Many of us underestimate the importance of cleaning our mattresses, but incorporating this in our regular household cleaning routines doesn’t have to be too difficult, especially when you have a steam cleaner in your home.
There are many benefits to steam cleaning your mattress that most homeowners aren’t aware of. Not only will it help keep the pests away while you sleep, but it’s also a great and environmentally friendly way to kill dust, dirt, bacteria, allergens, and other contaminants. Steam cleaning is also an effective way to ward off nasty odors and prevent them from forming in the first place. Here’s how you can steam clean a mattress!
Why You Should Steam Clean a Mattress
Yes, you can use a steam cleaner on a mattress as long as your mattress isn’t made out of memory foam or latex. Here are 3 reasons why you should do it:
- Eliminating Impurities: Steam cleaning is an effective way of killing bacteria, viruses, allergens, and pests like dust mites, which can all accumulate inside your mattress, mainly due to the high temperatures of the water.
- Deodorizing: Steam can also help neutralize and eliminate any stubborn odors that your mattress may be harboring, which means that your mattress will be left smelling fresh and clean after a good steam cleaning session.
- Removing Stains: Steam can also be great at lifting and loosening stains from your mattress, even if the stain has dried and set in.
How to Steam Clean a Mattress
Step 1: Prepare the Mattress
After removing all the sheets, pillows, linens, and covers from your mattress, use your vacuum cleaner to remove any surface-level dirt and debris.
Step 2: Address Stains and Spills
If there are any fresh stains on your mattress, blot up as much of the spill as you can with a clean cloth before using an enzymatic stain remover. Make sure to read the instructions printed on the back of the product before cleaning.
Tip: If your mattress has any lingering odors or dampness, sprinkle baking soda over the affected area and leave it for a few hours. Then, use your vacuum cleaner to remove the white powder.
Step 3: Steam the Mattress
Fill up your steam cleaner with water and heat it as instructed. Ideally, the temperature should be around 215 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit or 100 to 120 degrees Celsius. When steaming, make sure that you hold the steamer a few inches away from the mattress and that you work in small areas at a time with several long passes, making sure to only use as much moisture as needed.
Step 4: Let the Mattress Dry Completely
Once you’ve finished steaming the entire mattress, let your mattress air dry. The easiest way to do this is to bring it outside and expose it to direct sunlight. Not only will this remove any excess moisture, but it will also eliminate any bacteria.
Alternatively, you can also let your mattress dry indoors and simply open up a few windows or point an electric fan towards it to increase ventilation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Steam Cleaning Remove Urine Stains on Mattress?
Yes, steam cleaning will remove fresh urine stains on your mattress. It also does a great job of eliminating urine odor.
Why Do People Steam Clean Their Mattresses?
People steam clean their mattresses because it’s an environmentally friendly but effective way to eliminate unwanted pests, odors, particles, and impurities. While only involving both heat and steam, steam cleaning your mattress deeply cleans and disinfects the entire surface.
Can You Steam Clean a Mattress with a Carpet Cleaner?
No, you can’t steam clean a mattress with a carpet cleaner. A carpet cleaner is designed for the denser material of a carpet and can potentially damage the delicate layers of your mattress.
Can Steam Cleaning Get Rid of Bed Bugs?
Yes, steam cleaning can get rid of bed bugs in your mattress as most steam cleaners suited for mattresses can reach a hot enough temperature.
Additional Cleaning Tips
- Steam clean your mattress regularly to eliminate dirt and impurities. This will also help you ward off unwanted health issues and odors.
- Invest in a high quality mattress cover, which will prevent stains and impurities from settling on your mattress.
- Train your pets to stay off your mattress to reduce the amount of pet hair and dander that accumulates on the surface.
- Change out of dirty clothes and shoes to keep outdoor impurities from settling on your mattress.
- Avoid eating and drinking on your mattress as these can leave spills and crumbs behind.
- Expose your mattress to as little moisture as possible. Excess moisture can collect more impurities, foster mold and mildew growth, cling onto stains, and form stubborn odors.
- Always let your mattress dry completely before resuming its use. It can take around four hours for a mattress to dry after steam cleaning, so choose a day when it won’t be used as much.
Steam cleaning is an effective and environmentally friendly way to clean your mattress and rid it of any dust, dirt, debris, and particles. By following these steps, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that you’re sleeping on a perfectly clean and hygienic mattress every single night.
Alternatively, you can also let the professionals handle the mattress cleaning for you. Luce offers a wide range of customizable and affordable cleaning solutions that’ll help you keep your home effortlessly clean. Our professional cleaners have years of training and experience under their belts and are more than capable of leaving your place looking sparkling clean after every session.
