How to Clean Your Mattress

For Regular Maintenance on Any Type of Mattress

Innerspring, Coil, Pillow-Top, or Memory Foam

If your mattress has a cover on it, remove it and wash it following manufacturer’s directions. If possible, use a good, strong detergent and an enzyme booster like Biz or Oxiclean White Revive.
Vacuum the mattress with upholstery attachment. Be sure to get into any seams or crevices. Go slowly to ensure that you are removing as much dust and debris as possible.
Sprinkle with a light, but thorough covering of baking soda* and allow to sit for a few hours or as long as possible. If you can, position the mattress to be in direct sun, this will help remove light stains and odors.
Vacuum up baking soda using upholstery attachment.*
Spray with Lysol or a similar disinfecting product.**
Allow to dry thoroughly before replacing any bedding/mattress cover.

*Please be sure that your vacuum can properly remove baking soda, without causing issues to the filter, by consulting your manual or contacting the manufacturer. If it cannot, skip steps 3 and 4.

**To ensure its disinfecting properties the product must say “kills 99.99% of germs”. Vinegar, peroxide or other homemade products cannot properly disinfect soft surfaces.

To Remove Stains

Innerspring, Coil or Pillow Top

If the stain is fresh, be sure to blot up as much liquid as possible with a towel.
Vacuum area to eliminate dust or debris.
Use appropriate cleaner based on soil type. Typically a standard upholstery cleaner (such as Folex) will remove most stains. Follow manufacturer’s directions for application and rinsing if required.
- If urine is present use an enzyme based cleaner like Nature’s Miracle, Clorox Urine or Odoban*. For more detailed information, see our page specifically on urine, “Kid and Pet Messes: Urine.”
- For blood, use hydrogen peroxide and blot until stain is removed. For more detailed information, see our page specifically on blood, “Kid and Pet Messes: Blood.”
- For a homemade treatment for stains from vegetable oils/grease and food spills, use a paste made from baking soda, salt, and water. Cover the stain with the mixture, then let it set for half an hour. Next, brush away the dried paste and wipe down the area with cool water. Vacuum if necessary.
Allow mattress to fully dry before replacing bedding/mattress cover. A fan, direct sun or a blow dryer can help speed up the process.

*Most versions of Odoban that are readily available do not contain enzymes, but the odor eliminating, sanitizing and disinfecting properties have proven to be helpful with urine stains.

Memory Foam

Due to the structure of memory foam, it is highly prone to molding and should not get wet. It is strongly suggested to use a waterproof mattress cover with any memory foam. Should a spill occur it is essential that you immediately soak up as much as possible with towels or ideally a shop vac. The most suggested way to clean a memory foam mattress is as stated in the maintenance section above. However, if you choose to use a stain removal treatment it is recommended to not saturate the mattress, only spray lightly and immediately blot. Setting the mattress outside in the sun to dry is ideal, but at the very least a fan or blow dryer should be used to ensure quick drying.

Fresh Stains

If stain is fresh, immediately blot up moisture with a towel or a shop vac.
Cover in baking soda and allow to sit for a few hours to remove moisture*.
Vacuum up baking soda*.
Allow mattress to thoroughly dry before replacing bedding/mattress cover. A fan, direct sun or a blow dryer can help speed up the process.

*Please be sure that your vacuum can properly remove baking soda, without causing issues to the filter, by consulting your manual or contacting the manufacturer. If it cannot, skip steps 2 and 3.

Dried Stains

Option 1
- Mix a mild detergent, such as dishwashing liquid, with water to create bubbles.
- Using a sponge or white/colorfast towel, scoop up bubbles and use them to scrub in a circular motion, starting at the inside of the stain and working outward. Repeat as necessary.
- Allow mattress to thoroughly dry before replacing bedding/mattress cover. A fan, direct sun or a blow dryer can help speed up the process.

