How to Clean a Mattress & Remove Stains in 7 Easy Steps

The best way to clean a mattress is to vacuum the surface regularly, deal with stains as they appear, and dry the mattress fully whenever it gets wet.

Mattresses absorb sweat, shed skin, and collect dust through daily use. Regular care keeps your bed fresher and helps the mattress last longer.

We have cleaned and tested mattresses of every type in our own homes, including memory foam and latex. Below, we reveal the simple mattress cleaning techniques that actually work.

This guide is for anyone who wants a fresher, longer-lasting bed, without damaging the mattress.

Key Takeaways

The key things to know to keep your mattress clean and fresh are listed below.

• Clean your mattress every six months, and wash the bedding weekly in between.
• Different mattress materials require different cleaning methods. Keep memory foam and latex barely damp and keep an innerspring's coils dry.
• Treat fresh stains immediately by blotting with cold water.
• Using a mattress protector is the easiest way to keep sweat, spills, and allergens out of the mattress.
• After cleaning, wait until the mattress is completely dry before remaking the bed. Damp mattresses can grow mold.

Most mattress stains and odors can be removed by following just seven easy steps.

How to Clean a Mattress in 7 Steps

To clean a mattress, strip and wash the bedding, vacuum the whole mattress, treat any marks, deodorize with baking soda, and let everything dry before putting your sheets back on.

Follow this routine every six months, and remember to wash your bedding weekly in between.

1. Strip the bed. Remove the sheets, pillowcases, protector, and any topper. Wash your bedding at the hottest temperature their care labels allow.
2. Vacuum the whole mattress. Fit the upholstery attachment to your vacuum cleaner and work across the top, down the sides, and along every seam, where dust and dead skin cells collect.
3. Spot clean any marks. Dab each one with a clean cloth wrung out in cold water with a drop of dish soap, and blot rather than rub. For tough stains, see the "how to remove stains" section below.
4. Sprinkle baking soda over the whole mattress surface. Leave it for at least two hours to absorb odors, or overnight when the bed is not needed.
5. Vacuum the baking soda off. Make slow passes until no powder remains.
6. Let the mattress dry completely. Open a window or run a fan to speed up the drying process. Do not remake the bed while any damp remains. Mold grows in a mattress that stays damp.
7. Remake the bed. Fit the topper and protector first, then the clean bedding.

This routine is safe on any mattress. Deep cleaning differs by mattress type because memory foam, innerspring, and latex mattresses each tolerate moisture differently.

How to Deep Clean a Mattress by Type

To deep clean a mattress, you need to vary the cleaning method depending on the material. Keep sprays off memory foam, keep latex away from heat and sunlight, keep an innerspring's coils dry, and treat a hybrid by its comfort layer.

Run the seven-step routine above first, then follow the steps below for your mattress type.

Memory Foam Mattresses

Memory foam soaks up liquid and dries slowly, so use as little water as possible.

1. Spray cleaner onto a cloth, never onto the foam. A mild soap solution or an enzyme cleaner (a spray that breaks down organic stains, sold for pet messes and laundry) both work.
2. Wipe the surface in small sections. Wring the cloth out hard each time you re-wet it.
3. Press dry towels into any damp patches.
4. Do not use steam cleaners or hair dryers.
5. Leave a fan running until the mattress is dry right through.

Latex Mattresses

A latex mattress needs the gentlest treatment of mild soap, minimal water, and no heat at any stage.

1. Wipe the surface with a cloth dampened in mild soap and cold water.
2. Blot dry with towels straight away.
3. Dry the mattress flat, indoors and out of direct sunlight. Sunlight and heat degrade natural latex.

Many organic latex mattress brands require that you keep the mattress clean as a condition of their warranty. Avocado, for example, states that the warranty does not cover "failure to keep the mattress clean and free of stains and potentially unsanitary conditions."

Innerspring Mattresses

A traditional innerspring mattress has a thin padded layer over its coils, and that surface tolerates the dampest clean of the four types.

1. Wipe the whole sleeping surface with a clean cloth dampened in mild soap solution. Do not soak the mattress, because water that soaks through to the steel coils causes rust.
2. Blot each section dry with a towel before moving to the next.
3. Stand the mattress on its side so air reaches both faces.
4. Let the mattress dry fully before it goes back on the base.

Hybrid Mattresses

A hybrid mattress has a foam or latex comfort layer over steel coils.

1. Clean the surface with the steps for its comfort layer. Use the memory foam steps for a foam layer and the latex steps for a latex layer.
2. Allow extra drying time. Water that gets past the comfort layer settles on the coils, where no towel can reach it.

A deep clean lifts general grime from any of these materials, but some tougher stains need a different treatment depending on their cause.

How to Remove Stains From a Mattress

To remove stains from a mattress, blot up as much as you can while the stain is fresh, then treat whatever remains with a cleaner matched to the cause. Use cold water throughout, because too much heat makes protein-based stains such as blood and sweat permanent.

The table below shows the most effective treatment for 7 common varieties of tough stains.

Tackling stains can be tricky, and prevention is better than cure. The best option is to protect your mattress and prevent stains from happening in the first place.

Should You Use a Mattress Protector?

Yes, you should use a mattress protector to prevent sweat, spills, and allergens from reaching the mattress.

An unprotected mattress absorbs sweat and spills that can soak through into the core. Mattress protectors prevent liquids from reaching your mattress surface.

