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Originally Posted On: https://www.thecleaningcollective.co.uk/news/how-to-guides/how-to-clean-mattress-stains

A healthy mattress is a crucial part of a good night’s sleep. However, most people show less love for their mattress than they should, even though they use them daily. When it comes mattresses, it is primarily out-of-sight and out-of-mind for most people — this isn’t good enough.

A mattress can be exposed to a lot of dirt and soiling including sweat, vomit, urine, and dead skin cells. While this can make the appearance dirty and rough, your mattress can also house dust mites, bed bugs and germs, affecting health issues such as asthma and allergies.

That said, it’s imperative to remember that just covering your mattress with a mattress cover or protector is not enough; you need to give your mattress a regular clean and perform stain removal as and when required. We’re here for you if you don’t know how to clean your mattress stains. This article will discuss everything you need to know about keeping your mattress clean and sanitary for better sleeping health.

Preparing Your Mattress for Stain Removal

Stain removal on your mattress can take a lot of time when trying to get the job done perfectly. Body fluids such as blood and urine can be challenging, so before getting started, ensure you have prepared an alternative sleeping mattress in case it’s still wet at bedtime.

The first step towards cleaning your mattress stains is to remove all beddings and sheets. Once removed, ensure you give the mattress a thorough vacuuming with the upholstery attachment. In addition, use the vacuum cleaner crevice tool around all the piping where dust can linger. While dust might not be a serious stain, this will help keep the dust mite population to the bare minimum. This is essential for sound sleep, especially if you suffer from allergies.

That said, let’s get it started!

How to Remove Mattress Stains

The best way to deep clean your mattress depends on the type of stains involved. Once you have identified the type, aim for the best cleaning technique to tackle each stain. Follow the below steps for common stain types to eradicate unpleasant aesthetics and odours, bringing your mattress back to top condition.

How to Remove Body Fluid Stains

Body fluids, including urine, sick and blood, are the most common stains for mattresses. Unlike washing clothes, you can’t soak a mattress in detergent and water. Otherwise, you’ll turn the slow-drying cushiness into a perfect and ideal environment for mildew and mould growth.

We recommend an enzyme based cleaner such as  Bio Productions Micro Clean for body spillages. Before applying the enzyme based cleaner, ensure that the mattress surface is free from debris. To activate the enzymes in Micro Clean, dilute the cleaning fluid with tepid water at a ratio of 1:1 (50% tepid water, 50% Micro Clean). The product is now ready for application (other enzyme based products may have different dilution instructions, so always pay attention to the label).

Do not spray to apply Micro Clean. This will prevent the product from penetrating the stained area. You can use a brush or sponge to soak up the Micro Clean solution, and apply it to the contaminated area by wringing onto the mattress. After applying, cover the spot with a moist cloth to get the maximum effect. Do not rinse the area — allow it to dry off.

Micro Clean contains species of micro-organisms/bacteria that are commonly found in the digestive tract and in soil that secrete a cocktail of enzymes to aid in the breakdown of organic matter, making it the perfect product for treating body fluids, drains and even mould and moss.

How to Remove Food and Drink Stains

Food and drink stains are pretty stubborn, but you need not worry when you spill them on your mattress. HG Stain Spray Extra Strong is an excellent product that removes deeply ingrained stains. It can remove some of the most stubborn stains, including coffee, tea, wine, or chocolate. Luckily HG Stain Spray is pretty easy to apply and you will have those stains removed in no time!

First, you should test the colour fastness of the mattress material you want to clean by applying the HG Stain Spray in an unnoticeable place (we recommend this for any cleaning product). After that, you can spray the stain spot carefully and leave it to work for a couple of minutes. This will release the dirt that can then be removed  with a high absorbency cloth.

Removing Odours from your Mattress

Exposing your mattress to direct sunlight is one of the many ways to air out your mattress. Luckily, given the fact this this can be difficult if you live in a top floor apartment, it’s not the only option available – you can deodorise with baking soda.

To do that, cover the mattress top with a layer of baking soda and let it absorb foul odours for a couple of hours. You can use your hand or a soft brush to help spread out the baking soda evenly and to help it sink well into the mattress. Baking soda is highly effective in absorbing the moisture trapped within the mattress. Leaving the powder longer makes the absorption more effective.

Although baking powder is an excellent absorber of moisture, you should not allow it to stay too long on the mattress. The reason is that the powder can easily find its way inside the outer material when there is no dirt or debris. Therefore, you need to vacuum the baking soda from the surface once it has been on for a few hours.

You need to start at the top of the mattress. Using the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner, push down on the mattress and whilst applying pressure move in straight lines to deep clean. You should repeat this process until you have successfully removed all the baking powder.

You can also use Zoflora to deordorise specific areas that emit a foul smell. Dilute one capful of Zoflora in a trigger bottle with water. Using a trigger spray head head that is set to ‘mist’ (change to this by twisting the nozzle to the relevant setting) then apply Zoflora to the areas with the foul odour. Zoflora is a 3-in-1 fragrant multipurpose cleaning product that kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, so it won’t only leave your mattress smelling nice, but it’ll be free from any nasties too! Once you’ve treat the foul smelling areas completely, let the mattress dry before re-dressing the bed.

Avoiding Mattress Stains

If you don’t want to go through the stress of removing stains from your mattress, here are some tips to prevent future staining and keep your mattress free from odour.

• Avoid drinking and eating when in bed
• Use a washable mattress cover to avoid stains
• Remove and wash your bed cover immediately you spill liquid on it
• Flip your mattress monthly
• Air out your mattress regularly