Practical guide: cleaning a mattress and removing stains and odors
Cleaning a mattress is much more than just wiping away a stain. It's a matter of health. Although it may seem complicated, the most effective method is based on three pillars: vacuum thoroughly, treat stubborn stains with homemade solutions ( baking soda and vinegar are your best allies), and disinfect to say goodbye to dust mites and bacteria. With this guide, you'll turn your mattress into a true sanctuary of rest.
Why cleaning your mattress is key to your health
Think about it for a moment: your mattress is much more than just a place to sleep. Night after night, without you realizing it, it becomes a hidden ecosystem. Dead skin cells, sweat, dust, and, most worryingly, millions of dust mites accumulate there. These microscopic creatures and their waste are major allergens that can cause or aggravate respiratory problems, skin allergies, and even asthma.
Neglecting mattress hygiene is like voluntarily exposing yourself, every night, to an environment that gradually undermines your well-being. Thorough cleaning not only removes stains and odors, but also tackles the problem at its root, dramatically improving the quality of the air you breathe while you sleep.
The direct impact on your rest
A clean and fresh sleeping environment is the foundation of truly restorative rest. Lingering odors or the mere thought of sleeping on a surface full of allergens can interfere with your ability to achieve the deep, restful sleep you need. By cleaning your mattress regularly, you are benefiting in several ways:
- Fewer allergens: You minimize exposure to dust mites, mold, and other irritants that don't do your breathing any favors.
- Total hygiene: You eliminate bacteria and germs that have accumulated from sweat and skin cells.
- Longer lifespan: Proper maintenance prevents the materials in your mattress from deteriorating prematurely.
- Healthier sleep: A clean space gives you that feeling of well-being and comfort that is essential for a good night's sleep.
Fortunately, this habit is catching on in Spain. In fact, 48% of Spaniards admitted to cleaning their homes more frequently in 2021 than in the previous year. We are among the 30% of European countries most aware of this task, where cleaning mattresses regularly is already part of the routine. Experts such as microbiologist Gem McLuckie recommend doing so at least every six months.
Don't underestimate the power of a clean mattress. It's a direct investment in your respiratory health, the quality of your skin, and, at the end of the day, your energy to take on the world.
Understanding what goes on under the sheets is the first step to getting started. If curiosity gets the better of you and you want to know more about the microorganisms that share your bed, check out our article on when bacteria and dust mites accumulate in your clean mattress.
The foolproof method for deep cleaning and disinfection
Okay, you've got everything ready. Now it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Don't panic, there's no mystery to this method, but it does require a little calm so that each step can do its job. The goal is simple: to give new life to the surface where you spend every night, removing everything that, although invisible, you know is there.
The first step in this battle against dirt is, oddly enough, the one that most people skip. And yet it is one of the most important: a good, thorough vacuuming.
The power of a good initial vacuum
Many people spend barely a minute on this step, but I assure you that's a mistake. This is where you remove the first layer of "intruders": dust, dead skin, pet hair, and, above all, a huge amount of dust mites and their waste.
To do it right, you need the right tool. Forget about the brush you use for the floor; find the upholstery attachment for your vacuum cleaner. Yes, the one that usually has a felt strip or soft bristles.
Vacuum the entire surface of the mattress slowly. Don't forget the sides and seams, which are the favorite hiding places for dust. Take your time. Imagine you're painting a wall: each pass should overlap the previous one slightly so that not a single centimeter is left uncovered. This simple gesture can remove up to 70% of surface allergens before you even think about dampening anything.
Once you've gone over every corner, it's time to tackle the odors that have built up over time.
Baking soda: the ultimate natural deodorizer
Baking soda is a true multi-purpose product when it comes to cleaning a mattress. It is inexpensive, safe, and has an amazing ability to absorb moisture and neutralize odors, not just cover them up. Its secret lies in its slightly alkaline pH, which combats the acids that cause odors such as sweat.
Take a box of baking soda and, if you have a sifter or strainer handy, use it to sprinkle it evenly over the entire mattress. Don't skimp on the amount; the idea is to create a thin but visible layer that covers it completely.
A golden tip: Let the baking soda work its magic for at least 45 minutes to an hour. If you have more time and the odors are persistent (due to humidity or tobacco, for example), leave it on for several hours, or even all afternoon. The longer it sits, the more odors and moisture it will trap.
While the baking soda is working, open the windows wide. Good ventilation not only helps to air out the mattress, but will also make it much easier to dry later on, which is key to preventing mold problems. When the time is up, vacuum thoroughly again with the same upholstery attachment until all the white powder is removed. You'll notice the difference right away: the mattress will smell much fresher and more neutral.
The disinfection phase: safe and effective
With the mattress now free of dust and odors, we are left with just one last step: disinfection. The goal is to eliminate bacteria and germs without soaking the mattress or resorting to harsh chemicals that could damage the materials or leave toxic residues. And for this, homemade solutions are your best allies.
