How to clean a mattress and make it smell fresh again?

How to clean a mattress?

Our mattress can be home to bed bugs, dust mites, and other small critters, but did you know what else could be hiding in your mattress? Blood, sweat, and urine can be mixed up with mold and mildew and make you wonder how you slept on this mattress for so long. If you live in a country with humid weather, you are likely to sweat more, so it becomes really important to clean the mattress regularly.

When it comes to mattress cleaning, remove beddings, pillows, and mattress covers off the bed. Some tips to consider when cleaning the mattress:-

·         Use Vacuum cleaner– Attach upholstery attachment to your vacuum cleaner. Start using the vacuum at the top part of the mattress and work your way down to the very bottom of the mattress. Pay attention to minor overlapping and narrow paths. Use a vacuum cleaner on each side of the mattress.

·         Sprinkle Baking Soda- your mattress can hold odor because of urine and sweat that may be left behind when you have pets and kids at home.  To get rid of any odor from the mattress, sprinkle some baking soda once you are done vacuuming. Sprinkle a little more on the area where the smell is concentrated. With the help of a scrub brush, gently rub the baking soda into the mattress and let it sit for 10 minutes. Remove excess powder using a vacuum.

·         Using Enzymatic Cleaner- you may notice different stains on your mattress. These stains can cause discoloration if not removed as soon as they happen. You can use Enzyme cleaner o remove these stains from mattresses. You can make your own stain remover cleaning solution at home by mixing 1 cup of hot water with one teaspoon of mild laundry detergent or dish detergent.

How to spot clean a mattress?

Mattress stains can be stubborn at times, but it is possible to get rid of them using the right methods and techniques. Here are a few steps that you should try to spot clean your mattress.

·         Distilled White vinegar– use the vinegar soak method with baking soda sprinkles. Baking soda acts as a neutralizer; it helps remove the odor from the mattress and reacts with the vinegar and both the substances cake on the bed surface. With the help of a vacuum cleaner, get rid of the excess baking soda from the mattress. Let it sit for several hours on the stain. Later vacuum the spot.

·         Hydrogen Peroxide– hydrogen peroxide is also one way to spot, clean,, and get rid of the stains from the mattress. Hydrogen peroxide has bleaching properties that help reduce the stain appearance of the mattress. Before using, it is important to do a patch test on the mattress. Mix it with water and test it on a small area. This way, you will avoid the risk of ruining your mattress by applying it all over. If there is no side effect, it is safe to use them on the entire mattress.

1.       Mix two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with one tablespoon of liquid dish soap. Take a spoon and stir it nicely to create suds.

2.       Dip an old used toothbrush into the suds. Gently scrub the suds on the toothbrush over the stain. Use a clean damp cloth to remove any excess cleaner.

If your mattress is made of memory foam, then use the smallest amount of cleaning solution. Avoid getting the memory foam wet. This hydrogen peroxide solution will effectively clean food, dirt, and drink stains.

How to Clean Vomit from Mattress?

Urine stains and bloodstains are not the only stains mattress picks up. If you have vomit stains on your mattress, it might not get removed by using any of the methods mentioned above. In this case, you will need household ammonia. When you use ammonia, keep that room closed for an entire day, or else your whole house will stink. Keep the bedroom window open and run an exhaust fan if you have one in the room. Ammonia is irritating to the eyes and lungs; therefore, it is important to have good ventilation in the room.

·         Take a white rag and lightly dampen it with ammonia. Blot the stain using the damp corner. Do not pour or drench ammonia directly onto the mattress. You need only enough ammonia to remove the stain from the fabric.

·         Blot the stained area with a dampened rag to lift stains. Keep rotating the cloth so that you continually use clean cloth areas to lift the stain off of the mattress. If the stain does not get removed, wait for five more minutes and try this method again.

·         Once the stain is clean, wipe the entire mattress using a clean, lightly damp cloth.

·         Sprinkle some soda on the damp area to neutralize ammonia and pull moisture out. Let it dry completely, and then vacuum using an upholstery attachment.

How to dry a mattress?

If the mattress is wet due to rainwater or drinking water spillover, you can save it if you act fast. You will have to get all the water out of the mattress to protect your mattress from the growth of mold and mildew.

·         Soak Up Water– use clean towels and press them into the mattress wherever it is wet. Apply pressure as much as you can. Towels will soak up some amount of water in the mattress.  Repeat this 2-3 times to soak as much water as possible.

