How To Dry Clean A Mattress

Updated

November 29, 2023

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Wondering how to dry clean a mattress at home?

You're not the only one curious about this. In this article, we're going to guide you through several DIY methods to get your mattress feeling fresh and clean. We'll cover everything from dry cleaning a mattress to deep cleaning, fumigating, whitening, and even cleaning your mattress with hydrogen peroxide.

Dry cleaning mattress at home starts with a thorough vacuuming to suck up all those pesky dead skin cells, dust mite droppings, and the mites themselves. After vacuuming, you'll treat the mattress with a dry cleaning solution to tackle body oils and sweat. You don't need fancy stuff for this – household items like baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or even liquid soap can work wonders as homemade cleaning solutions.

Considering we spend about a third of our lives in bed, or at least 6-8 hours daily regardless of our busy lifestyles, the cleanliness of our mattress is super important.

Let’s dive into these methods and give your mattress the TLC it deserves!

How to clean a mattress

Mattress cleaning is not that hard if you know the correct method to do so. There are many kinds of stains, and all these stains need different procedures for cleaning them.

A mattress has all kinds of stains. It can be sweat, coffee or tea spills, blood stains, urine stains, or food stains. Check out these tips on how to clean a mattress.

Here are the procedures to deep clean different kinds of stains.

How to clean a white mattress

To clean a white mattress:

1.     Vacuum it properly with an upholstery attachment.

2.     On a spray bottle, pour baking soda, dish soap, and hydrogen peroxide to make a solution.

3.     Spray this solution over the stain and remove the extra moisture with a clean cloth.

4.     Vacuum your mattress again.

How to deep clean a mattress

To deep clean the mattress, vacuum clean it properly—clean stains with a cleaning solution or stain remover. Do not drench your mattress but remove the excess moisture with a clean cloth. Sprinkle baking soda or corn starch all over your mattress and let it sit under the sun for a day. After that, you can vacuum again. Repeat the same process on the other side of your mattress to deep clean correctly.

How to clean a dirty mattress

If you’re wondering how do you wash a mattress properly, here is a simple tip. Make a solution of water, vinegar, liquid soap or detergent, and some disinfectant. Spray over your dirty mattress and wipe off the extra solution with water properly. Let it sit for at least one hour and vacuum it properly.

How to fumigate a mattress

The best way on how to thoroughly clean a mattress is to fumigate a mattress. Vacuum all sides of a mattress and flip it again to clean it properly. If you have a steam cleaner, you can steam your mattress for additional safety. Make a combination of ¼ cup of borax with one litre of water in a bucket. Spray this solution over your entire mattress until it is damp. Dry your mattress entirely under the sun and vacuum it all over for extra dryness.

How to sanitise a mattress at home

The best way to sanitise your mattress is to steam clean it. But do not soak the mattress when you steam clean it. Use a disinfectant spray and let it dry under the sun. 

How to clean your mattress at home

Vacuum your mattress correctly. Sprinkle baking soda all over your mattress and let it sit for at least 24 hours. You can also mix a few drops of essential oil along with the baking soda to make it smell better.

What can I use to clean a mattress

You can use household items like

  • Dish soap or liquid soap
  • White vinegar
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Baking soda
  • Corn starch
  • Detergent powder

To help you further, here is an informational video from Home Depot to know what items you may need for cleaning a mattress.

How to clean and disinfect a mattress

Steam clean your mattress properly and sprinkle some baking soda over your entire mattress. Let it sit for at least half an hour and vacuum it properly. After that spray, a disinfectant spray over your entire mattress, but do not let it soak. Dry your mattress under the bright sun.

How to whiten a mattress

To whiten a mattress:

1.     Create a solution of equal parts water and equal parts white vinegar.

2.     Spray this solution over your mattress and sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda all over your mattress.

3.     Let it sit for at least an hour under the sun, vacuum it properly and repeat the process if you want to whiten your mattress more.

How to shampoo a mattress

You can use any kind of carpet shampoo to clean your mattress. But do not use shampoo if you have a foam mattress. Shampoo works best on traditional spring mattresses.

How to clean a mattress with hydrogen peroxide

Make a combination of 200ml of hydrogen peroxide with two tablespoons each of baking soda and liquid soap. Spray this solution on your stain area and clean your mattress correctly.

How to spot clean a mattress

To spot clean a mattress:

1.     Make a combination of 200ml of hydrogen peroxide with two tablespoons of baking soda and liquid soap.

2.     Pour this combination into a spray bottle and spray all over your stain area.

3.     Wipe off the excess moisture with a clean cloth.

4.     Sprinkle some baking soda over it and vacuum your mattress after an hour.

5.     Flip your mattress and repeat the same process.

Mattress Cleaner

Best stain remover for mattress

Some of the best stain removers for the mattress are

  • White vinegar
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Baking soda
  • Corn starch
  • Liquid or dish soap
  • Laundry detergent
  • Lemon juice and salt
  • Ammonia 

What can I use to clean a mattress?

