Our Tips For How To Clean A Mattress
16th Mar 2022Posted by Alice Ewens on 16th Mar 2022
This week, we're all about tips on how to clean a mattress. Go for the deep clean and give yourself the best sleep with our easy to follow steps.
Mattresses aren't cheap, so you'll want yours to last. That means taking care of it and keeping it fresh and giving it a good clean every month or so. We've gathered together some easy, breezy tips to get your whole bed spotless and fresh.
Before We Start: Important Notes on Mattress Cleaning
Mattresses don't do great with a soaking. They won't dry easily and that can lead to mould. Memory foam especially is not designed to get wet at all. So, any cleaning is about minimising exposure to moisture. Ensure any cleaning products you do use on your mattress are applied sparingly and allowed to dry. Also, ensure anything you use on your mattress, bed frame or bedding is suitable for your skin - some people have allergies to certain essential oils etc.
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Easy Steps For How To Clean A Mattress
1 - Strip all the bedding. Give all your bedding - sheets, duvet covers, mattress protector and all pillowcases - a good spin. This will kill any dust mites and bacteria, remove stains and make everything smell lush.
2 - Then hoover (yes, hoover!) your mattress. Use an upholstery attachment to really get into all the creases and bumps. Also, hoover the sides of the mattress.
3 - Dust headboard and sides of the bed frame. If this is upholstered, you can use the upholstery attachment on your hoover for this too.
4 - Spot clean any stains on your mattress. Remember that you want to minimise moisture on your mattress, so use a dry cloth/sponge and apply your cleaning product to that then dab it onto the mattress. Then remove/dry any product with another clean, dry cloth/sponge. You can make your own DIY spot cleaner by mixing half a teaspoon (2.5ml) of dish soap with 1 litre of water. Alternatively, use Vanish or similar.
5 - Sprinkle baking soda all over your mattress. This will absorb oils and odours. You can add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to the soda before you sprinkle to add a lovely scent. Lavender is particularly good at helping you to relax and create a sleepy environment. Leave for an hour.
6 - Air your mattress. In an ideal world, you'd drag your mattress outside into the fresh air and sunshine while the baking soda is working its magic... but, I'm not about to heft my mattress downstairs and wrestle it outside... haha! So - the alternative is to open all the windows in your room and air it as much as possible. You can use a fan to circulate air, too.
7 - Vacuum again. Hoover up all the baking soda. Give your mattress a few zaps with Febreze or similar to lock in freshness.
8 - Then flip your mattress and repeat steps 2 - 7 on the underside. If your mattress can be flipped permanently (i.e. doesn't have a memory foam top on one side) it's a good idea to flip your mattress over and rotate it every time you change your bedding, to avoid sagging. If it has to stay one way up, you should still rotate it, and still hoover the underside too.
9 - Protect your mattress with a mattress protector. Choose one with deep fitted sides so it won't untuck under your sheets as you roll around. This should be washed and replaced whenever you change your bedding.
10 - Always use a bottom sheet - whether you go fitted or opt for the old-school flat sheet and 'hospital corners' deal, a bottom sheet will provide extra protection against dust, mites and bacteria getting into your mattress.
And that's it. 10 steps for how to clean a mattress that will help keep your mattress fresh for longer.
Got Any Hacks for How To Clean A Mattress?
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