The soft padding of a pillow-top mattress helps ensure a good night's rest, but it also provides a highly absorbent surface for stains. Urine, blood or spilled liquids quickly soak into the cushioned top. Acting promptly can minimize the depth of the stain, but only proper cleaning will remove it completely. Pillow-top mattresses require similar stain removal methods as a regular mattress, but it can take longer for the thicker padding to dry properly. Blot up the stain with with a clean rag if it's still wet. Removing the liquid promptly prevents it from soaking into the pillow-top padding. Vacuum the mattress surface with the upholstery attachment to remove any dirt on the surface prior to stain removal. Dilute an upholstery shampoo with water per the package instructions. Apply the shampoo sparingly to the stain, working it into the fabric with a soft brush. Avoid applying too much and keep the padding in the pillow top as dry as possible. Moisten a sponge with white vinegar. Blot the stain with the vinegar to remove the shampoo residue and to help neutralize any odors, such as from urine stains.
Air-dry the mattress quickly and thoroughly. Set the mattress outdoors in sunshine or aim a fan at the wet spot to hasten drying. If moisture penetrated deeply into the pillow top, use a wet-dry vacuum to suck out the excess moisture. Sprinkle baking soda over the stain if an odor remains. Leave the soda in place for eight hours, then vacuum it from the mattress. Things You Will Need Rags Vacuum Upholstery shampoo Scrub brush Sponge Vinegar Fan (optional) Wet-dry vacuum (optional) Baking soda Tip References Michigan State University: Matress Care and CleaningOhio State University: Quick and Easy Stain Removal Photo Credits Gabriel Garcia/Demand Media Suggest a Correction Don’t use too much water when you are trying to clean a pillow top mattress – if you saturate an area, it will be difficult for it to dry. Apply a small amount of water with a clean sponge or cloth. Pillow top mattresses are the ultimate in comfort, helping you to enjoy a good night’s rest each and every night.
However, while these mattresses are great for happiness, well-being, and relaxation, they do provide a few little challenges when it comes to cleaning. Fortunately, maintaining a fresh and hygienic bed doesn’t have to be as tricky as you may think. Here’s everything you need to know about how to clean a pillow top mattress: When comparing the cleaning requirements of a regular mattress and a pillow top mattress, there really isn’t that much difference in the techniques used or the effort needed to remove stains – the main issue with pillow top mattresses is that they tend to need cleaning on a much more regular basis. The reason for this is that the soft pillow layer that sits on the surface of the mattress is very porous and absorbent, which means that any stains can quickly and easily sink deep within the fibres. If you enjoy breakfast in bed, a glass of water during the night, or if your potty-training toddlers sneak into bed with you in the early hours of the morning, you’re providing numerous opportunities for spilled liquids to soak into the mattress.
A secondary challenge faced when cleaning pillow top mattresses is that they take a little longer to dry out, so you’ll need to plan when you’re going to clean the mattress very carefully – no one wants a damp mattress when they’re crawling into bed at the end of a long and tiring day. For a clean pillow top mattress, follow the handy advice and tips below. By following these easy steps, you should be able to successfully remove stains, bacteria, and odours from your mattress without stress or hassle: The best advice when it comes to cleaning pillow top mattresses is to tackle the stain as soon as possible after it’s happened. As we’ve discussed, the main issue with these sorts of mattresses is that they are very absorbent, and the longer a liquid is left on the mattress, the further down it can sink. Stains are always easier to tackle when they’re on the surface, rather than embedded into the fibres, so always try to treat the stain while it is still in the pillow top area, and try to avoid letting the stain soak down into the mattress itself.
Cleaning a pillow top doesn’t need to be as difficult as it seems, so there’s no excuse to put it off – the quicker the better.Mattress CleanerDiy MattressMattress CoverPee On Mattress CleaningHow To Remove Stains From MattressHow To Remove Pee Stains From MattressHow To Clean A Mattress StainClean Couch FabricCleaning MattressesForwardDIY Stain Remover for Mattress or any other piece of Furniture...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.