How To Deep Clean A Mattress
Cleaning your mattress is something you probably don’t think about too often. But as you put together your cleaning game plan, it may be something you want to add to your to-do list.
Over time—and no matter how much of a clean freak you are—a buildup of dead skin cells, dried sweat, household dust, and other allergens can collect on your mattress. This can lead to the presence of fungus, bacteria, mildew, and dust mites, all of which can worsen allergies and cause other health issues.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that knowing how to clean a mattress in a few simple steps can help keep it fresher longer. Below, we’re outlining how to deep clean your mattress and answering frequently asked questions about cleaning your bed.
1.Clean Every Six Months
A general rule to abide by with most mattresses is that they should be cleaned every six months or so. Freshening up your bed is easily incorporated into spring cleaning and will help ensure that your mattress is fresh and comfortable for the seasons ahead.
It’s also a good time to flip and rotate your mattress to help prevent sagging – however not all mattresses are intended to be flipped, so check your mattresses label for care instructions.
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2. Launder Linens Regularly
Regularly washing your sheets and making your bed is one of the best things you can do to keep your mattress clean (74% of women know this, but only 58% of men make their bed regularly, according to our Bedroom Report).
As a general rule, your bed linens should be washed around once a week although you might want to launder them more or less regularly depending on your specific lifestyle factors. Jumping into bed straight after a workout, sharing a mattress with pets (57% of Australian’s do!), or being one of the 1 in 7 Australian’s who snack in bed might mean you need to wash your sheets more regularly.
A good tip is to wash your sheets on your washing machine’s sanitiser setting if it has one, or to set the water temperature to above 60 degrees – this will help to eliminate any dust mites and kill unwanted bacteria. When stripping your bed make sure you remove all linens, mattress covers, quilts, pillowcases and duvet covers for cleaning and ensure you follow the care instructions on your bedding. Use a detergent that you enjoy, pleasant scents can help you sleep!
3. Get A Mattress Protector
If you don’t own a mattress protector then it’s a great idea to purchase one, a mattress cover can help to minimise the stains, dirt and daily grime that reach your mattress. A mattress protector will also protect your mattress from moisture and fluids. Moisture could cause mould and mildew to build-up in your mattress – so a waterproof cover is a must-have, especially on kids’ beds. Mattress protectors are easily washed alongside your sheets and can prolong the life of your mattress.
4. Vacuum Your Mattress
It’s a good idea to vacuum your mattress on occasion and is one of the first things you should consider when you’re thinking about how to clean a mattress. We’d recommend vacuuming once a month or more often if you suffer from allergies. Using your upholstery attachment and on a low setting, run your vacuum cleaner very slowly over the length of your mattress a couple of times to suck up any dust or dust mites. Make sure to use your upholstery attachment on the sides of your mattress as well, switch to the crevice attachment for hard to reach areas. Vacuuming makes cleaning a mattress quick and simple.
5. Know When To Quit
If you’ve had your mattress for a long time and regular cleaning doesn’t seem to be doing the trick anymore then it might be time to consider a new mattress.
It’s important to remember that all mattresses are different and the use by date of your mattresses will vary. Generally, most mattresses should be replaced within ten years, usually every eight years or so for hygiene reasons but a number of other factors can impact on when it’s time to get rid of your old mattress. If your mattress has been poorly cared for or is of poor quality then you might find yourself replacing your mattress earlier.
To protect your health and the quality of your sleep you should plan to replace your mattress when it has reached its use by date. If you’re not sure when to replace your mattress, talk to the friendly and knowledgeable staff at your local Bedshed store.
