Getting a good night’s sleep is important for your mental and physical health, and clean bedding and mattresses are key to ensuring good sleep and good health. According to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, regular and deep sleep is essential to learning, memory, and overall health, while poor sleep can lead to a greater risk for chronic disease, as well as impaired judgment and reaction time.
So, mattress cleaning can have a significant impact on your quality of life! Here are some helpful tips on how to clean mattress stains and bedding.
As with any stains, anything spilled on your mattress or bedding will be much easier to remove if you work quickly: tackle marks as soon as you spot them to get the best results.
How to Clean a Mattress
A clean and comfortable mattress is essential for a good night’s sleep. While stains, odours, and dust mites are inevitable consequences of daily mattress use, regular mattress cleaning can help to minimise these problems.
To Keep Your Mattress Clean, Remember These Tips:
Vacuum both sides of your mattress about once a month. Vacuuming your mattress helps to remove dust and dust mites, which can cause allergy reactions and irritation. Check out our article on how to get rid of dust mites for more tips.
If possible, air your mattress every few months by placing it outside in a sunny spot. This will prevent any accumulating moisture that can lead to mould, and will also banish any lingering odours.
You can also air your mattress when changing the sheets and bedding. After removing the sheets, wait for a few minutes to let your mattress breathe. Ideally, open a window to let in fresh air and sunlight.
How to Clean Mattress Stains
Cleaning stains off your mattress may seem like an unpleasant task, but here are some tips that will help you clean a variety of stains. Be sure to check any instructions on your mattress tags – including any wash symbols – before you begin, and do not apply too much water or cleaning product to your mattress.
For simple or unidentified stains, clean your mattress with a citrus cleanser, or a diluted liquid dish detergent like Vim. Spray the cleanser and let it sit for five or ten minutes. Blot the mattress repeatedly to remove excess liquid, and remember not to apply too much water.
For blood or urine stains, first try applying a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to the affected area. Blot the stained area with a clean cloth just after application. If this does not work, apply a small amount of laundry detergent directly onto the stain. This will help break up the proteins found in bodily fluids. Brush the spot vigorously. Remember to clean bloodstains with cold water only, as hot liquids will set these stains for good.
For particularly stubborn stains, try applying baking soda after detergent. Let the baking soda set, perhaps overnight, and vacuum the area the next day.
The Best Ways to Clean Bedding, Bedspreads & Sheets
Cleaning bedding is usually as easy as washing your clothes, though it is important to pay careful attention to the wash symbols of your blankets, sheets, and pillowcases to make sure that you don’t shrink, stain, or damage your bedding. Remember to wash your sheets and pillowcases about once a week, and your duvet or blanket about once a month.
In general, it is a good idea to pre-treat spots or stains on your bedding before throwing them in the wash. A simple liquid laundry detergent will do for most stains – we like OMO, which can simply be dabbed onto the soiled area as a pretreatment and left to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes before you begin your wash. For really troublesome marks, apply a specialist stain remover. Remember to read the label of your chosen product and follow any instructions for the best results.
Be sure to follow the wash symbols on your bedding.
Consider washing your bedding with a detergent specifically designed for sensitive skin if you or any of your family members have allergies or sensitive skin.
Do not wash your sheets in hot water, as this will set any stains that have not yet been removed.
For duvets, quilts, and comforters, remember to wash them in a machine large enough to provide plenty of space for movement. This may mean that you will have to find somewhere else to wash these large items!