You have several very secure options that work wonderfully:
- White vinegar solution: In a spray bottle, mix one part white vinegar with two parts water. Vinegar is a powerful natural disinfectant thanks to its acidity.
- A touch of essential oils: If you want to enhance the disinfecting effect and leave an incredible scent, add about 10-15 drops of tea tree, lavender, or eucalyptus essential oil to the mixture. These oils are known for their antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Now, spray the solution very lightly and evenly over the surface. The key here is to spray a fine mist, not to wet the fabric. Hold the bottle about 30 centimeters away. If you use too much moisture, especially on memory foam mattresses, you run the risk of it getting trapped inside and eventually causing mold.
This approach using natural products is extremely versatile. If you want to expand your knowledge about household hygiene, I recommend exploring different homemade recipes for cleaning your home, which will help you maintain a healthier environment overall.
Once disinfection is complete, drying becomes the most critical phase. We will look at this in detail below to ensure that all this effort is not wasted.
Effective solutions for the most stubborn stains
Let's face it: accidents happen. A cup of coffee spilled in the morning, a little nighttime accident involving the kids or the pet, or simply sweat that builds up over time... all of these can leave marks on your mattress that seem impossible to remove. But before you give up, take a deep breath. If you act quickly and use the right method, most of these stains can be removed.
The big secret to cleaning a mattress is not to scrub with all your might, but to use the right product for each type of substance. When you scrub desperately, all you achieve is spreading the stain and making it penetrate deeper into the fibers. A real disaster.
Let's take a look at how to deal with the three most common and dreaded types of stains. You'll see that you can achieve spectacular results with ingredients you probably already have at home.
Before tackling a specific stain, it is essential to prepare the surface. Here is a visual summary of the three pillars of any deep cleaning.
Think of these steps (vacuuming, deodorizing, and disinfecting) as the foundation we will build upon to remove the most difficult stains.
How to remove urine stains and odors
Urine stains are a double problem: they leave an unsightly yellowish ring and, worse still, a lingering ammonia smell. To combat them, we need a strategy that cleans and neutralizes the odor at the same time.
The very first thing you should do is absorb as much liquid as possible, and quickly. Take a clean, dry cloth or paper towel and press firmly on the wet area. Do not rub!
Once the excess has been removed, baking soda and white vinegar become your best allies.
- Prepare the cleaning paste: Mix baking soda with a few drops of water to create a thick paste. Apply it directly to the stain, covering it completely.
- Neutralize with vinegar: Spray white vinegar diluted in water (one part vinegar to two parts water) onto the paste. You will notice an effervescent reaction; this is a sign that it is working.
- Let it work: Give the mixture at least an hour to work its magic. This time is key for the ingredients to break down the uric acid crystals, which are responsible for the unpleasant odor.
- Finish the job: Once completely dry, carefully scrape off any remaining paste and thoroughly vacuum the entire area. The smell should have disappeared.
An extra tip: If the stain is old and the smell won't go away, sprinkle dry baking soda on it, cover the area with plastic wrap, and leave it overnight. The next morning, remove the plastic and vacuum thoroughly.
Treatment for recent blood stains
Blood stains are very scary, but if you catch them in time, they are surprisingly easy to remove. The golden rule is to always use cold water. Hot water fixes the proteins in the blood to the fibers and makes the stain almost permanent.
Your best ally here is hydrogen peroxide ( 3% hydrogen peroxide), which you probably already have in your medicine cabinet.
Using a cotton swab or cloth, apply a small amount directly onto the stain. You will see it start to bubble on contact with the blood: this is proof that it is breaking down the stain. Leave it to work for a few minutes.
Then dry the area by gently dabbing it with a clean cloth to absorb both the liquid and any residue. If necessary, repeat the process, always using a clean part of the cloth, until the stain disappears. This is a very effective method, but be careful with dark-colored mattresses, as hydrogen peroxide can have a slight bleaching effect.
Goodbye to yellow sweat stains
Over time, it is completely normal for yellowish stains to appear where we sweat the most, such as on the head or torso. This occurs due to the reaction of the salts and urea in sweat with the fabric.
To restore your mattress to its original color, a mixture of lemon juice and salt is a natural and powerful solution.
- Prepare a paste by mixing the juice of one lemon with a couple of tablespoons of salt.
- Spread the paste over the yellow stains and leave it to work for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Remove the mixture with a cloth dampened with cold water only.
- Finally, allow the area to dry completely in the open air. The acidity of the lemon helps to whiten the fabric naturally.
If you're dealing with more stubborn stains, enzymatic cleaners are a fantastic option. They are specifically designed to break down proteins in bodily fluids such as sweat or saliva. In fact, this is the technology that professionals often use.
