Specialists recommend clean the mattress every 2-3 months. The logic here is simple: you spend at least 7-8 hours a day on the mattress. One way or another, dust, dead skin cells, sebum, sweat, and other liquids get on it. Because of this, untidy yellow, gray or brown spots may appear on the upholstery. Even if they are not there, it is worth cleaning the mattress: in such an environment, dust mites that can cause allergies feel great.
What you need to know before cleaning
- Any mattress is afraid of water. If moisture gets inside, mold may appear, the filler may begin to rot, and the springs may rust. Therefore, the mattress cannot be watered or treated with a washing vacuum cleaner. Better to use wet wipes.
- Clean the mattress in a horizontal position so that the inner layers of the filler do not suffer.
- It is better not to knock out the mattress and iron its surface with a hot iron. Such manipulations can deform the filler or damage the upholstery.
- Together with the mattress, it is important to clean the bed frame – dust also accumulates on it and dust mites start.
- It is not always possible to remove old stains at home. In severe cases, you will have to contact cleaning companies that clean mattresses.
How to clean a mattress
A thorough cleaning involves three steps. If the mattress isn’t too dirty or you don’t have time, you can cut back on the steps.
1. Get rid of the dust
You will need a conventional or manual vacuum cleaner. Ideally, if the kit includes a crevice nozzle.
First, go over the entire surface of the mattress with a clean brush of a vacuum cleaner. Then change the brush to a crevice nozzle and carefully go over the seams and decorative depressions where the main deposits of dust accumulate.
Turn the mattress over and repeat the same procedure on the other side.
In the process of cleaning, you can easily tap the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner or your hand on the fabric to knock out the dust from the inner layers to the surface.
2. Get rid of dust mites
For this, a steam cleaner or an iron with a steamer will come in handy.
Steam the entire surface of the mattress. If using a steam cleaner, bring the nozzle as close to the fabric as possible. But keep the iron at a distance of at least 2-3 cm so that the hot soleplate does not damage the upholstery.
Make sure that no water drips from the appliances!
Hot steam effectively disinfects the surface and destroys dust mites. Vacuum the mattress again after steam cleaning to remove them.
3. Wash stains
The most reliable and easiest way is to use a store-bought stain remover for cleaning upholstered furniture. Dilute it with warm water, as indicated in the instructions, and then apply to the stain with a spray bottle.
If there is no spray bottle at hand, clean the stain with a dishwashing sponge or a terry towel. For stubborn dirt, you can use a soft bristle brush.
Then remove the detergent from the surface of the mattress with a damp cloth soaked in clean water and blot the treated area with an absorbent cloth.
Leave the mattress to dry for several hours before making your bed as usual.
How to remove stains with home remedies
“Grandma’s” recipes are less effective than powder or gel, which are designed specifically for cleaning upholstered furniture and mattresses. But if there are no store-bought products at hand, you can use homemade ones.
Here are some simple recipes for making a cleaning solution.
- Salt, soda, water. Mix salt and baking soda in a 1:1 ratio, add warm water to make a paste. This product works well on fresh stains.
- Soda, hydrogen peroxide. Dilute soda with ordinary pharmacy peroxide to a slurry state. This solution will help to deal with blood stains.
- Soda, table vinegar (lemon juice). Mix them into a bowl. This product is suitable for removing urine or sweat stains, as it also neutralizes unpleasant odors.
- Ammonia, water. One tablespoon of alcohol in a glass of cold water. Ammonia is good for lightening coffee stains.
- Table vinegar, washing powder, soda, water. Mix one tablespoon of vinegar, one teaspoon of powder, two tablespoons of baking soda, add 1-2 teaspoons of cold water. This is a homemade stain remover that will help get rid of stains of any origin.
Each of the prepared products should be applied to the stain, cleaned with a damp sponge, soft-bristled brush or terry towel, held for 10-30 minutes, and then thoroughly washed off the fabric with a clean, damp cloth.