When it comes to cleaning my home, my mattress is nowhere to be seen on the list. Why is it important for me to clean my mattress? How do I clean my mattress?
I’ve heard many times throughout my life that it’s important to have clean sheets on the bed, but I never thought about the mattress.
Why is it important to have a clean mattress?
Dust mites, dead skin cells, and more.
This is the really gross part when it comes to thinking about your mattress. Throughout the night, when you sleep on your mattress, you sweat. Everyone does it, and not to much can be done about it. The moisture from the sweat has to go somewhere. That somewhere is in your mattress. Along with moisture, dead skin cells fall off of your body while you sleep, and they go straight to the mattress. Remember when we talked about dust mites being everywhere in your home? Yep, those too are stuck in your mattress.
Improved air quality.
Your mattress, just like your other pieces of furniture, acts like an air filter in your home. There is constantly air flow going through your mattress and pieces of furniture. When not cleaned regularly, the air flow can pick up the dust mites, dead skill cells, and everything else that is stuck in your mattress. This is then bring brought into the air you breathe. With a furnace, the filter needs to be checked and clean regularly to improve air quality. The same goes for your mattress.
Reduce asthma and allergies.
A home remedy for reducing asthma and allergies is to have a clean home. This includes having a clean mattress.
A better night’s sleep.
Remember those gross things stuck inside your mattress? Well, all of those dust mites and dead skin cells may actually make it harder for you to sleep. Not cleaning your mattress can lead to an increase in respiratory problems and insomnia.
Extended mattress life.
Mattresses are great to have, but they can put a dent into your wallet. To help save you money, by not buying a new mattress, make sure that you clean your mattress. This will extend the life and quality of your mattress.
How do I clean my mattress?
The very first thing to do is check the mattress tag. Cleaning depends on the quality of the mattress and what the mattress is made of. A good rule of thumb is to clean your mattress every 6 months.
Vacuum
Make sure everything is off of the mattress, including the mattress topper. Use the wand on your vacuum, along with the upholstery attachment, if your vacuum has one. Vacuum each part of your mattress, making sure you overlap as you go. “Vacuuming can help remove dust and dead skin cells on the surface of your mattress and is a quick maintenance trick in between deep cleaning.”
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a great way to deodorize your mattress and keep it smelling nice. Generously sprinkle a layer of baking soda on top of your mattress, then gently rub the baking soda into the mattress fabric and let it sit for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, vacuum up the baking soda.
Stain treatment
Like most things, liquids and mattress do not work well together. Once something is spilled on a mattress it needs to be treated immediately. To remove pesky stains from mattress, create a paste using 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide, 1 tablespoon of liquid detergent, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Spreading the paste onto the stain, and let it dry. Once the paste is dry, scrape away the excess and apply a rag that has been dipped into hydrogen peroxide.