You always sleep with sheets on your bed, so that keeps your mattress clean, right? Not always. This is why learning how to sanitize a mattress is important.
No matter how clean your sheets are, your mattress will still get dirty over time. We’ve put together this guide to show you the best way to clean your mattress, so let’s get started!
How Often Should You Clean Your Mattress?
If you don’t keep your mattress clean, it can become a breeding ground for all kinds of nasty things, including dust mites, bed bugs, and even mold in the right environments. But that’s not all. Your mattress can also get covered in sweat, blood, urine, etc.
This doesn’t sound exactly pleasant to sleep on, does it?
You should get into the habit of cleaning your mattress at least twice a year. Don’t let the sound of this chore discourage you. It isn’t nearly as hard or involved as you might think.
How to Sanitize a Mattress the Right Way
Depending on the condition of your mattress, cleaning it shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes.
Here’s how to get started.
Remove and Wash All the Bedding
First take all your bedding off your mattress, including sheets. The mattress must be completely bare before you can get to work.
This is a good time to throw your bedding in the laundry. That way, when you’re done cleaning your mattress, you’ll be putting on clean bedding, too.
Vacuum the Sides and Surface
Once your bedding is in the wash, take out your vacuum cleaning and use the nozzle to vacuum the top and sides of the mattress. This will remove any dust or dirt sitting on the surface.
Cover It in Baking Soda
Baking soda is a neutralizing agent. This means it will help remove stains, odor, bacteria, and other debris. Sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the surface of your mattress so the entire thing is covered.
Then let the baking soda sit for at least 10 minutes.
After this, spend a few minutes working the baking soda into your mattress with a scrub brush. Don’t use too much pressure, though. You don’t want to damage the soft fabric on your mattress.
If you have the time, it’s a good idea to let the baking soda sit on your mattress for an hour or two. The longer the baking soda is on your mattress, the better it will work.
Vacuum Again
After the baking soda has sat on your mattress for at least 10 minutes, use your vacuum cleaner to remove the powder. You might have to go over the mattress several times to get all the baking soda.
Spot Clean for Stains
If there are any stains on your mattress, you might need to use something stronger than baking soda to remove them.
The exact stain remover you use will depend on the type of stain you’re trying to remove. However, for things like urine or blood, you should use an enzyme cleaner. If you don’t have any stain remover, you can also use warm water and soap, but this won’t work as well.
Don’t apply the cleaner directly to your mattress.
Instead, spray the cleaner onto a cloth and dab the cloth over the stains. Then go back over the area you cleaned with a damp cloth to remove any remaining cleanser.
Flip and Repeat
Once you’ve finished this process, flip your mattress over. Then repeat these steps on the other side.
Even though you might not sleep on the bottom of your mattress, cleaning it will keep your mattress as sanitary as possible.
How to Keep Your Mattress Clean
No matter how heavy-duty your sheets are, you should always clean your mattress at least twice a year. However, there are a few things you can do to make the cleaning process easier when that time of year rolls around.
Use a Mattress Protector
A mattress protector adds an extra barrier between your sheets and your mattress. This will help prevent stains from forming on your mattress or dirt and dust from gathering in the fabric.
Since a mattress protector covers your entire mattress, it can also help keep the side and the bottom clean.
Wash Your Bedding Often
Keeping your bedding clean will also help protect your mattress. You should run your bedding through the wash at least twice every month.
Treat Stains Right Away
If any urine, blood, sweat, vomit gets on your mattress, you should do your best to clean it up right away. This will prevent it from staining your mattress, and it can keep odors from getting trapped in the fabric.
The Dos and Don’ts of Cleaning Your Mattress
When it comes to learning how to sanitize a mattress, you should follow the tips on this list. Covering your mattress in water or soap won’t do the trick. In fact, getting your mattress wet will only cause more problems later.
If you don’t dry it out completely, the moisture can lead to mold growth inside the mattress. If this happens, you may have to buy an entirely new mattress. So make sure you stick to baking soda, and never apply cleaner of any kind directly to your mattress.
Cleaning your mattress isn’t necessarily a hard job, but it does take some time and knowhow.
That’s why you should let us take care of it for you.
Make sure you get in touch with us to get a free estimate today!