Cleaning your foam mattress
You sleep on your mattress every night, and you might have the same mattress for as long as a decade, so it’s natural that you’ll want to clean it from time to time. But you might be wondering how to clean a foam mattress. It’s not like you can throw it in the washer — so what’s the answer?
Of course, it isn’t possible to clean the whole mattress all the way through, but we have various methods for keeping the surface of your mattress and its outer cover clean, dust free and smelling fresh.
How often should you clean a foam mattress?
Whether you have a memory foam mattress, latex foam mattress or any other foam mattress, you should aim to give it a thorough clean every six months. You might also need to give it an extra spot clean if you have a good reason to — for instance, if you spill something in bed or have bad night sweats while you’re ill. Twice a year isn’t a huge commitment, so there’s no reason not to clean your mattress.
Vacuuming your foam mattress
We’d recommend vacuuming your foam mattress before you clean it to remove dust, dust mites and any particles of allergens that might have collected on the surface of the mattress, such as pollen or pet dander. You can, however, choose to give your mattress a quick vacuum more regularly than every six months and even when you aren’t intending to fully clean it afterward. Stick vacuums — such as the Shark Rocket Cordless Stick Vacuum — are great for vacuuming mattresses as you can use them in handheld mode.
Deodorizing with baking soda
When you vacuum your foam mattress, you can also choose to deodorize it with baking soda. Baking soda reacts with various smelly compounds, effectively neutralizing them. To deodorize your mattress, sprinkle it all over with baking soda.
We like using Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda Shaker because the shaker container makes it easier to spread evenly over the surface of the mattress. Once covered in baking soda, leave it for at least 30 minutes, but you can leave it for several hours for even better results. After the designated amount of time has passed, vacuum up the baking soda — and take mattress odors with it.
Cleaning your foam mattress
Once you’ve vacuumed your mattress to remove dust and debris, it’s time to give it a proper clean. You’ll mostly be cleaning the cover and surface of the mattress, but this is fine since most dirt won’t sink too deep inside.
Choosing the right cleaning solution
We wouldn’t recommend using harsh cleaning products on a memory foam mattress. Not only can certain chemicals degrade the foam and damage the mattress, but you also have to consider that, when you sleep, you’ll be breathing in any products that you use on your mattress, and you probably don’t want to breathe in fumes from bleach or ammonia all night.
If you’d like to stick to natural products, use a solution of half a cup of white vinegar to 1 cup of water. Alternatively, you can use diluted fabric cleaner or laundry detergent on your mattress — ideally, a mild or natural detergent such as Better Life Naturally Dirt-Demolishing Unscented Laundry Detergent.
Apply and let it sit
Apply the solution of your choice to the mattress. For even distribution, use a spray bottle, but apply sparingly or you’ll wet your mattress too much and could cause mold or mildew to form. Once you’ve applied the cleaning solution of your choice, let it set for around 30 minutes. After this time, diluted laundry detergent or fabric cleaner should be wiped off with a damp cloth while you can simply leave a vinegar solution to dry.
Allow time to dry
It’s important to allow your mattress to dry fully before you put clean bedsheets on. This can take up to 10 hours depending on the weather conditions and how wet you got your mattress. It’s best to clean your mattress early in the day to allow enough time to dry. If it’s warm outside, opening the windows can help your mattress dry quickly, while you might need to rely on heat to dry your mattress during the colder months.
Wash removable mattress covers
Some foam mattresses have removable covers. If you feel like the cover of your mattress needs more attention than spot cleaning can give it, you can remove the cover and washing according to the manufacturer’s directions. This can be more trouble than it’s worth, however, since you’ll probably need a second person to help you wrangle the mattress while you remove the cover and replace it. Plus, there’s the chance that the cover could shrink in the wash, so we’d reserve this option for when the mattress cover seriously needs a deep cleaning.
Airing your foam mattress
Alongside cleaning your foam mattress, it’s a good idea to air it once a month or so to prevent it from trapping odors or growing mildew. All you need to do to air your mattress is to leave all the bedding off for several hours when you come to change your sheets instead of replacing them right away. If the weather allows, open your bedroom windows to let fresh air in while your mattress is airing.
Keeping your foam mattress clean
It’s easier to avoid getting your foam mattress dirty in the first place than to clean it. Using a waterproof mattress protector on your bed stops the sweat you lose at night from sinking into the mattress and protects against spills and bathroom accidents. The eLuxurySupply Dimpled Waterproof Mattress Protector is a great choice because it’s waterproof but not plastic or doesn’t rustle too much. You can also protect your mattress by avoiding eating in bed or drinking anything other than water in bed.
Lauren Corona is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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