Luxury Bedding: How to Clean a Mattress - Part 1

A lot of my customers ask me how to clean a mattress when there has been a stain or spill that has soaked into the bed. What I want to say is that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

A lightweight, washable mattress protector keeps your mattress perfectly clean and it’s waterproof, so guards against spills. After a deep penetrating spill, there is really no way to make a mattress clean again. However there are some things you can do to make a bad situation a little better.

You can spot clean. Depending on what was spilled on the bed, there are several cleaners that you might spot clean with: lemon juice, vinegar, dishwashing liquid, or a household citrus cleaner. The idea behind spot cleaning is to use as little liquid as possible to remove the stain. This avoids the potential for encouraging the growth of mildew, dust mites, or other things you don’t want growing in your bed.

Another way to remove an odor or stain from your mattress is with baking soda. Sprinkle the baking soda on the affected area and let stand for several hours; then vacuum the soda. Repeat two or more times if necessary. Using baking soda in this way is especially effective if you combine it with spot cleaning. Upholstery shampoos are available that may be helpful in conjunction with spot cleaning and vacuuming.