The Self-Care Mom

Cleaning your home includes taking care of the unseen debris found in places you probably don’t think to clean often. One of them is the mattress.

You sleep on this piece of furniture often, and yet it’s probably the last thing in mind to clean. At first, it might seem as though cleaning the bedroom is enough, but what about the dust mites or your dead skin lying on your mattress?

Learning how to clean your mattress is simple. Below are a handful of steps for you to follow when you change the bedsheets. All you need to do is follow these 5 steps:

1. Vacuum your mattress well.

This should be done before cleaning and ideally with each sheet changing to help keep the mattress fresh. By doing so, you’ll remove dead skin and

2. Treat big messes and tough odors promptly.

It’s easy to spray Febreze on the mattress and walk away. If you want to properly clean your mattress, then you’ll need to think deep. Use an enzyme cleaner to remove bacteria that cause odors. This can also help with tough stains and messes.

3. Use everyday products to freshen the mattress.

Start by spot cleaning with a few drops of dish soap, 1 teaspoon of vinegar, and 1 cup water. Be sure to scrub away the stains and pull up excess liquid using a clean dry towel.

4. Apply baking soda to soap up odors.

Refresh the bed with baking soda by sprinkling it over the entire mattress. Allow the baking soda to sit and soak up odors from it. You can mix a few drops of your favorite essential oils into the baking soda to add fragrance.

Vacuum the bed again to fully remove the baking soda from the surface. Use the highest suction setting to get as deep as possible. Allow it to air out before replacing the bedding.

5. Use a bed protector to avoid future messes.

To help protect the bed from further messes, you can purchase a mattress protector that fits your bed size. These waterproof covers are perfect for keeping the bed clean and extending their lifespan allowing you to save money with less frequent replacements. It’s a no-brainer when you have kids.

Why Spot-Clean Your Mattress

Cleaning your bed with baking soda can help refresh it. However, taking care of those everyday stains (urine, blood, and sweat) will keep your bed like new.

One of the common mistakes people make when cleaning a mattress is rubbing the product into their bed. This can often create mold or mildew because it pushing water into the bed. For this reason, steam cleaners aren’t recommended for cleaning your mattress.

Spot-cleaning is when you dab a product onto a piece of cloth and tap the desired area clean. This method is helpful when you’re potty training your child.

Removing Tough Stains From Your Mattress

Tough messes can be a hassle to clean. However, there are products under the sink that can help.

You can work wonders with hydrogen peroxide and a little liquid dish soap. To remove urine from a mattress, use the following:

3 tbsp of baking soda
8 oz hydrogen peroxide
1 tbsp of liquid dish soap

Using a white rag, spot-clean the bed with a mix of the ingredients above. Blot the area with a clean cloth and allow it to air dry.

If the stain is too much, you’ll need to do the following as well:

3 tbsp powdered laundry detergent
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp hydrogen peroxide

Mix the first two ingredients until it begins to fizz. Spread mixture onto the stain and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Using a spoon, scrape the dried paste. Dip a white cloth into the hydrogen peroxide to remove bits of the paste that might’ve stayed behind. Let it air dry and use a vacuum to remove anything that’s left behind.

Why Clean Your Mattress

A clean home isn’t only pleasing to the eye, it helps you sleep better at night. What better way to improve your sleep than by cleaning the item you lay on — daily!

Having a clean mattress improves the air quality in your home and can help with the lifespan of your bed. Properly caring for your mattress can prevent pest infestations as well.

How often do you clean your mattress? Share in a comment below!