·         Absorb moisture– sprinkle baking soda on the mattress and let it sit for 12 hours. It will soak excess water from the mattress. Try to push the soda into the mattress.

·         Vacuum the powder-use a wet-dry vacuum cleaner to remove the baking soda from the mattress. This will help keep you safe from electric shock when the vacuum cleaner pulls moisture out of the mattress. Reapply more baking soda if needed and repeat this process after 12 hours.

·         Treat for mold and mildew– to prevent the mattress from developing mold create a cleaning solution by mixing 1 cup of rubbing alcohol with 1 cup of water. Dip a clean cloth into the solution, wring the excess water, and rub the wet cloth all over the mattress surface.

·         Keep the mattress outside– move the mattress out to an area with direct sunlight. Keep the mattress upright to let the air circulate on both sides. You can also place a fan inside the room to blow air across the mattress. The mattress will be completely dry in one day.

How To remove mold from the mattress?

Mold spreads quickly, and these thrive on warm and damp surfaces. It would have become an entrenched problem by the time it comes to your notice.

Steps to get rid of molds:-

·         Vacuum clean on all the sides of the mattress.

·        Mix rubbing alcohol in warm water in equal amounts, in a disposable container. Dip a clean cloth into the mixture and wring out excess water. Scrub the moldy area of the mattress using this damp cloth. Scrub in a circular motion and scrub beyond the moldy area as well.

·         Rinse the affected area with a clean damp cloth wrung out in hot water. Keep in mind the cloth should not be very wet, or else you will end up adding too much moisture into the mattress and encourage the mold to grow back.

·         Spray disinfectant and keep the mattress in direct sunlight to dry.

How to clean urine from a mattress with a pillow top?

A soft padded pillow top mattress is very comfortable to sleep on, but they are also a good absorbent of stains and odors. If you have pets or kids around, then it is very common to have urine stains on pillow-top mattresses. You will need an enzyme cleaner to clean the urine stains from the mattress.

Steps to clean urine stains from top pillow mattress:-

1.       Using a paper towel or dry cloth, blot excess urine out of the mattress.  Put the bedsheet immediately into the washing machine.

2.       Vacuum the mattress attached with upholstery to remove any dirt.

3.       Dilute upholstery shampoo and apply it directly to the affected area.

4.       Gently rub the stain with a soft brush in a circular motion.

5.       Blot liquid with vinegar to remove residue of shampoo.

6.       Dry the mattress completely; it might take one full day. Later sprinkle baking soda on the affected area and leave it for 18 hours. Vacuum the mattress and put it outside in direct sunlight.

Tips to keep Mattresses Clean:-

·         Don’t delay. Clean immediately- To prolong the life of your mattress, you should clean the mess as soon as it happens. If you stained it with blood during your periods, throw the sheets into the washing machine and blast wash with cold water. Clean the stain on your mattress immediately with a stain removing solution.  It is easy to clean stains fresh rather than later.

·         Use Mattress Protector- you can prolong the life of your mattress using a mattress protector. This will keep the dust and bed bugs away and prevent stains due to accidental spills on the mattress.

·         Deep cleaning regularly- regular deep clean to preserve the mattress for a long time. Learn How to clean the mattress deep:-

1.       flip the mattress

2.       add 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil to a small box of baking soda. Shake it properly to distribute the oil and scent evenly. Shaking the box will eliminate any lumps so formed. You can use essential oils like lavender, ylang-ylang, chamomile, and sandalwood. These not only smell nice but have antibacterial properties in them. Lavender evokes a spa-like feeling, a very relaxing and aromatherapeutic effect to help you sleep better.

3.       Sprinkle baking soda and essential oil mixture on the mattress surface and rub it circular. Rubbing the baking soda will help it penetrate properly inside the mattress for deep cleaning. Let the mixture sit for at least 1 hour.

4.       While the baking soda mixture gets absorbed into the mattress, take that time to clean bed frames and box springs to prevent bed bugs make a home in it.

5.       After you have waited for an hour or so, it’s time for vacuuming. Take out your vacuum cleaner and thoroughly vacuum all the mattress sides to remove baking soda left on the surface. Don’t rush when you are vacuuming; instead, take your time to remove all the traces of baking soda and dirt from the mattress. The baking soda and essential oil mixture help remove stains and neutralize odor. The mattress will look clean and more fresh than ever before.