Your mattress can be a pain to keep clean. Luckily, it’s usually covered by a mattress pad and sheets. However, once in a while an accident can happen and you’ll need to clean up. It’s also important to do some basic cleaning once in a while so that your mattress maintains a long, useful life. Let’s take a look at a few ways you can keep your mattress clean and in good shape.
First off, it’s important to read the manufacturer’s instructions which come with the mattress. They will tell you which products to avoid and possibly give hints on how best to clean the mattress. By reading these first, you’ll save yourself time and headache later.
Spills and Stains
A common problem is spills and stains. A spill might come from juice, wine, or another drink. If you have pets, they might decide to urinate and it soaks through to the mattress. Lastly, a child might have an accident on the bed. (Keep in mind that children under 6 or 7 should not sleep on a memory foam mattress since it puts them at higher risk of suffocation.) These are among the worst kinds of messes to clean up but you can still have some success if you work a little bit.
There are several alternatives for cleaning up wet spills like these. The first is to use hydrogen peroxide. Another popular alternative is vinegar, which can help reduce odors associated with urine. In either case, you have several choices for application.
- If the stain is small, simply apply a vinegar solution (you can use 1 part vinegar to 3 or 4 parts water) directly to the stain. Let it soak in. Blot thoroughly with a towel and allow your mattress to dry.
- If the stain is larger, you might have to sleep somewhere else for a few days. Apply a solution as above, but afterward it’s important to let the mattress dry out completely.
- Hydrogen peroxide is a great cleaner, but it acts as a bleach and will discolor your mattress. Most people don’t mind since the mattress will be covered with sheets, but keep this in mind before you clean with hydrogen peroxide.
- Use gloves. This is especially true if you use hydrogen peroxide and some other cleaners, which can be tough on your skin.
- For smaller stains, people have recommended a gentle cleaner such as Woolite to help clean. Again, be sure to dry the mattress properly after applying a diluted solution of a soap such as this.
- Pet stains may benefit from using an enzymatic pet stain removal product. These are available at many pet stores and you can simply follow the directions on the package.
Steam Cleaning
A very effective way to clean your memory foam mattress is to use a steam cleaner. These are machines that make high temperature steam for the specific purpose of using it to clean and disinfect surfaces and materials. Again, check with your mattress’ instructions before doing this.
Steam cleaning can be a good way to get rid of deep stains. It’s also perfect for cleaning the entire mattress at once as long as you have a sizable unit. You might even consider adding a small amount of vinegar (a tablespoon or so) to the water when you steam. This can help reduce odors in the bed.
After steam cleaning, be sure to let the bed dry for at least one hour. Leave the sheets off and put it in a well ventilated room if possible.
Regular Cleaning
Even if you don’t have any stains to wash out, it’s still important to clean your mattress every year or so. This will help keep it in good shape and smelling fresh. If your mattress has a stain, consider performing these steps before doing the cleaning described above. That way you’ll get rid of the stain and have a clean mattress, too.
For dry cleaning, take all the sheets off the mattress and use baking powder (or alternatively Borax). Sprinkle some all over the mattress and let it sit for at least half an hour. If you notice a strong odor from the mattress, consider letting it sit for longer, even overnight. Next, use a vacuum cleaner to gently vacuum everything off the mattress. This will remove the baking powder (or Borax) and also get rid of any dirt, lint, or other debris that may have been present.
At this point you can either put the sheets back on or clean up any stains you might find on the bed.
Conclusion
Cleaning memory foam and other foam mattresses and mattress pads isn’t much tougher than cleaning any other article of furniture or clothing. Just be sure to read your manufacturer’s instructions, be safe, clean stains promptly, and clean your mattress regularly to get the most out of it.