Option 2:
- Mix 50/50 water and vinegar in a spray bottle.
- Lightly spray stain and scrub in a circular motion with a white or colorfast towel. Start in the middle of the stain and work outward. Repeat as necessary.
- Allow mattress to thoroughly dry before replacing bedding/mattress cover. A fan, direct sun or a blow dryer can help speed up the process.

Sources

http://www.consumerreports.org/mattresses/how-to-clean-a-mattress/

http://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-clean-a-mattress/

http://www.naturessleep.com/blog/cleaning-your-memory-foam-mattress

By Shawna Gwin

For Regular Maintenance on Any Type of Mattress

Innerspring, Coil, Pillow-Top, or Memory Foam

If your mattress has a cover on it, remove it and wash it following manufacturer’s directions. If possible, use a good, strong detergent and an enzyme booster like Biz or Oxiclean White Revive.

Vacuum the mattress with upholstery attachment. Be sure to get into any seams or crevices. Go slowly to ensure that you are removing as much dust and debris as possible.

Sprinkle with a light, but thorough covering of baking soda* and allow to sit for a few hours or as long as possible. If you can, position the mattress to be in direct sun, this will help remove light stains and odors.

Vacuum up baking soda using upholstery attachment.*

Spray with Lysol or a similar disinfecting product.**

Allow to dry thoroughly before replacing any bedding/mattress cover.

*Please be sure that your vacuum can properly remove baking soda, without causing issues to the filter, by consulting your manual or contacting the manufacturer. If it cannot, skip steps 3 and 4.

**To ensure its disinfecting properties the product must say “kills 99.99% of germs”. Vinegar, peroxide or other homemade products cannot properly disinfect soft surfaces.

To Remove Stains

Innerspring, Coil or Pillow Top

If the stain is fresh, be sure to blot up as much liquid as possible with a towel.

Vacuum area to eliminate dust or debris.

Use appropriate cleaner based on soil type. Typically a standard upholstery cleaner (such as Folex) will remove most stains. Follow manufacturer’s directions for application and rinsing if required.

If urine is present use an enzyme based cleaner like Nature’s Miracle, Clorox Urine or Odoban*. For more detailed information, see our page specifically on urine, “Kid and Pet Messes: Urine.”

For blood, use hydrogen peroxide and blot until stain is removed. For more detailed information, see our page specifically on blood, “Kid and Pet Messes: Blood.”

For a homemade treatment for stains from vegetable oils/grease and food spills, use a paste made from baking soda, salt, and water. Cover the stain with the mixture, then let it set for half an hour. Next, brush away the dried paste and wipe down the area with cool water. Vacuum if necessary.

Allow mattress to fully dry before replacing bedding/mattress cover. A fan, direct sun or a blow dryer can help speed up the process.

*Most versions of Odoban that are readily available do not contain enzymes, but the odor eliminating, sanitizing and disinfecting properties have proven to be helpful with urine stains.

Memory Foam

Fresh Stains

If stain is fresh, immediately blot up moisture with a towel or a shop vac.

Cover in baking soda and allow to sit for a few hours to remove moisture*.

Vacuum up baking soda*.

Allow mattress to thoroughly dry before replacing bedding/mattress cover. A fan, direct sun or a blow dryer can help speed up the process.

*Please be sure that your vacuum can properly remove baking soda, without causing issues to the filter, by consulting your manual or contacting the manufacturer. If it cannot, skip steps 2 and 3.

Dried Stains

Option 1

Mix a mild detergent, such as dishwashing liquid, with water to create bubbles.

Using a sponge or white/colorfast towel, scoop up bubbles and use them to scrub in a circular motion, starting at the inside of the stain and working outward. Repeat as necessary.

Allow mattress to thoroughly dry before replacing bedding/mattress cover. A fan, direct sun or a blow dryer can help speed up the process.

Option 2:

Mix 50/50 water and vinegar in a spray bottle.

Lightly spray stain and scrub in a circular motion with a white or colorfast towel. Start in the middle of the stain and work outward. Repeat as necessary.

Allow mattress to thoroughly dry before replacing bedding/mattress cover. A fan, direct sun or a blow dryer can help speed up the process.