How to deep clean a mattress, stains and smells included
To deep clean a mattress, strip the bed and wash the bedding hot, vacuum the mattress slowly with the upholstery tool, and spot treat stains with as little liquid as possible. Then sift baking soda over the whole top, leave it for a few hours or overnight, and vacuum it up. Rotate the mattress and put a washable protector on before you remake the bed.
Plan on about an hour of work, plus the time the baking soda sits.
What do you need to clean a mattress?
- A vacuum with an upholstery tool and a crevice tool
- Baking soda, about a cup for a queen
- A sieve or flour shaker, to spread it evenly
- A soft brush
- Clear dish soap and cool water
- An enzyme cleaner, for sweat, urine and other body stains
- Clean white cloths for blotting
- A fan, or a sunny day with the windows open
How do you deep clean a mattress step by step?
- Strip the bed. Sheets, pillowcases and the mattress protector go in the wash on the hottest setting the care labels allow.
- Vacuum slowly. Use the upholstery tool across the whole top in overlapping rows, then the crevice tool along every seam, tuft and edge. Slow passes pick up far more than fast ones.
- Spot treat stains. See the stain guide below. Do this before the baking soda, and let the spots dry.
- Sift on the baking soda. A thin, even layer over the whole top. Work it in lightly with the soft brush.
- Let it sit. A few hours at least, overnight if you can sleep somewhere else. Open the windows or run a fan.
- Vacuum again, just as slowly, until no white is left in the seams.
- Rotate or flip. Many mattresses are one-sided, so turn yours head to foot. If yours is two-sided, flip it as well.
- Cover it. A washable, waterproof protector goes on before the sheets.
How do you get stains out of a mattress?
The rule for every stain: blot, don't rub, and use as little liquid as you can. A soaked mattress dries slowly from the inside, and that's where mildew and smells start.
- Sweat and body oil (yellow patches): mix a little clear dish soap into cool water, dab it on with a cloth, blot, then dab with plain water and blot dry. An enzyme cleaner works on older yellowing.
- Urine: blot up everything you can, spray an enzyme cleaner made for urine, and leave it for the time on the label. Blot again, let it get close to dry, then cover the spot with baking soda and vacuum it the next day.
- Blood: cold water only, never hot, which sets it. Dab with cool water and a drop of dish soap. On a white mattress, hydrogen peroxide from the drugstore can lift what's left, but test it on a hidden spot first.
- Spilled drinks: blot fast, then treat what's left with the dish soap mix.
Test any cleaner on the side of the mattress near the bottom before you use it on the top.
What if your child had an accident in the night?
Strip the wet bedding first and get it in the wash. Blot the mattress with dry towels, pressing hard, until no more comes up. Treat it with the enzyme cleaner right away, because older urine is harder to lift.
Point a fan at the spot and keep the bed bare as long as you can. When it's dry, baking soda and a slow vacuum take care of the smell.
The fix that saves the next night is a waterproof protector, plus a second protector and a spare set of sheets in the closet. A layered bed (protector, sheet, protector, sheet) means a middle-of-the-night change takes a minute.
Can you steam clean a mattress?
Check the care tag and the manufacturer's site first. Many foam and hybrid mattresses say no heat and no wet cleaning, and steaming can void the warranty. Innerspring mattresses tolerate a light steam better, but they still need to dry completely before you cover them. When in doubt, stay with vacuuming, light spot cleaning and baking soda.
How do you keep a mattress clean between deep cleans?
- Use a waterproof protector and wash it every few weeks.
- Wash sheets weekly.
- Vacuum the mattress when you change the protector.
- Rotate it every six months, and deep clean it at the same time.
- Keep food and drinks out of bed, especially kids' beds.
Where does a house cleaning fit?
On Standard House Cleaning, RoutineCare, floors are vacuumed and mopped, reachable surfaces and furniture are dusted, mirrors and glass surfaces are cleaned, and window sills are wiped.
If you want the bedding washed while the cleaning happens, the laundry add-on washes, dries and folds one standard load. You pick it when you book.
See what's covered at House Cleaning. For more on the room, read 10 bedroom cleaning hacks and how to clean bedroom carpet.
FAQ
How often should you deep clean a mattress? Every six months is a good rhythm, when you rotate the mattress. Vacuum it each time you change to a fresh mattress protector, and treat spills the day they happen.
How long should baking soda sit on a mattress? At least a few hours, and overnight if you can sleep somewhere else. Then vacuum it all up slowly with the upholstery tool.
How do you get urine out of a mattress? Blot up as much as you can, spray an enzyme cleaner made for urine, and let it sit for the time on the label. Blot again, cover the spot with baking soda once it's nearly dry, and vacuum it up the next day.
Can you steam clean a memory foam mattress? Check the manufacturer's care instructions first, because heat and moisture can damage foam and void the warranty. For foam mattresses, stick to vacuuming, light spot cleaning and baking soda.
Book a cleaning
We clean homes across South Jersey and Central Jersey. Book online at tinascleanteam.com/book-now, or call or text (609) 831-4455.