The best strategy, without a doubt, is prevention. To prevent these accidents from becoming a headache, protecting your investment is essential. If you want to keep your mattress looking like new, we recommend reading our article on why a waterproof mattress protector is the best option.
How to dry your mattress properly to prevent mold
After all the effort you've put into making your mattress look like new, we've reached the most delicate stage of all: drying. Poor drying not only ruins all your hard work, but can also create a much worse problem. Imagine a damp, dark environment inside the fibers... it's the perfect paradise for mold and mildew.
Unseen moisture is our greatest enemy. The goal is not to make the surface appear dry, but to ensure that not a single drop of water remains trapped in the deeper layers. Fortunately, with a little patience and the right tricks, you can ensure complete and risk-free drying.
Natural ventilation is your best ally
The safest and most effective way to dry a mattress is undoubtedly to let fresh air work its magic. Air circulation is essential for moisture to evaporate naturally and, above all, evenly.
Open all the windows in the room wide to create a good air flow. If you have fans, either standing or ceiling fans, turn them on and point them directly at the mattress. You'll see how much they speed up the process.
A damp mattress can take between 6 and 24 hours to dry completely, depending on the humidity in the room and how much ventilation you can provide. Patience is key; never, ever make the bed until you are absolutely sure that it is dry to the touch everywhere.
Tips for safely speeding up drying
Although ventilation is key, sometimes we need a little extra help, especially if you've only cleaned a small stain and don't want to wait a whole day. Here are a couple of tricks that work wonders:
- The hair dryer, but on the cool setting: For those small, damp areas, the hair dryer is a great ally. But be careful, it is very important that you always use it on the cool setting or at the lowest temperature it has. Direct heat can damage synthetic fibers or deform memory foam. Keep the dryer moving and about 15-20 centimeters away from the surface.
- Baking soda to the rescue: Have a few hours passed and you notice that the mattress is still a little damp? Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda over the area. This product is amazing: not only does it remove odors, but it also absorbs residual moisture. Leave it to work for an hour and then vacuum thoroughly.
Special precautions depending on the type of mattress
Not all mattresses are the same or react in the same way. What works well for a spring mattress may be a disaster for a memory foam mattress.
A very important warning: be careful with the sun. Although putting your mattress in the sun seems like a great idea for disinfecting and drying it, you need to be very careful. Direct sunlight for long periods of time can degrade and yellow memory foam or latex foam, causing it to lose its properties and become brittle.
If you want to take advantage of the disinfecting power of UV rays, do so for a short time (no more than an hour) and, if possible, first thing in the morning when the sun is not so strong. For traditional spring mattresses, direct sunlight poses fewer risks.
Strategies to keep your mattress clean for longer
After all the work involved in getting your mattress spotless, the goal changes: now the mission is to maintain that freshness and extend the life of your investment. Cleaning a mattress thoroughly is a giant step, but the real victory lies in prevention. By adopting just a couple of simple habits, you'll notice a huge difference, saving you time and effort in the long run.
Taking good care of your mattress is more than just a household chore; it's an act of conscious consumption. We live in a throwaway culture that has a real impact. For example, in Madrid, during the pandemic, cleaning services collected more than eight mattresses per hour that had been abandoned on the street. You can read more about this striking statistic in this report by La Razón. Extending the life of what we have is undoubtedly the way forward.
The first line of defense: the mattress protector
If you could only choose one thing to protect your mattress, make it this. A good protector is literally your bed's life insurance. It's not just a simple cover, but an almost impenetrable barrier against the worst enemies of your rest:
- Spills and liquids: Protects you from that morning coffee that accidentally spills or a glass of wine, preventing liquids from penetrating and leaving indelible stains or, worse still, causing mold.
- Sweat and bodily fluids: Prevents moisture from our bodies seeping through night after night, preventing unsightly yellow stains and the accumulation of bacteria.
- Mites and allergens: It acts as a shield that makes it very difficult for dust mites and other allergens to colonize the inside of your mattress.
My advice is to look for a protector that is waterproof but breathable. This combination is the key to success: it blocks liquids but allows air to circulate so that heat does not build up and the bed always feels cool. Wash it once a month with the rest of your bedding and it will always be in perfect condition.
The importance of rotating and ventilating
Like any object that continuously supports weight, your mattress suffers wear and tear. To ensure that this wear is uniform and that premature sagging does not appear right where you sleep, it is essential to move it.
The golden rule is to rotate it (turn it from head to toe) and, if the manufacturer allows it, flip it (turn it over) every three to six months. This simple gesture distributes pressure evenly and can double its useful life.
In addition to periodic rotation, small daily gestures have incredible power.
Never underestimate the power of airing out your bedroom every morning. Before making the bed, remove the comforter and open the windows wide for at least 10-15 minutes. This helps the moisture that has accumulated during the night to evaporate, creating a much less hospitable environment for dust mites.
