Cleaning your mattress at home
You can wash your bedlinen and even your duvet and pillows, but keeping the mattresses of your beds clean is a tricky task. Never fear! Here are some steps you can take that may help you get a fresh clean mattress again!
Step 1: Check the care guide
Before starting to clean your mattress, you should always check the care guide first to see what the manufacturer recommends. This is because different types of mattresses require different cleaning methods, so you should see if there are any ‘dos and don’ts’ you need to take into consideration.
Step 2: Supplies
Vacuum cleaner (with upholstery attachment if possible)
Mild laundry detergent or dish soap
Baking soda
A cloth or sponge
Cold and lukewarm water
Step 3: Wash your bedding
You’ll probably want to make sure when you’re done that everything smells and feels fresh and clean, so it’s a good idea to get your bedding washed and dried while you clean the mattress.
Wash pillows and duvet on high temperature (but check care instructions for pillows as not all can be washed)
Tumble dry at high temperature too.
If your duvet is particularly bulky, a laundrette might be a good option for washing and drying.
Step 4: Air your mattress
Fling the windows open! Hopefully it’s a glorious day outside with a fresh breeze. Even if it’s not, a few minutes with some fresh air circulating the room will allow airflow across your mattress, which will help to deodorise it.
Step 5: Vacuum
Using the upholstery attachment, vacuum over the entire surface of the mattress, (both sides if you have a reversible mattress).
Use small circular motions to get rid of the maximum amount of dust and hair.
Step 6: Remove stains
The best way to remove common sweat stains from your mattress is to use a gentle laundry detergent or dish soap mixed with lukewarm water. Gently dab – don’t rub! – the stain with a cloth or sponge to lift the stain as much as possible.
An important note to remember when you’re deep cleaning your mattress at home is that you shouldn’t use any harsh chemicals or get it too wet as this can damage the integrity of the mattress.
For tougher stains such as urine and blood, please see our ‘Removing tougher stains from your mattress’ blog.
Step 7: Deodorise & final vacuum
When the surface is completely clean and dry, lightly sprinkle a layer of baking soda over your entire mattress. This will help to eliminate any odour that may still be lingering. If possible, the baking soda should be left for at least a few hours to get the best results.
Once your mattress is smelling clean and fresh, vacuum off all of the remaining baking soda. This should leave your mattress surface nice and fresh before you put your bedding back on.
Know any other mattress cleaning tips?
If you have any tips for bed and mattress cleaning and you’d like to share, please let us know! You can find us on Twitter and Facebook. We’ll check them out and add them to the list here!
And of course, if you’d like to get your domestic chores done for you and reap the benefits like our other clients, it’d be a pleasure. Give us a call and we’ll get the ball rolling!