Mattress protectors also help prevent house dust mite allergens from building up in a mattress over time. One trial found lower allergen levels under impermeable covers but no clear change in symptoms (Terreehorst et al., 2003). A protector lowers allergen levels, but does not cure an allergy.

The best eco-friendly mattress protectors are either waterproof or breathable. Waterproof protectors contain a thin waterproof film that blocks liquid but traps body heat, which matters if you sleep hot. A tightly woven cover keeps mites out of the fabric itself, which a non-woven cover does not (Mahakittikun et al., 2003). Pick the waterproof type for maximum spill protection and the woven type for better airflow.

A waterproof mattress protector stops new moisture getting in. Water already in the mattress, from cleaning or a soaked-through spill, still has to dry out to prevent mold.

How to Dry a Mattress and Prevent Mold

To dry a mattress, move air across both surfaces until no damp is left. Mold can grow wherever a mattress is wet.

1. Blot up any standing moisture first. Press dry towels onto each wet patch until they lift no more water.
2. Stand the mattress on its edge. Air then reaches the underside, which never dries while the mattress lies flat on its base.
3. Open a window and run a fan or a dehumidifier. Moving air and lower humidity pull water out far faster than still air.
4. Bring in indirect sunlight if materials allow. Keep a latex mattress out of direct sun, as noted in the deep-clean steps above.
5. Check the mattress is dry before you remake the bed. Press the surface for any cool dampness and smell it for mustiness. Treat either sign as not yet dry.

The following habits help keep a mattress dry between cleans.

• Keep bedroom humidity down with a dehumidifier or an open window.
• Fold the covers back each morning and let the bed air before you make it.
• Rest the mattress on a slatted base, so air moves underneath it.
• Keep a protector on to stop sweat soaking in.

If a musty smell or a dark patch stays after the mattress has dried, mold may already have taken hold. Our guide to mold in a mattress covers the symptoms and how to treat it.

Drying and airing are two parts of keeping a mattress in shape. Turning it and checking its support are the rest.

How to Maintain a Mattress Between Cleans

To maintain a mattress between cleans, rotate it regularly and keep the support under it sound.

These simple steps help you keep your mattress in good condition between deep cleans.

1. Rotate your mattress lengthways every three to six months. Rotating spreads the wear evenly across the surface.
2. Flip the mattress only if both sides are built for sleeping. Most mattresses today are one-sided and not designed to be flipped. A double-sided mattress has a sleeping surface on each face. Our guide to flipping and rotating a mattress explains how to tell the difference.
3. Check the support under the mattress twice a year. Look for sagging slats, cracked wood, or a bowed box spring, and replace any that have given way. A dip in the base can cause a dip in the mattress.

Rotation and firm support keep a mattress even for years.

Frequently Asked Questions

What supplies are needed to clean a mattress?

The supplies needed to clean a mattress are everyday household items.

• A vacuum with an upholstery attachment, to lift dust and dead skin.
• Baking soda, to absorb smells.
• Mild dish soap, for everyday marks.
• A supply of clean cloths, for dabbing and blotting.
• An enzyme cleaner, for urine and other body stains.
• Hydrogen peroxide, to remove blood.

This kit handles a routine clean and helps treat the most common stains.

What is the best thing to clean a mattress with?

The best thing to clean your mattress with is a cleaning solution made from mild dish soap and cold water, which handles everyday marks without soaking the material.

Baking soda is the best choice for a stubborn smell. Enzyme cleaners are best for stains from sweat or urine, where soap cannot break down the residue.

Avoid bleach and other harsh chemicals, which can damage the foam and fabric.

How do you remove odors from a mattress?

To remove odors from a mattress, sprinkle a thick, even layer of baking soda over the whole surface, leave it for several hours, then vacuum it off.

Baking soda pulls out the sweat and body oils that make a mattress smell. Wash the bedding and open a window while the soda is working.

If the smell was caused by a spill or urine, treat that stain directly. If you have a stubborn odor that keeps returning, it may come from mold or moisture deeper in the mattress.

What does vinegar do to a mattress?

White vinegar neutralizes odors and lifts light stains on a mattress. Its mild acid breaks down the alkaline salts left by dried sweat and urine, which are what cause the smell.

Mix equal parts white vinegar and cold water, dab it on the stained area with a cloth, then blot the area dry.

Never pour vinegar straight onto the mattress, because it can cause very sour odors to grow and the trapped moisture can grow mold. Vinegar does not disinfect the mattress or remove a set-in stain.

How do you sanitize a mattress without washing it?

To sanitize your mattress without washing it, vacuum the mattress, air it in sunlight, and mist it with a fabric-safe disinfectant. None of these techniques soak the material.

Vacuuming lifts out dust mites and dead skin, and a few hours of sun and dry air reduce the mites left behind.

A disinfectant made for fabric kills the germs on the surface. Let the disinfectant dry fully before you remake the bed.

What happens if you never clean your mattress?

If you never clean a mattress, it fills with dead skin, sweat, dust mites, and their allergens.

Dust mites feed on the shed skin, and their droppings build up over months. Dust mite droppings can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms in people who are sensitive to them (Miller, 2018).

None of this damages the mattress, but the bed grows less hygienic and harder to clean the longer it is left dirty.

Can you steam clean a mattress?

You can steam clean a traditional innerspring mattress, but not memory foam, latex, or a hybrid.

Steam brings heat and moisture, which damage foam and latex. A hybrid has a foam comfort layer, so the same caution applies to it.

On an innerspring, use the lowest moisture setting and let the mattress air until it is fully dry.