It is easy to forget your mattress when you are cleaning and tidying your home, and it is likely that your carpets and even your couch usually receive far more cleaning attention than the item that you spend so much time lying down on. Whether you buy the costliest brand or a cheap mattress, you will have to follow a general cleaning routine to make sure that it remains dust and germ free.
Normally, your mattress doesn’t hold a grudge against you when you ignore it on your cleaning rotation. However, despite giving you the support you need every night while lying on it, there is every chance that something unpleasant might be sharing the space with you.
The general advice is to ensure giving your mattress a through cleaning at least twice a year. In fact it is better to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines about cleaning schedule.
If left unclean for long, your mattress can easily become a breeding ground for dust mites, which is why you need to clear the dust and dander that might have accumulated. If you suffer from allergies, you won’t need to be told that dust mites are a primary source of allergic symptoms, caused as a direct result of their feeding off our dead skin flakes and then depositing their feces.
This scenario is not something that you would cheerfully enjoy before going to sleep, so don’t forget your mattress, and arrange to give it a fairly regular clean.
Tackling stains
When deciding on a mattress, one of the highest criteria is getting the best mattress for your back. Comfort and durability are also high on the list. But what about the materials that the mattress is made from? How easy is it to keep the mattress clean and hygienic? Will you need a stain resistant mattress protector? How often should the mattress be cleaned?
There are several parts to cleaning your mattress thoroughly, and if you do get some stains, you want to be able to clean them safely, without causing any damage to the mattress.
You should be able to use a suitable upholstery shampoo that has been specially formulated for the task. Just make sure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to apply the shampoo and then make sure that you leave the mattress exposed so that it can dry thoroughly before you put any bedding back on.
Using your vacuum cleaner
Most good vacuum cleaners should be sufficient in the task of cleaning your mattress, although you can invest in one that promises to comprehensively tackle allergen-inducing dust mites and dander.
Just use the upholstery attachment, taking the time to pay particular attention to all the crevices and seams that could provide a fertile hiding place for dust and dead skin. Make full use of the various attachments that come with your vacuum cleaner to ensure that you give the mattress a thorough clean all over.
You might want to do the first vacuum before tackling any noticeable stains, before then giving it another go after you have done the shampooing, so that you get the best possible results from your efforts.
Deodorize your mattress
It can be quite simple to deodorize your mattress, just by sprinkling some baking soda over the surface.
You can buy some specific products to deodorized your mattress, but there is no real reason not to be happy with the results you get from just using baking soda.
The key to deodorizing your mattress effectively is to give the soda enough chance to works its magic. If you can schedule in a mattress clean for when you are going to be away for a day or two, or if you can sleep somewhere else for a night, this will give you the best results.
Once you have successfully deodorized your mattress, give the surface another run over with your vacuum, using the upholstery attachment.
Extra layer of protection
This cleaning routine will help to keep your mattress in good shape and help to ensure that the bed bugs don’t bite, but you could also add an extra layer of protection to keep things nicely sanitized.
A mattress cover will do the job of giving you that extra bit of protection, and if you add a mattress pad between the cover and bottom sheet, this will also help to avoid any moisture.
Combined with cleaning your mattress periodically, using covers and pads, will help to ensure that you get a comfortable and healthier night’s sleep.
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