How to clean a mattress at home: memory foam, innerspring, hybrid
Every mattress type is cleaned the same way at home: vacuum, treat marks with very little liquid, blot and let it dry fully, and foam types take water worst. When you would rather not, WATERFALL's mattress cleaning does the job at your home; a mattress is priced per mattress, any size, see the prices page. WATERFALL cleans mattresses at your home for $120: call (747) 214-6199.
How do I clean a mattress at home without soaking it?
Put the liquid on a cloth, never on the mattress, and take it back out with dry towels; some foam makers say the mattress itself must never get wet.
- strip the bed and wash the sheets and the protector
- vacuum the top, the sides and the seams with an upholstery attachment
- dab a mark with a cloth dampened with a little mild cleaner, working from the edge inward
- press dry towels on the spot to pull the moisture out
- run a fan with the window open until the mattress is dry, then sprinkle baking soda for a smell and vacuum it off
Can a mattress protector go in the washer?
The Sleep Foundation says most mattress protectors are machine-washable and suggests washing one every one to two months, and after a spill. Yes, most can, if the care label allows. Wash it on its own on a gentle cycle in cold or warm water with mild detergent, without bleach or fabric softener, and tumble-dry on low or air-dry, because high heat damages the waterproof backing. Put it back only when it is completely dry, and wash it regularly and after a spill, an illness or a pet on the bed.
Can you clean a mattress with baking soda?
Yes, for a smell on a dry mattress. Sprinkle a thin layer, leave it for several hours and vacuum it up. It does not lift a stain, and it does not work on a wet mattress, where it only clumps.
What can I use to clean a mattress if I do not own a vacuum?
A lint roller and a soft upholstery brush take up hair, dust and crumbs; brush toward the edge and into a dustpan. For a smell, sprinkle baking soda on the dry mattress, leave it for a few hours and brush it off the same way, and blot marks with a barely damp cloth. Brushing does not lift deep dust, so for a heavily soiled mattress borrow or rent a vacuum, or have it extracted.
How do you clean a memory foam mattress?
With very little liquid. Memory foam soaks up water and dries slowly, so dampen a cloth rather than the mattress, blot, and let it air dry away from direct heat. Read the maker's care guide, which often allows only spot cleaning.
Can you steam clean a memory foam mattress?
Usually not with a household steamer, because dense foam holds the moisture and dries slowly. Check the maker's care guide, and text a photo of the label to (747) 214-6199 before you book a cleaning for a memory foam mattress.
How do you deep clean an innerspring mattress that is a few years old?
A deep clean at home is a thorough dry clean plus spot treatment, not soaking. An innerspring holds more air than foam and dries faster, but the padding over the coils still holds water, and a sagging or lumpy innerspring will not be fixed by cleaning; that is the time to replace it.
The steps:
- strip the bed and wash the bedding
- vacuum the top, the sides, the seams and the underside with an upholstery tool
- treat each mark with a little mild detergent or an enzyme cleaner on a cloth, blot, then blot with a barely damp cloth
- dry it fully with a fan, then cover the dry mattress with baking soda overnight and vacuum it off
- clean the other side only if it is made two-sided, then rotate it head to foot if the maker allows
What is the best way to clean a hybrid mattress without damaging the coils?
Keep every bit of moisture at the surface. Water that runs past the foam into the padding around the coils dries slowly and can leave mildew, a smell and, over time, rust. Vacuum gently with an upholstery tool, put a little mild cleaner on a cloth rather than spraying the mattress, dab from the outside of a mark inward, blot with a barely damp cloth and dry it with a fan before the sheets go back. Skip steam, bleach, peroxide and stiff brushes unless the maker's guide allows them.
How do you clean a pillow-top mattress?
Vacuum the seams where the pillow-top is stitched on, spot clean and dry fully. The thick padding of a pillow-top soaks up liquid and keeps it, so blot well and avoid soaking it.
How do you steam clean a mattress?
With an extraction machine and a light hand. A rental machine can work on a mattress when the maker allows water: use little water, make a final pass with the suction only and run a fan until it is dry. A professional machine pulls more water out than a rental one; see the professional vs DIY comparison.
Can I wash a mattress topper at home?
It depends on what it is made of, and the care label decides; with no label, treat it as foam.
- memory foam, gel foam, polyfoam and latex: never in a washer or dryer; vacuum it, spot clean with very little liquid and let it dry flat
- a removable cover: usually machine washable in cold water, then low heat or air-dry
- down, feather, wool or fiber-fill: some can be washed at home or in a large machine, but only if the label says so, and they must dry completely or they clump and sour
Can you wash mattress covers?
Only if the label says so. A removable cover with a care label is often machine washable, and a cover sewn onto a foam mattress usually is not. If you are unsure, spot clean.
How do you clean a baby changing mattress?
Wipe it with warm water and a little mild soap, rinse with a damp cloth and dry it. A changing mattress usually has a wipe-clean cover, and a removable cover should be washed as its label says.
Questions and answers
Can you wash a mattress protector?
Yes, most can be machine washed. Follow the label on temperature and drying.
Can I wash a mattress topper?
It depends on the filling. Fiber-fill toppers are often machine washable and foam toppers usually are not.
Can I wash my mattress pad?
Usually yes; follow the label. High heat can damage the waterproof layer.
How to clean a mattress at home without a vacuum?
Use a lint roller and a soft upholstery brush for hair, dust and crumbs, brushing toward the edge and into a dustpan. Brushing does not lift deep dust, so for a heavily soiled mattress borrow or rent a vacuum.
Is it possible to deep clean a mattress?
Yes, with an extraction machine and a dry day. At home, use little liquid and let it dry fully.
Can I carpet clean my mattress?
Generally no. A carpet machine sprays more water than a mattress can give back, so it can stay damp inside, sour and affect the warranty, and foam mattresses should never get it. If the maker allows wet cleaning, a small upholstery tool with extra suction-only passes and a fan is the closest home option; professional extraction pulls more of the water out.
Can a heated mattress pad go in the washer and dryer?
Many can, if the label or the manual allows it. Unplug it, detach the controller and the cords, wash the pad on a cold, gentle cycle with mild detergent and no bleach, and dry it on low in a home dryer, not a laundromat one, or air-dry it. Never wash the controller, and do not plug the pad in until it is completely dry.
How do you deep clean a mattress?
Strip the bed, vacuum, spot treat and blot, then dry it fully with air moving. Heavy soiling is a case for extraction.
Prices and booking
More guides
- Mattress care: all guides
- Can you steam clean a mattress? — Strip the bed, work in a shampoo, extract it with the dirt and let the mattress dry before it is made up again.
- Is mattress cleaning worth it? — Yes when the mattress is sound and the problem is sweat, a stain or a smell; home care every few months, a professional cleaning when there is a reason.
- How to get urine and stains out of a mattress — Blot fresh marks with cold water and mild soap, avoid heat, dry fully; old stains may lighten and cannot be promised out.
Sources: IICRC (The cleaning and restoration industry's standards body, for how professionals clean fabrics and carpet.); Sleep Foundation on washing a mattress protector (The Sleep Foundation's guide to washing a mattress protector and how often.)