Spring Clean Your Mattress: The Ultimate Guide

When you’re doing your spring cleaning, chances are you don’t give your mattress a second thought. But shouldn’t you? Between dead skin, sweat, and plain old dust, mattresses can get pretty dirty. Is that what you want to sleep on? I didn’t think so. Even though you can’t throw yours in the washing machine, you can get it it clean and keep it that way. Here’s how to do it.

First Things First

If you want a clean mattress, you need to protect it. A good mattress pad and/or waterproof protector will help keep it clean from both spills and dust.

Keep Your Vacuum Handy

Vacuuming is one of the most important things you can do for your mattress. Strip off the bedding, then use your upholstery attachment to vacuum the surface and sides. You’ll remove dust, dead skin, dust mites and more. Give your mattress a good vacuum treatment with your seasonal end-to-end rotations.

Banish Stains

If you do get a stain on your mattress, use a shampoo meant for upholstery and follow the directions. One alternative to this is to use a DIY solution called “dry suds.” There are different ways to make themwalm, but we recommend mixing 1/4 cup liquid dishwashing detergent with a few teaspoons of water, one teaspoon at a time. Use the slow cycle on your mixer, and beware that it will fill with bubbles pretty quickly. Scrape some suds off the top and rub the stain gently with a soft brush or sponge. Be careful not to let the moisture seep too deep, and leave any covers off until it dries completely.

Wash Bedding Often

Most of us probably could stand to wash our sheets more often. But it stands to reason that the cleaner your sheets are, the cleaner your mattress will be. We recommend washing in hot water if possible, because mites can survive the cold water. 130 degrees F or above is best. Sheets and pillowcases should be washed every week, while pillows, comforters, and blankets should go every 4-6 weeks.

Keep Fido or Fluffy Off the Bed

You love your pets, but as you could probably surmise, if you want a clean mattress it’s best to keep them off your bed. Especially if allergies are an issue, you’re also better off letting them sleep in a different room. Dander and other things your pets bring with them can go airborne and end up on your mattress — even if they don’t. (P.S., that’s my dog, Annie, sleeping with her own pillow and blanket.)