Here's how to clean a mattress and remove vomit, urine and their smell. You CAN save your expensive soiled memory foam bed or pad. Here's quick & easy step by step instructions to eliminate stinky stains and restore your sanity.If you're reading this you are probably facing a pee or puke panic or a spill situation. If it's an old stain and you're looking for one last thing to try before you throw out a stinky, soiled memory foam bed or topper link over to "How to Clean a Mattress - Part 2". Don't go through this again! Buy two of these waterproof mattress protectors now. Click on image below, get it tomorrow.One to go on the bed after you finish cleaning up. And one for the closet in case your child or cat is sick several times in a night! This is the best selling one on Amazon. Your child just peed on your memory foam mattress...and the cat. Your feline was so scared that it projectile vomited before running off to hide under the bed. What do you do first?If you've got a good mattress cover, you've got nothing to worry about.
But you're in a panic so... Do not scream or yell. The most important thing you need to know about how to clean a mattress is to work quickly. So save your breath and run to the kitchen and grab: Step 1) Fill half the bowl with vinegar and fill the other half with water. Get back to the mattress without spilling the vinegar/water mix or dropping the other items.Step 2) Gently dab up the liquid mess with the paper towel. Carefully remove any sheets and mattress covers for later laundering. Press firmly with fresh towels to absorb more liquid. Do not squeeze or twist the foam.Step 3) Wet a paper towel with the vinegar/water solution and dab it where the urine and vomit were. Press in gently, then immediately use a fresh towel to dry it up. Keep this up until you've covered the entire stained area.Step 4) Then open the box of baking soda and pour it on top of the stain. Yes, the whole box. Spread it out so that you get a generous layer that extends a couple of inches beyond the stain(s).
Step 5) Let the baking soda sit there for a couple of hours. Then vacuum it up. Warning: This will cause the cat to fly out from under the bed like a miniature clawed tornado, which might scare the pee out of you. With any luck you'll have caught the spill in time and you won't have to do anything else. And your bed will smell clean and fresh.If this didn't work, go to "How to Clean a Mattress - Part 2" for the last thing you should try before throwing your memory foam mattress or topper away and buying a new one. How Did You Clean Your Memory Foam Mattress or Topper? Please tell us how you cleaned your memory foam. and will help others with emergency mattress messes for many years to come. For more, watch our interactive video. You can skip to chapters on the different types of mattresses, tips for test driving a mattress, and more. Common claims that haven’t held up in our tests: Foam Layers Make a Better Bed More innerspring mattresses now include foam on top.
But the foam is often too thin to make a difference on some of the hybrid models. Hybrid innerspring models that scored well in our tests had a foam layer several inches thick, though performance still varied. More Coils, the Better The better innerspring models we tested had 600 to 1,000 coils. But even if one mattress has more coils than another, the coils could be made of thinner-gauge metal. You’ll also hear about coil variations such as Bonnell (hourglass type), continuous wire, and individually pocketed springs. None of those is inherently superior. Gel Provides a Cooler Sleep Some mattresses (noted in our Ratings) have a layer of gel-infused foam that’s supposed to provide a cooling effect. But that layer is buried beneath other layers. While our tests have shown that innerspring mattresses containing gel did tend to sleep slightly cooler, the reverse was true with gel-infused foam beds. Extra Lumbar Support Helps Back Sleepers A special lumbar-support zone is one of many ways manufacturers try to differentiate their product lines.
But there’s no guarantee that it makes any real difference, and it hasn’t shown significant benefits in our tests. Forget About Comparison Shopping If you like a mattress at one store and ask elsewhere for something similar, you're likely to be steered toward a same-brand mattress claimed to have the same construction, components, and firmness. But they’re probably not the same. Mattress makers offer some lines nationally, but when those brands are sold through major chains such as Macy's, Sears, and Sleepy’s, they're for lines exclusive to those chains. And manufacturers don't publish a directory of comparable mattresses. When we went to three bedding chains and asked for mattresses similar to those we’d bought at three department stores, five of the six were way off the mark. So use our Ratings as a guide, and insist on the precise make and model that scored well in our tests. Also check our Ratings of mattress brands and stores, based on subscriber surveys. If possible, lie on any mattress that you’re considering.
Wear loose clothes and shoes you can slip off. Make yourself comfortable, and shoo away the salesperson if you’re feeling pressured. Salespeople should expect you to take your time. Spend at least five or ten minutes on each side and on your back (your stomach, too, if that's a preferred sleeping position). Panelists who took beds home for a month-long trial rarely changed the opinion they formed after the first night. Shopping online or at a warehouse club? Tryouts aren’t usually an option, so checking return policies before you buy is extra important. Make sure the store offers a full refund or credit toward another mattress. Return periods, often called “comfort guarantees,” range from a couple of weeks to 120 days. Some retailers, including Macy’s and Sears, charge a 15-percent restocking fee. Costco and some online sellers provide free pickup if you want a refund or exchange, but otherwise, you’ll have to pay for it—or cart the mattress to the store. And you’ll be responsible for any damage.
Once you’ve settled on a model, try to bring the price down. Many businesses, such as warehouse clubs, have fixed prices and won’t budge. But for retailers that do negotiate—particularly specialty chains—huge markups allow them to lower prices by 50 percent or more during their frequent sales. Our recommendation: Any time of year, insist on a sale price you’ve seen for the mattress you know you want, and don’t be afraid to walk out if you feel you’re getting a raw deal. Don’t Be Bullied Into Buying a Box Spring You might not need it. For an innerspring mattress, the box spring (also called a “foundation”) is a wood frame enclosing stiff wire and covered with fabric to match the mattress. For foam or adjustable-air mattresses, it’s a box several inches high. If you're switching to a foam or adjustable-air bed from an innerspring, you'll need a boxy foundation that lacks springs and wire. Otherwise, if your box spring isn't broken and is still structurally sound, consider keeping it and saving money (roughly $150 to $300 for a queen-size).