We all know beds are sacred spaces. Yet despite being the place where we spend about third of our lives (if you’re getting 8 hours a night that is), we probably don't give enough thought to the cleanliness of our mattresses which are vehicles for sweat, skin cells, body oil, general dirt, spills and stains. Allergens can also seep through into mattress, which could provide extra discomfort for those who suffer from allergies or asthma.
Luckily, there are a few relatively simple and cheap ways to take care of your mattress. We have compiled a guide with expert advice, on how to prevent and get rid of stains and smells, and keep it in tip-top condition.
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When it comes to mattress hygiene, prevention is certainly better than the cure. According to grand doyenne of housekeeping Martha Stewart, every mattress, regardless of how often you use it, should have a fitted mattress protector, to protect it from spills and stains (waterproof ones are also available). This (along the rest of your bed linen) should be washed regularly in order to prevent dirt and fluids from seeping through to the mattress. Another easy practice is to air your mattress daily by leaving the covers pulled back for a while after getting up every morning, allowing sweat and smells to disperse.
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However, a deep clean is very much possible. Just grab a bucket of warm soapy water. In her book How to Clean Everything, TikTok cleaning influencer Ann Russell recommends turning your mattress vertically as you shampoo the mattress’s surface and rinse it down: ‘This is simply so any water will not penetrate into the depths to then turn funky in a week.’ To avoid mould and dampness, Russell also suggests waiting for the warmer months before you go in for the big clean: ‘If you can do this early and keep the item in the sun for the whole day it is possible to have the item back in use fairly quickly.’ She also suggests ‘blotting the surface as dry as possible to avoid watermarks’ and to return it to the flat position when drying, to increase the mattress's surface area and speed up the evaporation.
Purveyors of mattresses, Casper, have also created a guide for how to deodorize your mattress when it gets a little funky. After taking off your sheets, grab some baking soda and with a sieve, sift it across the mattress. Allow it to sit for 2 hours – the baking soda will neutralise any acidic odours – before hoovering off the powder. If you’re feeling a bit more bouji then add a few drops of essential oil to your baking soda, leaving your mattress with a nice fragrance (lavender, rose and camomile all have additional calming properties).
To spot-clean your mattress, then Casper recommends giving vinegar a go. Simply mix one part distilled white vinegar and one part water and decant it into a spray bottle. Lightly spritz the mattress (to avoid making it too damp) and then thoroughly air the mattress out to dry (and let the unpleasant vinegar smell waft well away). You can also make a paste with laundry detergent and baking soda. Let it sit on the stain for a while before scraping off.
Martha Stewart recommends never using dry-cleaning fluid to clean a mattress, as it can damage the construction materials.
Martha Stewart also has some tips for the general upkeep of your mattress. Her key tip is to turn it over four times a year (every three months): ‘top to toe and side to side, to distribute the wear evenly.’ Stewart also suggests stripping your bed whenever you go on holiday in order to air it out and to vacuum your mattress and box springs every three months, and ‘if possible, haul both outside for a day of fresh air.’
Looking for more mattress content? Take a look at our selection of the best mattresses available to buy in the UK and our round up of the best memory foam mattresses. To enhance your mattress, consider our pick of the best mattress toppers, or if you're looking to save some pennies, find out what we think is the best cheap mattress in our dedicated guide. Finally, if a buying a mattress that's mindful of the environment and your health is important to you, head over to our best organic mattress round up.
