How to Clean a Mattress

Have you ever discovered a stain on your mattress when changing the sheets? Breakfast in bed is a great idea until you spill the coffee or tea on your snowy white Vera Wang comforter and sheets. There’s almost nothing more upsetting, especially if you don’t have a mattress cover.

 

Let’s face it; you will accidentally spill something on your furniture at some point. So what do you do now? Here are a few easy ways that you can clean your mattress that will lift your spirits and the stains.

 

The very first thing that you should do when you spill something on your mattress is strip the bed entirely. If you can catch it in time, your chances for deep, set-in stains is lowered. However, if you can tell that the stain is going to put up a tough fight, it’s time to prepare for battle.

 

After you strip the bed, immediately throw your sheets into the washing machine and use laundry detergent specifically tailored to the delicacy of your sheets. Detergents such as Tide and Gain do a great job of lifting stains and odors in bedding.

 

Now it’s time to focus in on your mattress. Grab the following items:

 

 

• Two clean cloths

• A small bucket or bowl of warm water

• Liquid dish soap

• Baking soda

• Any stain removal products that you have in your pantry that are approved for mattresses

 

 

First things first, dip your wet cloth in the warm water with liquid dish soap such as Dawn, and gently soak the area that appears stained. Be careful not to put too much water on your mattress, and instead focus on the specific spot where the stain is. If you accidentally use too much water or dish soap, you may have a hard time getting the mattress dry after you treat the stain.

 

Keep in mind that if your stains are caused by bodily fluids such as blood or urine, hydrogen peroxide might be the best choice. Any enzyme cleaner will clean these kinds of stains with better success in comparison to dish soap and warm water.

 

After you have soaked the localized area, use the other dry cloth to soak up the water and hopefully some of the stains by dabbing the cloth against the stain. Do not smear or smudge the cloth as this could make the stain worse!

 

Next, begin sprinkling baking soda on the affected area and let the baking soda sit for approximately 15 minutes. While the baking soda is sitting, locate your vacuum cleaner and have it ready to use. The baking soda will help with removing any current or future odors from your mattress after your treatment is completed leaving your mattress feeling and smelling fresh.

 

At this point you should notice that the stains and the odors are beginning to lift from your mattress. Use your vacuum cleaner upholstery attachment to go over the previously stained area. Make sure that you dry the area very well before your put any sheets, comforters, pillows, etc. back on your bed. In fact, it’s recommended that you leave the affected area completely uncovered for up to four hours if possible so that fresh air can naturally dry the mattress. Your chances of having an unwanted odor lingering around will diminish if the mattress gets adequate time to dry.

 

You did it! The stains and odors are gone, in theory. However, you are probably asking yourself at this point how to avoid predicaments like this in the future. After all, you don’t want to clean stains on your mattress every week, right?

 

The first thing that we recommend that you do is to purchase a mattress pad and cover to protect your mattress. This extra covering acts as a shield when spills happen. Because let’s face it, you don’t want to give up breakfast in bed and you can’t control what accidents will happen in the future.

 

If you are looking for a new, better mattress that fits your unique sleeping style and don’t know where to start, we can help! Stop by our showroom sometime this month to check out some of the industry’s leading brands such as Sealy Posturepedic and Tempur-Pedic mattresses. While you’re here, ask one of our educated associates about our sales that are going on right now through the end of November. You won’t want to miss out on the incredible deals!