If you’ve ever typed ‘is there an easy way to clean a mattress?’ into a search engine online, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of unsightly stains on your bed. Obviously you can’t just throw your mattress into the washing machine, but we’re here to help with a cleaning solution that’s just as simple.
It involves a product you probably already have in your pantry: Baking soda. Here, we’re going to explain how this humble kitchen ingredient could be the answer to your mattress stain woes, how to keep the best mattresses clean for longer and why it’s so important to retain your mattresses freshness for as long as possible.
Of course, there is a chance that even after trying this cleaning hack, your mattress might be beyond saving. And while we hope that’s not the case, if it is, you’ve picked a good time to replace it. This year’s Labor Day mattress sales aren’t quite over yet, and we’re tracking all the best discounts. But for now, lets see how you can freshen up your mattress without spending a fortune.
The kitchen ingredient that helps keep your mattress clean
You may be surprised to learn about baking soda’s mattress cleaning prowess, after all, we typically think of liquids when it comes to cleaning products. But this kitchen staple (also known as bicarbonate of soda) is actually a powerful and natural, non-toxic cleaner. Here’s why:
Firstly, it’s incredibly absorbent, which means it can help soak up spills and liquids that can create stains on mattresses, and as its texture makes it a lightly abrasive, which can help lift surface stains.
Then, there’s the fact that it’s an alkaline pH, which means it is able to neutralize acidic odors from the likes of sweat (again), body oils and more. Essentially, it’s a natural deodorizer.
And, to top all that off, it’s incredibly cheap (if you don’t already have a box in your kitchen already), and it’s safe to use on most mattress types.
How to use baking soda to clean your mattress
Step 1: Strip your bed
This might seem like an obvious first step, but you want to be cleaning the mattress directly, so it’s important to remove all pillows, bedding and any mattress toppers.
To kill two birds with one stone, you could also give these a refresh by putting them in the washing machine while you clean your mattress. Just be mindful to check the care instructions for pillows and toppers in particular.
Step 2: Gather the materials you’ll need
Granted, this could also be the first step. But why not clear your sleep space first and bring all your cleaning materials into a room that’s all ready for you to start your mattress refresh?
You’ll need the following:
- Rubber gloves
- A cleaning sponge or soft brush/toothbrush
- Baking soda
- A bowl
- A vacuum cleaner
- Essential oils (optional)
Step 3: Vacuum your mattress
You might think your mattress looks free of obvious dirt, but vacuuming your bed can remove dust and dust mites (which feed on the dead skin cells we naturally shed — gross, we know! — that you’ll also be getting rid of), along with other allergens like bacteria and pet dander.
Experts recommend using a vacuum that has a brush attachment (and ideally a HEPA filter) so you’re not damaging the surface of your bed.
Once you’ve checked the care instructions for your mattress (most can be vacuumed but there are exceptions), make sure you thoroughly vacuum it’s full surface using said attachment.
It’s also important not to forget the seams of your mattress and around the edges and headboard (if you have one). Those pesky dust mites are more likely to be hiding in the recesses rather than right on the surface.
Step 4: Prepare your baking soda mixture
You can just use your baking soda straight from the box, or empty it into a large bowl. Ideally you want to be using somewhere between half a cup and a cup, but make sure you have enough to be able to apply liberally over your mattress.
However, a cheap way to give your mattress a pleasant fragrance while you clean it is to add a few drops of an essential oil, such as one that is known to be calming, like lavender or ylang ylang to your box of baking soda or in a bowl.
Just shake or mix to make sure it’s fully combined, and voila!, you have your own homemade, scented cleaning product.
Step 5: Apply your baking soda to the mattress
Wearing your rubber gloves, take your box or bowl of baking soda, which you may have scented with essential oil, and sprinkle it evenly over the entire surface of your mattress.
You can use a cloth or brush to gently work the mixture in, particularly in areas where there are any noticeable stains as this will help to lift odors and dirt, and allow the baking soda to work its absorbent magic on them.
Then leave the baking soda to sit for at least 30 minutes, but ideally around 90 minutes (or overnight if you’re able to).
Step 6: Re-vacuum your mattress
The final step involves consigning all that helpful baking soda to your vacuum bag!
Using the same brush attachment, carefully vacuum the surface of your mattress again — a thorough job here means you’ll avoid sleeping on a lightly textured surface thanks to any leftover baking soda granules!
It’s worth noting that if you own a double-sided (or ‘flippable’) mattress, and regularly sleep on both sides, you should repeat this whole process on the other side.
How to use baking soda for more severe stains
For old, severe or dried in stains, you can supercharge your baking soda mixture in a variety of ways (including by just adding water!), here we explore how to tackle some common, trickier stains…
Sweat stains
From a sleep environment that’s too hot, to medical conditions and even what you’ve consumed before bed, there are a variety of reasons for sleeping hot. Unfortunately, the result can be unsightly, yellow sweat stains on your mattress.
To tackle these with baking soda, vacuum your mattress and sprinkle baking soda (with optional essential oils) and leave it to sit for up to 1 hour (but no less than 30 minutes).
In the meantime, create a baking soda paste by adding a little water to baking soda in a bowl. A ratio of 60ml of water for four tablespoons of baking soda should create the right consistency.
When you’ve let the initial application of baking soda sit, work your paste into the sweat stain using your cloth or brush. You’ll then need to leave this for at least a few hours to let the baking soda paste work it’s magic. Then, vacuum again!
Urine stains
If your household includes kids, it’s likely you’re going to have to deal with a urine-stained mattress at some stage. They key is to address urine stains right away, before it can penetrate too deeply into the mattress.
If there is obvious surface moisture, make sure you’ve absorbed as much as possible with paper towels or a cloth that you can immediately put in the washing machine.
Then to clean urine stains from a mattress, pour a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle, and add three tablespoons of baking soda and a few small squirts of liquid soap (the kind you’d wash your dishes with).
Mix together and then spray evenly over the stain and leave for around 15 minutes, before gently scrubbing the area with a cleaning brush. Finally, leave your mattress to air dry, being careful not to put your bedding back on until this is 100% complete.
An alternative, if you want an all-natural cleaning solution, is to create a mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar. Spray this over the urine stain (but not too liberally, as you don’t want to oversaturate the area and risk mold) and leave for around 10 minutes.
Follow this up by sprinkling baking powder over the area, and leaving for a minimum of 4 hours. The final step here is to vacuum up the baking soda residue.
Blood stains
These can be particularly tricky to get rid of, and again, ideally you should tackle them as soon as possible.
Wearing rubber gloves, spray some cold water (this is important, as hot water can set the stain further) and blot with a clean cloth.
Next, apply a small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide to the stained area and sprinkle baking soda on top of that.
Gently massage this mixture over the stained area, using a fresh cloth (you might hear it fizzing, but that’s normal!), but be careful to avoid rubbing it in.
Then allow the mixture to sit on the stain for at least 10 minutes, before blotting with (yet another!) clean cloth that you’ve dampened to remove the residue.
If this first effort doesn’t remove the stain because it’s an older one, try going through the same steps again. Once you’re satisfied, leave your mattress to air dry fully.