How To Clean A Mattress in 7 Easy Steps

You may not realize it, but your bed can be a host of problems when it’s not cleaned. Learn how to clean a mattress, and you will be so glad that you did. Having a routine for deep cleaning will keep small problems from snowballing and turning into huge issues.

We often take our beds for granted, and it’s not something you usually think about cleaning. Trust me, I rarely think about it myself.

I recently saw an old episode of Shark Tank and there was this guy on there, who has a product that cleans your mattress. They were talking about how dirty our mattresses are… like tons of microscopic bugs… yuck!

So I decided to tackle this task and figure out the most efficient way to keep a mattress clean and I’m sharing those tips with you today.

Why Do I Need To Deep Clean My Bed?

Before I tell you how to clean, let me tell you why you need to. Our bodies lose lots of dead skin cells and many of them end up in our beds. Due to the fact that most of us spend up to 1/3 of our lives in our bed, it makes total sense.

Pair the dead skin cells with things like dust mites, and other bacteria and your mattress is a breeding ground for germs. If you don’t take care of cleaning your mattress, then you could even become ill, and no one wants that!

I don’t know about you, but when I think about all the other things that could be living on my mattress, it makes me a bit ill. I want to feel good about the cleanliness of my home, and I’m sure you want to do the same thing.

How Often Should I Be Deep Cleaning My Mattress?

You should clean your bed at least twice a year. I recommend January and June because it’s easy and you don’t have to think about it. However, if those months don’t work for you, pick two that do! It’s important to stick with it and treat cleaning your bed like any other critical task in your home.

I know it will be tempting to put it off when the time nears, but trust me, this is a vital step to keeping your home clean and yourself healthier. Plus, just imagine how great you are going to sleep on a newly cleaned bed, especially if you have allergies like I do!

how to clean a mattress

How To Clean A Mattress

Deep cleaning a mattress is an essential aspect of making sure your home is clean and in working order. Staying organized has helped me come up with a game plan and gives me the motivation I need to accomplish so much.

Take a look at these steps to deep clean your bed:

Remove The Bedding

Take the blankets, pillows, and sheets and remove them from the mattress. This is a great time to have them washed as well. Your linens should be washed every week or so, but you may not think to clean the blankets too.

Don’t forget to wash your pillowcases as well! They are often forgotten about, but they need it too.

Start Vacuuming

Due to all the dead skin cells, dirt, and other debris that builds up on your mattress (disgusting, right?), it’s vital to vacuum it.

Use a vacuum with an upholstery attachment and get to work. Clean every nook, cranny, and crevice until the top layer and sides are clean. Then, you need to repeat the same process on the other side of the mattress and hit the box springs, too.

If you use a bed skirt, you’ll want to wash that as well!

(I quit using a bed skirt a few years ago to cut back on the cluttered look of our small bedroom.)

Break Out The Baking Soda

You already know how I feel about natural products for cleaning, but you won’t find a better thing to use than baking soda when it comes to cleaning your bed. It will neutralize the odors that build up!

Baking soda is an inexpensive tool for cleaning, and it does a fantastic job. Sprinkle a ton of baking soda all over your mattress. Allow it to sit and soak up as much odor as it can.

You can let it sit all the way up to 24 hours. If you can’t go 24 hours, then at least aim for 8-10, so it’s on there a sufficient amount of time!

Vacuum The Baking Soda Up

Next, you’ll want to vacuum up all of the baking soda. This is an important step, and you don’t want to skip it! This is what removes all those smells and even moisture from the mattress.

Prepare To Kill The Dust Mites

Dust mites are really pretty disgusting, and you don’t want them feeding on your dead skin cells and leaving droppings on your bed. So, it’s vital that you kill them! More will come back later, but each time you clean your mattress, this is an important step.

You’ll need a spray bottle, 16 ounces of water, and any essential oils that you want to use. I prefer tea tree oil, but eucalyptus and rosemary are great options, too.

Put in around 20 -40 drops of your essential oil inside the spray bottle with water and give it a good shake. Spray the mixture over the entire mattress and allow it to dry completely.

It’s important to allow it to dry before covering it with a sheet, or you will end up with mold from the moisture.

How to Clean a Matress – Disinfect

Get rid of germs and bacteria by mixing a bottle with distilled water 3/4 full, then fill the bottle the rest of the way up with cleaning vinegar and shake.

Spray the entire mattress with this mixture to kill all of the germs. Allow it to completely dry before moving on to the next step.

Getting Rid Of Stains

The best way to get rid of stains is by using 3 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide together. Add in a little bit of dish soap and scrub down the area. Dry the area with a damp cloth and repeat if necessary. Again, you will want to allow the mattress to dry all the way before putting the bed back together.

That’s it! Now you can add your sheets, pillows, and blankets back to your bed and sleep well, knowing you have killed germs, dust mites, and bacteria. A great win for you!

More Cleaning Hacks For Your Everyday Life

Now that you know how to clean a mattress, check out some of my other posts to learn how to clean your:

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