To clean a mattress, you will need a vacuum cleaner. You will also need a steam cleaner to disinfect your mattress correctly. You will also need a spray bottle to pour a combination of 200ml of hydrogen peroxide with two tablespoons of baking soda and liquid soap.

You will also need a few pieces of clean clothes to wipe your mattress dry. Additional items include laundry detergent, corn starch, and white vinegar.

How to get mattress stains out

How to get sweat stains out of a mattress

To get sweat stains out of a mattress, you will need around 200 ml of hydrogen peroxide. Usually, you can pour the hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle and start spraying over the stain. Dampen the stained area but do not soak it wet. After you finish spraying, let it air dry. As the peroxide dries, the stain will start to disappear. If there are still more stains, repeat the process until the stains entirely disappear.  

How to remove old stains

To remove old and rough stains, you will need to vacuum your mattress properly before cleaning. Spray the stain with a solution of 200ml of hydrogen peroxide with two tablespoons of baking soda and liquid soap. Let this solution sit for a few hours and cover the entire stain with baking soda. Let it sit for the whole night. You can pour a few drops of lemon juice to make it smell fresh. Vacuum your mattress correctly.

How to remove water stains

Water stains on the mattress happen because your mattress has become old. Usually, if you spill water on your mattress, remove all the cover and cases of your bedding and let it air dry. You can also use a small amount of liquid soap and wipe it over with a clean cloth over the stain. Drying out your mattress in the sun is the best way to dry if you can since it will also kill germs and bacteria from the mattress.  

How to remove stains from pillow top mattress

To remove stains from a pillow-top mattress:

1.     Mix a solution of half part water and half part vinegar onto a spray bottle.

2.     Spray it over the stained area and wipe off excess moisture with a clean cloth. After the stains disappear, you can pour a small amount of baking soda over the stain and let it dry.

3.     For best results, vacuum the patch again to remove any kind of unwanted dirt. 

How to remove stains from mattress cover

If you’re wondering how you remove stains from a mattress cover, use the same kind of solution with equal parts water and equal parts vinegar to spray over the stain. This works as the best remedy for a mattress stain remover. After wiping them dry, pour some baking soda over them and let them dry. Repeat the process until you get the desired results. 

How to remove oil from a mattress

Take a tissue roll and blot out the excess oil. After that, cover the entire stain area with some baking soda. Corn starch is also a good alternative if you do not have baking soda with you. Keep the paste for at least an hour. After that, you can vacuum the entire area. Dampen the stain again with some detergent powder to remove it effectively. Use a soft brush to clean it and let it dry. If you want to fasten the process, blow a hairdryer to make it dry faster. 

How to clean yellow stains on the mattress

Sweat and perspiration are the leading causes of yellow stains on your mattress. The easiest solution for cleaning yellow stains on your mattress is rinse the stains with vinegar solution and water. Please ensure that you use white vinegar instead of regular vinegar to clean the stains properly.

How to clean mattress pad stains

Mattress pads contain foam, so you should clean the stains as soon as you spill anything on them. First, to remove the stains, blot out excess spill to not spread to surrounding areas. Spray some hydrogen peroxide over the stain and let it dry. Pour some upholstery cleaner to remove tough stains. If you can remove the mattress pad, throw it into the washing machine with a good quality detergent. 

How to get stains out of mattress protector

To remove stains out of the mattress protector, take out the mattress protector from your bed. After that, rub some extra detergent pastes over the stained area and toss it into the washing machine. Instead of cold water, use warm or hot water to remove the stains effectively. 

How to clean a mattress with baking soda

Before cleaning a mattress with baking soda, it is good to vacuum it. Then sprinkle some baking soda over the stain and let it sit for several hours. Drying under the sun also helps to make baking soda more effective.

How to clean a mattress without baking soda

The best way to clean a mattress without baking soda is to use water, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and some liquid soap.

How to keep the mattress clean

To keep the mattress clean, you can use mattress protectors and mattress toppers for your mattress.

Mattress protectors

To ensure the durability of your mattress, it is good to cover them with a mattress protector. This will ensure safety from spillage and all kinds of stains. A mattress protector also protects you from allergies and bacteria or dust mites that sit on your mattress.

Mattress toppers

A mattress topper helps you to improve your comfortability when you sleep. It gives an extra layer of softness for you that eases your back pain and other discomforts. A mattress topper also extends the life span of your mattress by keeping it clean and stain-free.

How to freshen a mattress naturally

To freshen a mattress naturally, vacuum your mattress with the upholstery attachment. After that, sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch all over your mattress. Ensure that you do not leave out the corners. Let it sit for a day.

The longer you let it sit, the better it will remove any kind of odour. If you want, you can also mix a few drops of any type of essential oil with the baking soda when you sprinkle over your mattress. Vacuum your mattress again. This will freshen your mattress.