Have have ever watched one of those TV shows where they inform you of all the germs, allergens and contaminants that are on a mattress? Ignorance was bliss...but now, after being totally sickened, you will most likely want to know how to keep your mattress as clean as possible. Maybe that's why you are reading this article now! Mattresses are expensive, and you should clean your mattress regularly to prolong its useful life. This not only means a more comfortable nights sleep, but piece of mind knowing that you are getting the most out of your purchase. With proper cleaning, dust mites will be kept to a minimum, odors will be nonexistent and any allergy problems should be greatly reduced. The cleaning and maintenance process should start right when you bring the mattress into your home, but it's never too late to try to revive your old mattress and have it smelling sweet once again. This may not happen often but inevitably when someone gets the flu (especially children) you may be faced with having to deal with this unpleasant problem.
Not to worry, there are definite ways to clean and disinfect this kind of mess. If you have a pair of cleaning gloves, put them on to keep your hands clean. If you've followed the disinfecting steps above and still notice an odor on your dry mattress: Note: Hydrogen peroxide converts to water after being exposed to light, so there is no need to rinse. In the case of heavy duty staining such as you can find from food, grease, or fats such as milk or ice cream, you will need to add a detergent / degreaser to help break the fats and solid stains down. Don't go overboard with the soap. A little goes a long way. Detergent or shampoo can leave a residue and it is impossible to remove it completely from a mattress. It's always best to use a steam cleaner to flush the area with your cleaning solution and then extract as much of the liquid and detergent residue. Following directions on your specific steam cleaner, lightly go over the stain again being careful to extract as much of the liquid as possible.
The vinegar will deodorize and the detergent/degreaser will help loosen and lift the remaining stain. Your mattress should be fresh and clean and stain free. It's always important to work as quickly as possible to avoid the urine from soaking into the mattress. Most importantly is to avoid soaking the mattress pad with any liquid, and /or forcing the urine into the mattress further. Start by using a clean absorbent cotton towel and blot up as much liquid as you can. You can use a enzymatic cleaner or a pet stain remover if you have some on hand. These work well but are often expensive, not to mention I can never find them on hand right when I need them. I use a white vinegar solution. It's inexpensive, natural and effective stain remover and deodorizer. A portable steam cleaner is is an ideal tool because you can flush the area with your cleaning solution and then extract most of the liquid back out of the mattress. Use 3 cups of water to 1 cup of vinegar for best results.
By following the stain removal procedure using vinegar, you will be doing double duty. Vinegar is not only a mild antibacterial and antiviral, it is the most incredible deodorizer you'll find. I know you're probably saying that vinegar is pretty smelly itself. That is true when it is applied, but the vinegar odor will dissipate as it dries. Let the mattress air dry completely. Then give it the sniff test, you should be good to go! If some stubborn smell remains, baking soda is also a natural deodorizer that works wonders. Most people do not think of mattress maintenance as part of their regular cleaning. They launder their sheets weekly and think that everything is clean and fresh... No matter how clean you (or your sheets are), your mattress will accumulate allergens, odors coming from you and your pets. We (and our pets) are constantly shedding our outermost layer of skin and this debris settles in the sheets and eventually escapes and dwells right on the mattress top.
This said, all is not lost. If your mattress is worth keeping, then all you need to do is follow these tips to sanitize and freshen it up.You can use a vacuum cleaner with a hose and appropriate attachment and go over the mattress fabric really quickly. Assuming you are doing routine cleaning and not dealing with a pesky stain, simply strip the bed and use the vacuum cleaner to get all loose materials off the mattress and out from under the bed. This will help remove dead skin, dust and debris that collects in the seams in your mattress. Another bonus of vacuuming is that it fluffs up your mattress allowing for a more comfortable night's sleep. After I am done with the "top" of the mattress, I like to move it to the side and vacuum the top of the box spring. It is amazing how much dust and pet hair can accumulate. This is a good time to flip the mattress and vacuum the other side. The entire area around the bed (including all cracks and crevasses) should be cleaned at the same time.
This helps limit dust, pet hair and other things from migrating back into the bed. Flipping the mattress at least two times each year helps it wear evenly, minimizing wear and tear. Pillow top mattresses cannot be flipped, but they can have the top reversed to the bottom to make sure that the mattress wears evenly. If the mattress is not a pillow top, the bottom of the mattress can flipped to the top, and also have the top and bottom reversed. The best way to keep a mattress clean is to protect it. Purchase a mattress cover that completely envelops the mattress and zips up to keep anything from getting inside. This will keep out dust mites and allergens that will otherwise make their home in the mattress material. A mattress pad is another way to keep a mattress clean, but it needs to be laundered weekly. Utilize the time when the mattress cover or pad is not on the bed to clean and vacuum the frame and mattress. Dust the frame and all the crevices to remove bugs, dead skin and other items that may have become trapped there.