We bought our mattress about ten years ago and I must admit, I have never even thought of cleaning it. Even if you don’t realise (or see it), the grime and bacteria that a mattress builds up over time is just plain old gross. So it’s time to make your mattress cleaner than ever before. Here’s how!

Give It A Good Vacuum

The first step in making your mattress cleaner is to vacuum it about once or month. The best way to do this is to run the vacuum nozzle slowly over the top, bottom and edges of the mattress so dust can be sucked up. Let the kids have a bounce on the bed just before you clean it as this surfaces the dust and dust mites and will be easier for you to keep your mattress cleaner.

You should also vacuum your bed base while you are at it.

Give Your Mattress A Beating

To get rid of all the deeply ingrained dust and ensure you go all out in your quest to making your mattress cleaner, it’s a good idea to strip the mattress and take it outdoors once or twice a year. Place it on a towel or a mat, lean it against a wall and give it a good few whacks with a clean broom or a stick.

You can then leave it outside in the sun to air for a while too.

Give Your Mattress Air

When you strip the sheets off your mattress, allow it to remain uncovered for the remainder of the day and allow re-apply sheets later in the evening. This will help to make your mattress cleaner, discourages dust mites and bacterial growth.

Spray It

When you take your mattress outdoors for an airing, lightly spray the mattress with white vinegar and/or an anti-house dust mite spray (like Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Spray) to help prevent mould and dust mites and to eliminate bacteria.

Cover It Up

For an easy way to keep your mattress cleaner, always keep it covered with a mattress protector. Every month, it’s a good idea to give your mattress pad a good wash in warm to hot water.

Stains Stay Away

If you or the kids spill something on your mattress, it’s best to treat the stain right away to prevent mould.

The best mattress cleaner is (unexpectedly) shaving cream. The foaminess of the shaving cream means that it remains on the surface to work out the stain rather than being soaked through if you use a liquid mattress cleaner. Pick a shaving foam with alcohol as this will help as a natural stain remover.

Spray the shaving cream onto the stain, wait for 10 to 15 minutes then wipe off the cream with a damp cloth. Then rinse with a 50-50 vinegar-water solution. You may need to repeat this if necessary.

No More Smells

If your mattress is becoming a bit smelly, you’re going to want to get onto a mattress cleaner solution as soon as possible. Who wants to sleep on a stinky bed?

The best mattress cleaner which freshens and eliminates odours naturally is a mixture of corn flour and baking soda. All you need to do, is shake the mixture onto the mattress, let it sit for a few hours, then vacuum up the residue.

Call in the Mattress Cleaner Professional

If you haven’t tackled cleaning your mattress for years (like me) or have a very stubborn stain that you need to get rid of, it may be best to call in a mattress cleaner expert. Pick a professional mattress cleaner that will steam clean your mattress, rather than use harsh chemicals.

How do you keep your mattress clean? What are your top tips for the best mattress cleaner? Tell us in the comments below.