A good mattress costs a lot of money, but stains from bodily fluids to breakfast-in-bed mishaps are frequently unavoidable. Additionally, your mattress’ warranty will typically be voided if there is a visible stain. Therefore, keep your investment protected by including regular cleaning and stain removal in your household routine. It only requires a few simple ingredients, many of which you probably already have stashed away in your cleaning supplies. Here, we’ve laid out the essential formulas for how to clean mattress stains so that you can quickly banish any of the most common mattress mishaps
What You’ll Need
Equipment / Tools
- Vacuum
- Bowl
- Small strainer
- Clean cloths and/or towels
- Spray bottle(s)
- Fan or blow dryer
Materials
- Baking soda
- Lavender essential oil
- Salt
- 3-percent hydrogen peroxide
- A few drops of liquid dish soap
- White vinegar
- Water
7 Steps To Clean A Mattress
When you attempt to clean your mattress for the first time, plan to dedicate an entire day to the process. You should also prepare other sleeping arrangements in case your mattress does not dry before you go to bed. So with that, let’s get started!
1. Vacuum The Mattress
While vacuuming a mattress, it’s crucial to cover every square inch of the outer material, even though it may seem simple (and it is, for the most part). This is due to the possibility that dust, dust mites, and bed bugs may be concealed in stitch creases or folded-seam corners of the mattress. As a result, for the cleaning procedure to be successful overall, the mattress must be thoroughly vacuumed on all sides.
After carefully cleaning the corners and creases, turn the mattress over and vacuum the underside. Start by vacuuming the top of the mattress, then move on to the sides. Take your time throughout the entire process because, if not removed, any dirt and debris on the surface will be worked into the material during the cleaning procedure.
2. Deodorise With Baking Soda
Although one of the best ways to kill bacteria and let your mattress breathe is in direct sunlight, homeowners may not always find this to be the best option. We do, however, strongly advise it if it is something you can do.
Baking soda can be used to deodorize mattresses by covering the top with a layer of the powder and letting it sit for at least two hours to absorb musty or unpleasant smells. With your hands or a soft-bristled brush, work the powder into the mattress for the best results. The longer you leave the powder on your mattress, the more effective the results will be in removing any moisture that may have become trapped in the fabric.
3. Vacuum The Baking Soda
When there aren’t any particles of dust or other debris on the surface, baking soda can actually penetrate the mattress’ outer fabric. Consequently, this must also be done thoroughly along with the initial vacuuming process!
In this step, you will vacuum up the powder that has been absorbed by the material to get rid of moisture and unpleasant odors. To clean in a straight line, start at the top of the mattress and press the upholstery head attachment firmly into it before moving it slowly downward. Up until the baking soda has been completely vacuumed up, repeat the procedure line by line.
4. Make The Cleaning Solution
Whatever the material of your mattress, it is best to keep moisture levels as low as possible. Even though the material might become a little damp during this stage of cleaning, we advise scrubbing the surface as dryly as you can.
For this, you’ll need a handheld scrub brush with soft bristles, and a homemade cleaning solution made with the following ingredients:
4 cups water
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 cup baking soda
1 tablespoon lemon juice
These everyday items should be combined in a bowl before being transferred to a spray bottle.
5. Dry’ Scrub The Mattress
Before lightly misting the mattress, give the spray bottle a good shake. If the bottle has a nozzle that can be adjusted to alter the pressure or stream of the spray, set it to “mist.” The idea is to simply apply a small amount of the cleaner to the mattress and gently scrub it to remove dirt; do not wet the material with more than 1-2 mist sprays per area. Spray and scrub the mattress on all sides for a thorough cleaning.
Use circular motions and light pressure when scrubbing to get the most out of cleaning the outer fabric of your mattress. If you discover that the surface hasn’t received enough cleaner, respray the mattress and keep scrubbing.
6. Wipe And Vacuum
There is no need to rinse the cleaner off because the solution only contains natural ingredients. After vacuuming it once more to get rid of any dirt and debris that might have been loosening by scrubbing, simply wipe the mattress with a clean towel to absorb any moisture from the surface.
Since there won’t be much dirt on the surface after all the previous steps, this only requires quick vacuuming. Before vacuuming the mattress, give it about an hour to dry out if you have dampened the material more than is recommended.
