Cleaning your mattress is something you probably never thought of doing. You can change and wash the mattress protector every week, but the mattress pad itself would still get dusty and grimey over time, especially when you have little ones that have nighttime accidents!
Our guide will help you through dry cleaning, washing, and deep cleaning your mattress so you can keep a comfortable sleep throughout the night without worrying over the smell or grime of your mattress.
How to Clean a Mattress
Getting a mattress clean is not an easy task, as it requires you to wash the entire mattress pad from top to bottom with an enzyme cleaner or upholstery shampoo. However, for general cleaning, you can get away with using a dry cleaner and spot cleaning your mattress pad to remove stains easily at home!
Step 1: Gather your Cleaning Supplies
Sometimes, the most effective cleaning solutions are unassuming: a mix of baking soda and dish soap would be your best cleaning solution to get rid of the dirt in your mattress, and clear out any odors! Gather the supplies you need before tackling that grimey mattress pad:
- Baking soda
- Liquid dish soap
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Clean cloth
- Scrub brush
- Vacuum cleaner with upholstery attachment
- Spray bottle
Step 2: Remove the Mattress Cover
Remove the cover before you get to cleaning the rest of your mattress. Take the cover aside to expose the mattress pad that you'll be cleaning later on. Your cover may have stains, so best to wash the covers as well.
Step 3: Wash the Mattress Covers
You can wash the covers along with the rest of your laundry in the washing machine. Simply toss the covers in the washing machine with some laundry detergent, and let the machine cycle to clean the covers. Air dry the covers once finished.
Step 4: Use Baking Soda to Deodorize
Baking soda can deodorize your mattress and remove any foul smells from sweat stains and urine stains. Sprinkle baking soda over the entire surface of your mattress, and let it sit for about an hour or so. The baking soda will get deep into the fibers of your mattress and get rid of odors as well as dust.
Step 5: Vacuum the Mattress with an Upholstery Attachment
After letting the baking soda sit for at least an hour, use a vacuum cleaner to suck up excess powder as well as the dirt that comes with it. Go over your entire area of the mattress to remove dust, dirt, and any dust mites that may be lingering about.
Step 6: Spot Clean Mattress Stains
If you have visible stains on your mattress, you can spot clean these using an enzyme cleaner made with 3-4 tablespoons of baking soda, a few drops of dish detergent, and a cup of hydrogen peroxide. Make a powerful stain remover using these ingredients, and spray directly on to any stained areas.
Use a clean towel, cloth, or rag to blot out the excess liquid. Repeat this procedure until the stain is completely removed. This solution works best on blood stains, as well as urine stains which are more visible on your mattress pad.
Step 7: Flip the Mattress, and Clean the Other Side
Flip the mattress over, and continue to clean the other side in the same way. Go over the sides, the surface, get into the nooks and crannies of the pad to keep your mattress clean.
Step 8: Air dry your Mattress
But your mattress air dry, especially after you spot clean the surface. After using any sort of cleaning solution or stain remover, it is essential that you air dry your mattress before you cover it with a waterproof mattress protector to ensure that you don't damage the fabric or keep excess liquid inside the mattress for long.
The Different Ways to Clean a Mattress
Dry Cleaning a Memory Foam Mattress
Dry cleaning involves using a powder that will gather dust together like a magnet. Dead skin cells, pollen, and other allergens can make up dust, and clearing your mattress of dust helps remove the hazards of potential allergens.
Dry cleaning is the best way to clean a memory foam material as these are often difficult to dry. Use some baking soda and a few drops of your favorite essential oils as a dry cleaning powder. Sprinkle the powder all over your mattress, and let sit for an hour before vacuuming.
Deep Clean a Mattress
We don't recommend deep cleaning your mattress at home as it is a time-consuming task that can block off your entire afternoon. Deep cleaning your mattress involves washing the mattress pad using cold water and a detergent solution, then removing excess moisture with a wet vacuum.
The mattress is then taken outside to fully air dry, which can take a long time depending on the heat and weather conditions. Best to leave deep cleaning to the professionals as they have the proper tools to tackle the task.
Steam Clean to Disinfect your Mattress
Now that you know how to clean a mattress, you can get on to disinfecting the mattress pad to get rid of bacteria, germs, and dust mites. Steam cleaning also removes mold colonies, and lifts old stains out using extremely high temperatures.
If you have access to a steam cleaner, you can use the device as recommended by the manufacturer to disinfect the surface of your mattress. Go over each area a couple of times, then let the mattress pad air dry completely in a well ventilated area.
If you do not have a steam cleaner, you can look for professional disinfecting services that can offer furniture steam cleaning for a hassle-free, cost-effective cleaning service!
Professional Cleaning Services
We at Luce are dedicated to providing you with top-notch quality house cleaning services that are designed to bring the brightness back into your home. Check out our full list of services on our website today.
