How to Clean a Mattress: B&M's 6 Step Guide

Keeping our mattresses clean and sanitary for us to sleep on is incredibly important given that we actually spend over a third of our entire lives in our beds. 

But keeping mattresses clean can be difficult as figuring out how to clean a mattress isn’t always easy. They’re large, clunky and made of a variety of materials that all need different types of products and cleaning methods.

However, if you want to keep creepy crawlies, dirt and germs out of your bed, it's always worth knowing how to clean your mattress.

We’ve put together the simplest steps you will need to learn how to clean a mattress, along with special tips on cleaning out specific stains and preserving your mattress too. 

1. Have the Right Supplies

Getting the correct supplies ready to use is the first step to cleaning your mattress, so make sure you have the following: 

• Rubber gloves
• Spray bottle
• Baking soda
• Sponges
• Clothes
• Bucket
• Scrubbing brush
• Rags
• Laundry detergent
• Vacuum cleaner

2. Clear Your Bed

To get to the root of the problem, you must be free of all distractions. So, you need to get all of your pillows, duvets, blankets and even your teddy bears off your bed and out of the room.

Remember, you just want to deal with the mattress, so having these elements cleared will help you to focus and spot any potential problem areas.

B&M Top Tip: We recommend changing your sheets during this process too so that you can put fresh bedding on your freshly cleaned mattress once you’re done.

3. Deodorise Your Mattress

Removing any unpleasant smells is a great start, so we recommend sprinkling a light layer of baking soda over your mattress and rubbing it in. This will begin the process of cleaning your mattress and is a good idea if you want to avoid a longer deodorising process later on. 

Leave the baking soda to settle into your mattress for a few hours, or overnight if you have the time.

4. Suck Up The Bad Stuff

No mattress is immune to gathering dust, skin and bacteria, which can attract all sorts of creepy crawlies and uninvited guests. 

To help evict them from your bed, use your vacuum (with a handheld mode or a smaller attachment) over the entire surface, getting deep into all the nooks and crannies.

Don’t expect to see any colour changes to your mattress at this point, but be happy knowing your mattress is free of any invaders.

Similarly, to maintain this in a simpler way, grab a lint roller and run it over your mattress each time you change your sheets. 

5. Remove Mattress Stains

Unsightly stains aren’t a great thing to find on an expensive mattress, so spot cleaning your mattress is a great way to restore it to its full potential.

You can use a variety of stain removers and upholstery cleaners, but speed is of the essence. If you’ve spotted a mattress stain, it’s important to tackle it straight away, scrubbing in the diluted chemicals into the stain and leaving to soak. 

The real trick to removing stains from your mattress is to use different techniques for different stains.

For sweat stains, vomit stains, blood stains, or urine stains, try using an enzyme-based cleaner. If you’ve got a mystery stain on your hands, we recommend a scrubbing brush with a strong cleaner. 

If it’s a bit of a smelly stain, try adding some freshener to the mattress, or another sprinkle of baking soda. 

6. Flip Your Mattress

Don’t forget about the other side! Flip your mattress and repeat the process on this side in order to keep your mattress in its best condition.

In fact, you should be flipping your mattress regularly to keep it bouncy and comfortable (check to see how often your mattress needs to be flipped). 

How to Clean Specific Mattress Stains 

Different stains need different approaches, so we recommend the following tips and tricks to clean your mattress and refresh it: 

Blood stains

Blood stains can be incredibly difficult to remove. To get the best result, use hydrogen peroxide and cold water to scrub into the stain. 

Sweat stains

Spotted some yellowish stains developing on your mattress? Lighten these sweat stains by spraying a simple solution of water, hydrogen peroxide and dish soap over them little and often over a few days.

Urine stains

Urine stains can be difficult to remove but use a solution made up of white vinegar, water and laundry detergent to take the smell and stain out of your mattress. For best results, soak the stain and cover for up to two days. 

Preserve your mattress for as long as possible with the right mattress protectors, including waterproof mattress protectors if your younger loved ones are struggling in the night!

Have these tips, tricks and processes helped you learn how to clean a mattress? Let us know your personal tactics for tackling a dirty mattress, and share your refreshed beds with us and the B&M Community on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.