Simple habits for consistent maintenance
Deep cleaning is for special occasions, but daily care is what really keeps your mattress looking like new. If you incorporate these small actions into your routine, you will notice the difference:
- Wash your bedding every week: Sheets, pillowcases, and mattress protectors accumulate dead skin cells, sweat, and body oils. Washing them in hot water (provided the label allows it) once a week removes all of these residues before they reach the mattress.
- Vacuum once a month: Take advantage of the day you change your sheets to quickly vacuum the surface of your mattress. It doesn't have to be a deep clean, just a quick pass to remove dust and surface particles.
- Act quickly on stains: If something spills, don't leave it for later. Take a dry cloth and absorb the liquid immediately. The sooner you act, the easier it will be to prevent the stain from becoming permanent.
As you can see, maintaining your mattress is not a daunting task. It's about creating a small care routine that will protect both your health and your investment. If you want to delve a little deeper into the subject, we have some very useful information in our guide on the best mattress maintenance.
We answer your questions about mattress care
At this point, it's normal to still have some questions. Cleaning a mattress can seem like a task full of small details, and it's always better to be safe than sorry. That's why we've compiled the most common questions to give you clear and direct answers.
Here you will find solutions to those practical questions that arise just when you get down to work. The goal is for you to finish this guide with complete confidence in your ability to keep your mattress in pristine condition, ensuring healthy rest and protecting your investment.
How often should I give it a thorough cleaning?
Ideally, you should give it a thorough cleaning, as described above, every six months. Doing this regularly will keep dust mites, dust, and other allergens at bay, which, even if you can't see them, affect the air quality in your room. A good trick to help you remember is to do it at the change of seasons.
However, this is not a rule set in stone. There are situations that call for more frequent cleaning, perhaps every three or four months:
- If you suffer from severe allergies: Reducing your allergen exposure more regularly can provide enormous relief from your symptoms.
- If your pets sleep with you: Hair, dander, and dirt they bring in from outside accumulate at an incredible rate.
- If there has been a spill or accident: Even if you act immediately, a thorough cleaning afterwards ensures that no trace remains.
In addition to this biannual cleaning, getting into the habit of vacuuming your mattress every month when you change the sheets is a simple gesture that makes a big difference.
Is it a good idea to use a steam cleaner to clean the mattress?
You have to be very careful here. Although steam is a very powerful natural disinfectant, using it on mattresses is quite risky and we generally do not recommend it. The main problem is the enormous amount of moisture it injects into the inner layers of the mattress.
If that moisture doesn't evaporate completely and very quickly, you create the perfect environment for mold and mildew to grow. And believe me, that's a much bigger and more difficult problem to solve than the original stain.
Using a steam cleaner may void the warranty on many mattresses, especially memory foam or latex mattresses, which are very sensitive to moisture and extreme heat. Before considering using one, always check the manufacturer's instructions.
If you still decide to go ahead, do so with extreme caution: choose a very warm, dry day, ventilate the room as much as possible, and use the minimum amount of steam possible, without holding the nozzle in one spot. Dry methods or methods with very controlled humidity are always the safest bet.
Which cleaning products should I avoid at all costs?
Stay away from harsh chemical cleaners like the plague. Products such as bleach, ammonia, or multi-purpose cleaners with strong solvents can cause irreparable damage to the materials in your mattress.
These chemicals can wreak havoc:
- Degrading foams: In memory foam or latex mattresses, they can cause the foam to harden, discolor, or completely lose its comfort properties.
- Damage to fibers: They can weaken and break the fibers in the cover fabric, drastically shortening the life of the mattress.
- Leaving toxic residues: The vapors and chemical residues that remain can be inhaled while you sleep, which is not recommended for your health.
Always play it safe with gentle solutions. Baking soda, diluted white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide for specific stains, or specific enzymatic cleaners for upholstery are your best allies: safe and effective.
Can I completely remove an old, yellow stain?
Old stains, especially yellowish ones caused by sweat or fluids that have oxidized over time, are the biggest challenge. To be honest, removing them completely is extremely difficult, if not impossible in many cases.
You can greatly improve its appearance with a baking soda paste or enzymatic cleaners, which break down the proteins in the stain. You will most likely be able to fade it until it is almost invisible, but often a slight ring or shadow remains.
The key here, rather than removal, is prevention and speed. Treating any stain as soon as it occurs is the only real guarantee that it will not become permanently fixed in the fabric.
At Morfeo, we know that quality rest begins with a clean and healthy environment. If, after taking care of your current mattress, you feel that the time has come to take another step toward comfort and sleep technology, we invite you to discover our range of mattresses. Designed with innovative materials to offer you the support and freshness your body needs night after night.
