How to Clean a Mattress

Taken from the "Life's Burning Questions", this is a very simple Instructable on how to clean a mattress with simple household ingredients.

I've lived in many a rented house and although being furnished is a great help, you can never be sure what's "clean" or not. Every time I move into a new place, the first thing I do is give the mattress a good clean with this method and gives me a sweet-smelling bed for the future.

Step 1: What you will need

Cleaning a mattress is very simple and remarkably effective considering the items used. What you will need are:

The mattress that you want cleaned
Some Bicarbonate of Soda (available in all supermarkets in the baking aisle)
A sieve (an icing sugar shaker/duster is even better)
A vacuum cleaner

That is all you need.

Comments

[BilgeButter]

I've heard the average mattress will gain 10 pounds in dead dust mites during it's usable lifespan. Sleep tight...

[Darcy777]

Oh, thank you soooooo much for this info. Now I have even more fodder for nightmares.

[Darcy777]

Oooooo a sieve! Great tip!

[twocvbloke]

This is definitely the best way to clean a mattress, works on carpets too, but you need to replace your vacuum bag or clean out the filter(s) in a bagless, but that said, if you use a decent vacuum made for such tasks (cylinders, Kirbys, or some uprights with turbo-nozzles) it'll get the skin flakes and dust mites out of the material... :)

Actually, I nabbed a video made by the BBC's "One Show" (UK only as far as I know) which shows a Kirby in action on cleaning a mattress, it also has a UV light fitted for killing living nasties, though I don't think they used it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqsdA56zCVQ

I have one of those "sample" tools, it's actually called a Baird Dirt Meter, usually used by Kirby salesmen (there is the Kirby Dirt Meter, but this needs to have replacement filter discs each time it's used, the Baird has washable cloths), very handy to have, if you have a Kirby that is, I don't think there's many other vacuum manufacturers that have their own version... :)

[DIYfan]

Treat this as auto upholstery - use the same cleaners and if you need to rinse it at all, use a damp towel and a wet-dry vac. If you really see STAINS that won't come out, at least try to sanitize them with Lysol spray. Finally, if it's all just ugly, throw a Bedsack over the whole thing and wait until you can score a free replacement mattress in Craigslist.

[logic bomb]

do you know of anything else to use besides bicarbonate of soda that will kill bed mites and skin mites?

[BigNateMI]

Yes, covering the mattress in a full vinyl or plastic cover deprives them of food, then they die. However, this makes me sweat like a woman of ill repute in a house of worship, so I add a thick mattress pad which allows my skin to breathe, and which I launder weekly.

[chiok]

I'm not sure I'm afraid. Steam cleaning and vacuuming might be the only effective way, but it's not as dry as this method.

[Outlander]

Bicarbonate of Soda = Baking soda = Arm and Hammer. This is a great instructable, but in the states this "Bicarbonate of Soda" is called baking soda, or Arm & Hammer. Just trying to keep it simple.

[chiok]

Ah, we have baking powder, which is different to bicarbonate of soda, only slightly though. Arm and Hammer in the UK is a toothpaste I believe. But thanks for the disambiguation!

[FreshPineSent]

No, baking powder is different. I think it makes stuff rise, not stay flat.

[GroundedDreamer]

At this point, depending on your location and weather you may want to lay the mattress out in the sun for a few hours. That shiny thing in the sky is one of the best deodorizers and it disinfects too!

[SlothOnSpeed]

This is superb for people who need to sleep on a mattress that was previously used by another i.e., a college dormitory. I recommend cleaning the mattress, then covering with a dust mite proof cover, before using a mattress pad and sheet. Thank you!

[Lftndbt]

WoW! Does this really work? I've got to try this...! ;)