How to Clean a Mattress the Smart Way Author: Purple Staff Share Tweet Share

You may think you’re taking great care of your mattress as long as you regularly wash your sheets, but there’s actually much more to it. Never fear – we’ve outlined some of the best tips for cleaning your mattress so you can continue to enjoy your mattress and get a great night’s sleep.

8 Tips on How to Clean a Mattress Strip It Down Vacuum Your Mattress Use Baking Soda Clean Spills Right Away Air Out Your Mattress, Use a Mattress Protector Flip the Mattress Regularly Avoid Excessive Sweating in Bed Taking care of your mattress can not only help you get the best night’s sleep, but regular mattress cleaning can also help extend your mattress lifespan. Your mattress is a major investment and you spend up to a third of your life on it, so it’s important to take care of it as best you can. If you never clean your mattress, it can end up being pretty gross. We won’t go into all the gory details, but your mattress can be a breeding ground for everything from dirt and dust mites to dead skin and other more sinister debris. If you have allergies, sleep with a pet, or like to snack in bed, it’s probably time to give your mattress a good cleaning. There’s no reason to be intimidated by the thought of regularly cleaning your mattress. The good news is that it’s actually a lot easier than you might expect. We’ll guide you through each step of the process to keep your mattress squeaky clean. How to Clean a Mattress

You can help keep your mattress clean by following these simple steps: 1. Strip It Down Don’t try to cheat on this one – no matter what kind of mattress you have or how great your bedding is, you need to take it all off in order to really get your mattress clean. So toss the comforter, your sheets — and, yes, even your favorite Purple pillow — to the side and get ready for cleaning. You should probably wash those bed linens while you’re at it, too. 2. Vacuum Your Mattress Yes, you read that right – it helps to regularly vacuum your mattress. Once you’ve stripped off all the sheets, pillows and other bed linens, reach for your vacuum cleaner, attach the upholstery attachment and give your mattress a good, thorough once-over. Make sure to get the sides, too – not just the top. Pay close attention to seams and other crevices in the surface of your mattress where dust and debris might like to hide. Use the crevice tool attachment if necessary. Vacuuming regularly can help keep your mattress from harboring dirt, allergens, and more. 3. Use Baking Soda Baking soda is like a little miracle in a box. It gives you many of the same benefits as airing out your mattress, but it’s much simpler. All you have to do is sprinkle a generous layer of baking soda over the surface of your mattress and then leave it alone for several hours. In fact, if you can do this before an overnight trip, that’s ideal. The longer you can leave it, the better it will work. Then simply come back and vacuum up all the baking soda, taking away dust, odors, and nastiness with it. The baking soda helps break down and absorb any residual moisture and odor your mattress may be retaining. Like magic! If you’re a fan of essential oils, you can kick this up a notch by adding 10 to 20 drops of your favorite essential oil – like lavender, lemon, sandalwood or chamomile – to your box of baking soda before sprinkling. The addition will help leave behind a calm, fresh, and soothing scent. 4. Clean Spills Right Away If you’ve spilled something on your mattress, try to clean it up as soon as possible before it has time to set. One of the best things you can do to keep your mattress fresh and clean is to prevent spills from turning into stains. First, blot up any excess moisture you can with a clean cloth. Spray a little cleaner onto a clean, dry cloth (never spray directly onto a mattress) and dab at the spill for best results. Don’t rub or scrub the spill, or you will simply push it further into your mattress. 5. Air Out Your Mattress Sunshine is nature’s great disinfectant. If you can leave your mattress outside for a few hours, the UV rays will help kill any bacteria or mold present in your mattress. Plus, it will smell amazing after being outside in the fresh air for a few hours. Some mattress sizes are easier to move than others – if you can’t get your mattress outside, try opening your windows to let some natural light into the room. Airing out your mattress also helps evaporate any residual moisture your mattress might be harboring, which can prevent mold and mildew. 6. Use a Mattress Protector

Once your mattress is fresh and clean again, you want to keep it that way. A water-resistant mattress protector can help insulate your mattress against dirt, dust, spills, and more sinister challenges like bed bugs. Keep in mind that an airtight, 100% waterproof mattress cover may cause you to feel hot since your mattress is no longer breathable. Mattress protectors have come a long way since the crinkly, stiff version you might remember from childhood. Purple’s water-resistant mattress protector, for example, provides a super-stretchy fit that’s quiet and soft. It offers double the typical mattress protection — yet it’s so breathable and cool, you may not even notice it’s there. 7. Flip the Mattress Regularly Some mattresses can be flipped, which helps them wear more evenly over time. If you flip your mattress, it’s a great time to give it a good cleaning. Toss your bed linens in the washing machine and go through the process of vacuuming your mattress, sprinkling with baking soda, and vacuuming again – both before and after you flip, so that you’re cleaning both sides of the mattress. How often should you flip? It depends. On average, you may want to flip your mattress every three months. Check with your mattress’ manufacturer on the best way to maintain your particular bed. Keep in mind that many mattress types with special comfort layers cannot be flipped. 8. Avoid Excessive Sweating in Bed Sweat is one of the chief culprits of mattress odor and staining. If you have trouble finding and maintaining your ideal sleeping temperature, you can find yourself waking up to a hot and sweaty mattress. One of the best things you can do to protect your mattress from sweat is to find a way to sleep comfortably during the night. Try adjusting your room temperature, investing in bamboo sheets, or getting a breathable mattress like Purple to help you stay cool. Doing so can help prevent yucky – and potentially smelly – sweat stains on your mattress for the future. How to Get Stains Out of a Mattress