Can You Clean a Mattress? Prevention is Your Best Bet

There's nothing quite like a restful night's sleep snuggled on top of a comfortable mattress. Unfortunately, a well-used mattress may have stains and smells accruing that keep you from truly enjoying your sleep. Sleeping on a filthy, stain-filled mattress can do more than just give you nightmares – the accumulated allergens can actually impact your health! We’ll explain treatment and prevention of the most common types of mattress stains before they become a problem, ensuring you get right back to sweet dreams.

Can You Clean a Mattress?

Some of the most common types of stains can be removed from the surface of a mattress if you treat them right away. Liquid on a mattress can ruin the fabric and break down the upholstery layers inside a mattress, which is why stains on a mattress will void a warranty.

How to Clean Stains Out of Your Mattress

Should you spill something on your mattress, blot it up with a dry cloth immediately. Do not use any cleaning solution! It is never recommended to remove a stain on a mattress using any kind of liquid cleaner, and this includes both commercial and organic stain removers. Although quick action can help remove many stains from a mattress's surfaces, a heavily-soiled mattress can be difficult to deeply and thoroughly clean. The longer a substance sits, the more time it has to seep into your mattress and cause permanent damage. If you want to completely remove a stain and avoid deep contamination, you should treat spills as soon as they happen.

That being said, most stains that occur on mattresses are gradual ones that cannot be blotted on the spot; the most common mattress stains are from the sweat that seeps into the mattress over a long period of time. The average person sweats over a liter of liquid (dispersed throughout the body) each night. Over time, this will inevitably cause moisture to get onto and eventually beneath the surface of the mattress and create a stain. The only way to avoid stains like these is to use a mattress protector.

Is a Mattress Protector Necessary?

To truly keep your mattress safe from stains and permanent damage, the best solution is prevention by way of a mattress protector. Mattress protectors look like a fitted sheet that goes under your existing fitted sheet. These handy covers keep spills from seeping into and staining your mattress and are very easy to clean and replace. Mattress protectors are waterproof, but many are designed to be breathable, flexible, and noiseless so that the protector doesn't interfere with the comfort of the mattress. While mattresses require advanced techniques and equipment for a thorough deep clean, most mattress covers can be removed and washed in a regular washer.

How Often Should You Wash Your Mattress Protector?

It isn't necessary to wash your mattress protector as frequently as you wash your sheets. Once every six weeks is a good timeframe!

Without a mattress cover, accidental spills and accumulated stains caused by regular perspiration on your new mattress will void most mattress warranties. Even if your warranty doesn't require it, having and using a quality mattress protector is one of the easiest ways to keep your bed free from stains, allergens, and permanent damage for as long as possible. If you’re looking to start fresh, it’s worth checking out a mattress buying guide to see your options. Why wait another night? Take the first step now toward the clean and fresh mattress you deserve!