Inside: Check out these simple tips on how to clean a mattress. Get rid of mattress stains and smells with these easy tips. Clean a mattress using baking soda and a DIY spray you can make yourself. Clean your mattress today so you can sleep better tonight.
How To Clean A Mattress
My husband and I were driving the other day when we saw a mattress truck that said: “Replace Every 8”. We both just started laughing, we are on year 14 with our mattress and have no plans to replace it any time soon. I am hoping that replacing every eight years is as big of a myth as the idea that your mattress doubles in weight over the years from dead skin and dust mites. I don’t know if it is true or not but that is gross! The idea of sleeping with all that is disgusting.
Luckily, It is extremely simple to clean a mattress and although it may not get all the dead skin and dust mites, it has to help. If you are dealing with a stained or smelly mattress check out these easy tips on how to clean a mattress.
How To Clean Mattress Stains
Start by spraying any spots or stains that you have on your mattress. I use an upholstery cleaner that is two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part dawn soap. You can see exactly how I make up the upholstery cleaner here.
Let it sit for a minute or two and then scrub the mattress stain with a microfiber cloth. If it is really set in you may want to spray again and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Once you have removed all the spots let the mattress air out for a couple of hours. If you have a ceiling fan I recommend turning it on to help the mattress dry faster.
When the spots are dry, put a cup of baking soda in a canning jar. Then drop in 4-5 drops of essential oils, I love this Lavender oil from Amazon. It’s usually under $15 for a bottle.
Put the lid on the canning jar and give it a couple of good shakes. Sprinkle the baking soda mixture over the mattress and let sit for about one hour. The baking soda will help absorb any funky smells you have in your mattress and the lavender will help your mattress smell great. Plus, lavender can help you sleep well at night so it’s a win-win.
After an hour or two vacuum up all the baking soda mixture and then slowly vacuum over the mattress one more time. Don’t forget to do the sides of the mattress too.
Not only does it make your mattress smell better, but hopefully there is fewer dust mites and dead skin too. You can put back on your sheets and have a great night of sleep knowing that your mattress is clean.
Once you know how to clean a mattress you can do it every 6 months or so will help keep your mattress smelling great. If you want to protect your mattress from stains and smells you can get a waterproof mattress pad.
Want some other cleaning tips? Check out how to clean your pillows in the machine. It’s so easy.
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[email protected] says
I have a Kirby vacuum and I use the attachment on my mattress once every year or so. I don’t know if I buy into the idea of replacing them every 8 years, but I do think you should keep them clean!
Julie says
I had a friend who sold the Kirby vacuums in college. I always thought my house would be much cleaner if I had one. 🙂 They look like fun, but I am guessing the thrill wears off after a while.
Kim says
If your mattress just needs a little freshening and you aren’t dealing with stains or smells, then you can start by cleaning it without water.Run the small attachment of your vacuum over the top while your sheets and mattress pad are in the washer; then, you can use a sieve to cover the mattress with sifted baking soda.
Maria J. Minton says
Hi Julie, very simple and effective mattress cleaning idea! I found many other good tips on the site.
Julie says
Glad I could help. Thanks for stopping by.