If you have had the luxury of buying a new mattress recently, it is likely that you have a foam mattress. Foam mattresses once were something that most people could not afford, but as the market for them has increased, the prices have dropped considerably. Now the average person can afford to sleep on a comfortable and luxurious foam mattress instead of dealing with those pesky box springs. All these years you have had a regular mattress, so cleaning a foam mattress is probably something foreign to you. No need to fret, though. My tips that will come in handy now, as well as in the future, on how to clean your beloved foam mattress. Spills are inevitable if you eat or drink in your bed, so it is best to have a quick, efficient method for removing them. Do not use bleach or any product that contains bleach. For best results, allow the cover to air dry. If you do put it in the dryer, use a low, cool setting and check it frequently. There's no need to pre-treat the cover unless the spill is a result of red wine or another staining liquid.
If liquid has been spilled on the foam mattress, you'll need to remove as much of it as possible as quickly as possible. Do not put the mattress cover or the sheets back on the mattress until your foam mattress is completely dry. To remove urine stains or odor from a foam mattress, you'll need an enzymatic cleaner or distilled white vinegar and baking soda. Enzymatic commercial cleaners work well, but they are very expensive. Vinegar, on the other hand, is inexpensive and it is a natural deodorizer that absorbs odors by breaking down bacteria. Vinegar does not leave any kind of residue, and the smell goes away when it dries. Note that neither is guaranteed to completely remove stains and odors from a foam mattress, and that you should never saturate the area with any liquid, even water. It's important to be cautious when removing stains because you don't want to risk pushing the urine further inside the foam. The only cleaning that's necessary is a simple vacuuming once a month or so.
While your foam mattress is less susceptible to dust mites (than a traditional mattress is) dust, hair and dead skin will still accumulate on the mattress. An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure My cleaning tips will keep your foam mattress in the best shape so you won't need to worry about replacing it! Image courtesy of Michael Cory, CC BY.Got something to say? Join the discussion »I have never used baking soda for cleaning my mattresses. I use it for everything else. I am going to try, though. Next week I am planing deep cleaning so I have a chance to use your method. Great article and informative to everyone , how can clean the mattresses. Thanks to you for sharing this article. Thank you for the tips, now I know how to clean my memory foam with no worries. Thank you for sharing this. My cat peed on my memory foam matterss right where I lay. How should I go about cleaning it/is it salvageable? Yes, the vinegar solution is great for removing smells!
If it's just a faint odor, the vinegar should take it out with the first try. If it's a more pungent odor, or an odor that is more saturated into the mattress, it might take a couple applications of the vinegar solution to remove the smell completely. A faint odor would just be from it being an older mattress. A pungent, saturated odor that might require a couple treatments would be something like pet urine, or spilled perfume. There is an initial vinegar smell, but it does wear off as it dries. If you feel like there's still a slight scent of vinegar, you can set your mattress outside for a few hours to let it air out. 1. Would the vinegar solution / detergent solution remove residual smells? 2. If you were to use the vinegar solution, would my bed end up smelling like vinegar? Use Natures miracle (red bottle) the enzymes will remove the stain and eliminatate odors. Press firmly on the wet spots with paper towels to remove excess moisture, then use baking soda and the hair dryer (l method to
I have a memory foam mattress that got smoke damaged in a house fire it doesn't look all that bad, but the smell is over powering what do I need to use to clean it? Very well written post. Keep sharing good things. To dry I have found standing mattress on its side next to a radiator can dry within the day. rotate as necessary to be thorough.You spend about a third of your life on your mattress. When was the last time you gave it a good, deep clean? The seldom-used living room sofa probably feels the bristle of a vacuum brush more often than your trusty mattress. It’s time to change that. Besides promoting a more pleasant and productive night's sleep, a clean, cared for mattress can last longer—and it might even help prevent nasty, not to mention costly, pest infestations. Back when most mattresses could be flipped over, the conventional wisdom was that you should turn it twice a year, and take that opportunity to clean it as well. These days, a lot of mattresses, including the pillow-top variety, can’t be turned because they have a proper top and bottom.
But cleaning your mattress two times a year remains a good rule of thumb. (Check the mattress label for instructions since the manufacturer might recommend rotating the mattress head to foot to ensure even wear.) Start the cleaning process by stripping the mattress of all sheets and bedding and tossing the items in the wash. To remove tough stains, always use a Consumer Reports top-rated laundry detergent and the hottest water setting on your washing machine; dry on high heat as well to zap any surviving critters. Next, vacuum the entire mattress surface with the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Pay attention to seams and crevices, where dirt, dust, dead skin, and other icky stuff collect; switching to your vacuum’s crevice attachment can help get in deep. Our tests have found that a normal vacuum cleaner provides capable cleaning, but if you’re fastidious, consider investing in the Dyson V6 Mattress Handheld Vacuum, a $250 device designed specifically for the job.
In a Consumer Reports at-home mattress test, we cleaned half of a foam Tempur-Pedic mattress with a top-rated canister vacuum and half with the Dyson handheld. The Dyson sucked up 3 grams of material, including dead skin cells that dust mites like to nosh on, compared with the 1 gram that our regular vacuum removed. Once you’re finished vacuuming, check for stains and spot treat them with an appropriate cleaner. An upholstery cleaner or enzyme-based pet-odor remover can do the job on many bodily fluids. You can also try a simple solution of 1 teaspoon mild dish detergent and 1 cup of warm water. Next, deodorize the mattress by sprinkling baking soda over the entire surface. Especially if this is your first cleaning, don't be afraid to empty an entire 1-pound box onto the mattress. For best results, leave the baking soda there for 24 hours. That means you might need to plan the project around an overnight trip—or be willing to sleep elsewhere in your home. If you can place the mattress near a window, the sunlight will add its sanitizing power.
After the baking soda has had a chance to tackle odors, go back over the mattress with your vacuum’s upholstery attachment. If you don't already own a mattress cover, we recommend buying one. And adding a mattress pad between the cover and bottom sheet will help absorb moisture. Along with the periodic deep cleaning described here, these extra layers of protection will help prevent mites, fleas, and other pests from sharing your bed. That should really help you sleep tight. Once upon a mattress How often do you clean your mattress? Getting a Good Night's Sleep Why Americans Can't Sleep How to Fall Asleep the Natural Way The Problem With Sleeping Pills Does Melatonin Really Help You Sleep? What Is a Sleep Coach, and Do You Need One? The Dangers of Drowsy Driving What Can Happen When You Drive Drugged Can the Sleep Shepherd Sleeping Cap Lull You Into Sweet Slumber? Sleep Tracker: Gimmick or Great Gadget? 3 Blue Blockers Put to the Test