7. Dry The Mattress
Once more, it is advised if you have the means to dry or air out your mattress in full sunlight. To allow the top and bottom of the mattress to air out simultaneously, you can also stand it up on its side. Keep the room well-ventilated by rotating the mattress every few hours and turning on the fans at high speed.
Leave the mattress to dry face up under a ceiling fan if you have only cleaned the top. It’s best to let a mattress air out overnight because in some cases it might take a mattress several hours to dry both inside and out.
How To Remove Urine Stains?
Knowing how to remove urine stains from a mattress pays off if you have young children or animals because the chances of using that knowledge are pretty good! However, there are some pre-treatment measures you must complete in order to help get rid of the pee smell before you can address the stain. Here’s what you need to do to clean urine stains from a mattress, and do away with the odor:
- As much urine from the mattress as you can be absorbed using paper towels.
- 1 cup hydrogen peroxide, 3 tablespoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap should all be combined and thoroughly mixed. When preparing the pre-treatment solution, double the ratios if you’re working with a sizable stain or affected area.
- This mixture should be dampened and applied to the area using a clean, white cloth. Repeat as necessary without further soaking the mattress (which has already been soaked by urine). Occasionally rinse the cloth you are using or use a new one.
- Watch how much of the stain has already been eliminated using the methods above as the area dries out. As a result, you can make a homemade urine stain remover (discussed below) that will also help to freshen up your mattress.
- Before applying it to the urine stain, mix 3 tablespoons of powdered laundry detergent with 1 cup of water until it forms a foam.
- The affected area should have a thick layer of foam applied to it. Let it sit for 30 minutes. If the cleaner dried up too quickly, reapply.
- Depending on how moist the layer is, you can either use a damp or dry cloth to remove the cleaner. If it is completely dry, a damp cloth is suggested.
- With hydrogen peroxide dampened, wipe the region with a white, clean cloth.
- Allow it to dry naturally and, if necessary, vacuum up any cleaner leftovers.
- Repeat the procedure if the stains or odors persist.
How To Remove Dried Blood Stains?
The right cleaning solutions and a little patience are all that are required to remove dried blood stains from fabric. Follow the steps below to remove dried blood stains from your mattress:
- 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide should form a paste when 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap are combined. To achieve the ideal paste consistency (not too thick, not too runny), adjust the amount of hydrogen peroxide used.
- Apply the cleaner with your fingers to the stain and wait for it to harden or dry for fifteen minutes before continuing.
- With a spoon, remove the paste; lightly scrape any tenacious bits off.
- Move on to the next step if the blood stain has not completely disappeared; otherwise, let the material dry completely.
- The stain should be repeatedly dabbed with a clean, white cloth dipped in hydrogen peroxide until it has completely disappeared. When necessary, make sure to rotate or exchange the cloth.
How To Remove Stubborn Bodily Fluid Stains?
When you encounter a nasty, stubborn stain caused by one’s body, fear not for this can be removed and all cleaned up with the following cleaning process:
- Before you start the stain removal procedure, clear the surface completely of all non-fluid bits by removing or cleaning them.
- Spray some raw household ammonia on the stain sparingly (do not soak) and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Use cold water to dampen a fresh, white cloth before dabbing the stain. The stain ought to begin to transfer to the cloth after several blotting attempts.
- Examine the stain after using a damp towel to wipe the area.
- Repeat the above steps AFTER the material has dried if the stain still persists.
- Apply baking soda to the area and let it sit for a few hours to help with the quick removal of moisture.
- Thoroughly vacuum the powder out of the carpet, then let the mattress air dry for however long is necessary.
Tips For Keeping Your Mattress Clean Longer
- Every six months, at the very least, you should clean the mattress. But every three months, if you have the time, give it a good cleaning. Treat stains right away to prevent them from setting.
- Change the sheets at least once per week to avoid dead skin and its consequences, like dust mites, from accumulating on the bed.
- Make a mattress cover purchase. Preventing moisture from penetrating the mattress, will aid in halting the development of mold and mildew.
- Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter frequently to remove dust mites from the mattress. Use the crevice tool to reach hard-to-reach areas. Sprinkle baking soda on the mattress first, then let it sit for 10 minutes to get rid of odors.
- Every three months, flip your mattress over. Every six months, turn a pillowtop mattress over from top to bottom.