Rest Easy with Our Tips for Cleaning a Mattress (Including Stains and Odors) (2024)

• Working Time:30 minutes
• Total Time:1 hour
• Skill Level:Beginner
• Estimated Cost:$10

How Often Should You Wash Your Sheets? Probably More Than You Think

How to Clean a Mattress

To keep your bed fresh and odor-free, follow these tips on how to clean a mattress, remove mattress stains, and prevent dust and bacteria growth. You'll sleep better knowing your bed is clean!

1. 

   See Also

   Cleaning Mattress with Shaving Cream: A Surprising Solution

   Vacuum the Mattress to Remove Dust

   For regular cleaning, plan to vacuum your mattress about every month to remove dust and debris. If you or your family members have severe allergies, consider doing this each time you change the sheets. Turn off the beater bars, and run the vacuum slowly over the mattress so it has time to draw in the dust and dust mites. Use the crevice tool for the edges.

   For how to clean a mattress more effectively, cleaning expert Mary Findley suggests letting the kids jump on the bed for a few minutes before vacuuming. "It brings dust and dust mites to the surface, where they are easier for the vacuum to inhale," she says.

2. 

   Beat Your Mattress Annually

   Be sure to remove dust from both sides of your mattress annually for the most thorough cleaning. "Once a year in the spring, I haul my mattress to the patio, brace it against the back of my home, and do like Grandma used to do: beat it with a broom on both sides," Findley says. "The dust that flies is amazing." Alternatively, you can vacuum both sides well.

   While you have the mattress removed from your bed frame, vacuum the box spring, too. Lightly spritz the mattress with straight distilled white vinegar to help kill bacteria and mold and discourage dust mites.

How to Remove Mattress Stains

For best results, treat any mattress stain immediately. The longer liquids sit in a mattress, the likelier they'll foster mold and mildew growth or cause a permanent spot.

How to Clean Mattress Stains with Shaving Cream: Findley recommends using foaming shaving cream to clean a mattress because of its thickness. "Liquids soak right through a mattress, not allowing sufficient time to dissolve the stain," she says. "Foaming shaving cream contains denatured alcohol, which is a stain remover, and it's thick, so it sits on the surface to work on the stain." Wait 10-15 minutes, wipe with a damp cloth, and rinse with a 50-50 vinegar-water solution. Repeat if necessary.

How to Clean Blood on a Mattress: Clean with a 50-50 hydrogen peroxide-water solution.

How to Clean Urine, Fecal Matter, or Vomit on a Mattress: Try an enzyme cleaner, typically available at pet stores, to remove stains from bodily fluids. Use an enzyme cleaner before trying other methods, as residue from other cleaners will kill the enzymes in these products before they can work.

How to Keep Mattresses Cleaner Longer

Remove Mattress Odors

Use a mixture of cornstarch and baking soda to remove smells, says Leslie Reichert of Green Cleaning Coach. Shake it onto the mattress, let sit for a few hours or longer, then vacuum. "The cornstarch will absorb body oils, while the baking soda tackles odors," she says.

Air Out Your Mattress

When laundering sheets, strip the bed in the morning and don't put new bedsheets on until evening. "Allowing the mattress to air all day discourages dust mites and bacterial growth," Findley says.

Add a Mattress Pad or Protector

Remember, mattress pads and protectors aren't just for comfort. They keep your mattress cleaner, too, says cleaning expert Donna Smallin Kuper. Wash your mattress protector monthly in hot water, and machine-dry thoroughly unless the tag instructs otherwise.

When to Call a Professional

When you don't know how to clean a mattress with serious stains, consider calling a mattress-cleaning professional. Findley suggests hiring someone who will clean with steam rather than chemicals, which can irritate some people. She also suggests pre-treating stains with natural products like vinegar or peroxide, so your professional cleaner won't have to resort to commercial stain removers.