Spring Cleaning Challenge Day 6: Cleaning the Mattresses

Today’s challenge is about, well, if I may quote The Godfather,
“It’s time to go to the mattresses.” 🙂

A quality mattress is a very important investment for your home.
Since we spend about one-third of our lives sleeping, it seems reasonable to take proper care of your mattress so that you can get the most bang for your buck.

I have some great tips and tricks to keep your mattresses clean and fresh and smelling great.

Experts recommend to clean your mattresses about every two months.
If that is just not going to happen in your home, try making it a twice-a-year-goal.

The best supplies for this cleaning task are:

white vinegar
baking soda
2 new tennis balls
stain remover (such as Oxiclean Versatile Stain remover)
dryer sheets with essential oils (such as Mrs. Meyer’s)
sifter
Vacuum (with crevice tool)

The best steps for cleaning your mattress are:

Remove the mattress cover and toss it in the wash–if stained follow the next two steps
Soak the stained cover in cold water with Oxiclean
Wash the the cover in the hottest setting recommended according to care label, be sure to add 1 cup of white vinegar to deodorize
Vacuum the tops and sides of the mattress using the crevice tool, make sure to get into the tufting and around seams
Poor baking soda into sifter
Working directly over the mattress, lightly dust the mattress evenly with baking soda (this will gradually draw moisture and dirt out of the mattress, thus relieving it of odors)
Remove cover from wash and place in dryer with tennis balls to fluff it back to form (or if you prefer, hang outside to air dry)
You can leave the light baking soda dusting or you can vacuum, your choice (if you do leave it, just vacuum the next time you change your bed)
Get your cover from the dryer and remake bed
Fresh Smelling Tip: Tuck a dryer sheet under your mattress cover to deliver a fresh scent while you sleep.

Remember…next time you clean your mattress, before you start all the steps,

grab a friend and flip your mattress. That way your mattress wears more evenly and you clean both sides.

If you follow these cleaning tips,
you will extend the life of your mattress and hopefully enjoy a better night’s sleep.
Here’s wishing you happy Zzzzzzzzzzz’s.

Do you have any tips for keeping your mattress in tip top shape?
I would love to hear them!

8 Comments

It’s like you know my cleaning schedule – today is the day I change the sheets, so no excuse not to take it to the next level! Thanks for the tips.

I’ve heard to add a few drops of lavender essential oil to 1 cup of baking soda, just to add a nice smell.

Glad I could inspire, Kristy! 🙂

Wow, Holly, that is a great tip! Thanks for sharing!

Great tips! I’d love it if you’d add your post to my link party too. Here’s the URL: http://www.ahappyplacecalledhome.com/home/2012/4/13/blogiversary-week-best-worst-of-year-1.html

Thanks for the inspiration!

xo, Kelli

When our mattress was new, we used a Sharpie and labeled each corner with a season. We flip our mattress quarterly…first side over side, then end to end. With this method, our mattress has maintained even wear…no sagging spots.