new?
Protecting your mattress from mold, stains, and allergens is easier by using washable mattress covers. The latest mattress covers available in the market today are made of bonded fabrics that have waterproof layers to keep the moisture and allergens from reaching your mattress.
Mattress covers should be placed directly over the mattress but beneath the foam linens. Ensure to wash it monthly to keep your bed and room smelling fresh all night long.
Contact us today or check us at Facebook!
