How To Clean Your Mattress With Baking Soda

If you need to know how to clean a mattress properly then we have a straightforward six-step method for you to put into practice, quickly.

Mattresses are one of the most used items in our homes and we spend one-third of our lives horizontally on them, so they sure do deserve a clean every once in a while... Because even the best mattress out there will absorb sweat, blood, dead skin cells (dare we say tears) plus more glorious bodily things over time, but who wants to get cozy with that?

Fortunately, for our purse strings, a dirty mattress doesn't necessarily need replacing. We'll show you how to clean your mattress and sanitize it using cheap household cupboard ingredients like baking soda and vinegar.

Tend to stains and smells early on to not only extend the life of your mattress but also improve your general wellbeing too.

How to clean a mattress: Step by step

'Mattresses are covered in mites,' says Lynsey Crombie, aka Lynsey Queen of Clean.

'These mites feed on dead skin that we naturally shed in our sleep. This means that you are rolling around and inhaling all kinds of nasty particles which could include fungal spores, bacteria, plasticizers and flame retardants.'

You will need:

A trusty handheld vacuum cleaner (like Prosenic S1 Handheld vacuum from Amazon)
Baking soda or bicarbonate of soda
White vinegar
Lavender Oil
Powder detergent

1. Strip the bed

A grey bedroom with geometric patterned laundry basket, wood and metal side table and ornaments on raised shelf above headboard

To start, remove your bed sheets and the mattress cover, putting both of these in the washer.

'First and foremost, you'll want to completely strip the bed and wash the sheets, pillowcases, and blankets,' says Lauren Fountain, certified sleep science coach, Sleep Foundation.

'Check the label on your pillows to see if they are machine washable. Ideally, you'll want to wash bedding in hot water in order to get rid of dust mites, but it's important to follow the recommended care instructions to avoid potential shrinkage or fading. We recommend washing sheets weekly to help keep your mattress clean.'

Today's almost futuristic washing machines have a whole load of sophisticated and performance-based settings to ensure they clean your mattress and bedding with the utmost care.

Also, if you don't have one, then it's worth finding the best mattress protector for you. They say prevention is better than cure, so these will not only help extend the life of your mattress but they make cleaning easy as most can be thrown into the washing machine on a regular basis.

2. Vacuum vigorously

A mattress being cleaned with a Dyson handheld vacuum cleaner

You want to remove any food crumbs, dirt, dead skin cells, debris, dust, and pet hair (yes, we know you let them up there) that's been building up so use a clean (note the word clean) upholstery attachment to really get into any grooves. Vacuum the sides of the mattress, too.

The best handheld vacuum cleaners can ensure that you can get into hard-to-reach areas, cleaning every nook and cranny.

While you're wondering how to clean a mattress, it's worth highlighting your headboard too. Because you don't want to do a half-done job.

'A weekly hoover and spritz of fabric spray will keep your headboard free from dirt and dust, as well as assisting it in smelling nice and fresh.' says Jonathan Warren, director at bed specialist Time4Sleep.

'For a deeper clean, start with a quick hoover, apply a mix of warm water and detergent to a dry cloth and blot any visible stains, before leaving to dry and giving it another once over with the hoover. It'll be good as new in no time.'

3. Don't forget to flip your mattress

A white quilted mattress being flipped by female wearing denim jeans

Not all mattresses need it, but many do even if just for the first year or so and we recommend you do so every season regardless. So if your mattress does ask for regular flipping and turning, do it to prevent warping and sagging.

'The underside of your mattress likely won't have any visible stains, but it can still harbor a lot of dust, moisture, and more.' says Fountain.

'If your mattress is not designed to be flippable, you can still clean the underside, but be cautious when flipping it over, and do not apply too much pressure to the mattress.'

While one expert tells of the health benefits associated with rotating your mattress:

'By keeping your mattress in good shape, your body will experience maximum sleep support. This means that your spine will be aligned, reducing the chance of waking up with neck and back pain.' says Ben McClure, co-owner, Gardner's Mattress & More.

'You'll also feel more comfortable during sleep, which makes conditions ripe for longer stretches of quality rest. Good sleep and proper sleeping positions have been linked to better health, so making conditions optimal for sleep is essential for your well-being.'

'When over 20 million people in America are allergic to mattress allergens like dust mites, it's important to do everything you can do to reduce their numbers. Regularly flipping and vacuuming your mattress can decrease the number of pesky allergens by not having just one side exposed to our old skin cells and indoor dust.'

Note, the best mattress toppers can also help to cradle a sore body (as well as being a quick, rental-friendly upgrade to a cheap mattress), but if the aches and pains continue, then it's best to seek medical advice.

4. Freshen up your fort with a deodorizer and sanitizer

A quilted button-backed mattress drying in sunlight

If your mattress smells, that is quite possibly dried sweat – delightful we know. Using a sieve (if you have one), sprinkle a light layer of baking soda or bicarbonate of soda over the entire surface and gently rub in with a scrubbing brush – leave for at least one hour, longer if you can.

And if you want an added scent for the days following your deep clean you can add a few drops of essential oil like lavender to the baking soda before you sieve it. This will absorb any excess liquid from the stain removal process, and leave your mattress smelling fresh and clean. Vacuum off the soda, making sure to get into all crevices.

The best thing to naturally eliminate bacteria from your mattress is fresh air, ideally in the sunshine. If you are unable to haul your mattress into the garden, a well-ventilated sunlit room will work as well. The sun is an amazing (and free!) natural disinfectant and deodorizer and will be as effective at freshening up your mattress as cleaning it with detergent.

For this to work best, you will need a full eight hours of sun, so pick a cloudless spring day for this task, as well as positioning your mattress in a way that will guarantee direct sunlight. We would recommend this as the last drying step of cleaning your mattress.

5. Spot clean your mattress and treat any stains

An assortment of white vinegar, essential oils and other holistic cleaning products on bed

You're likely dealing with old protein stains i.e. urine, menstrual blood, sweat, and the likes. Either use an enzyme treatment with as little water as possible. Damp can damage a mattress' fibers and if you have a memory foam mattress, water could completely ruin it so be careful day to day with liquids and when cleaning too.

There are so many different approaches using chemical and eco-friendly approaches. What you use to clean a stain depends on the stain itself. The golden rules whatever you're removing are to never scrub, but to dab, and not to get the mattress wetter than you need to.

For an all-over mattress spring clean, post-vacuuming you can spray the mattress with anti-bacterial white vinegar and then sprinkle it with baking soda (bicarbonate of soda is the same).

When cleaning with vinegar, let it bubble and place a towel over it for a couple of hours. Vacuum up any residual baking soda and allow to air dry. The smell of vinegar will disappear as the mattress dries.

You can also mix 2oz of powdered detergent with 300ml of warm water, mix well until soap suds form. Apply a thin layer onto the mattress and rub it in with a sponge. Keep rubbing until any visible stains start to fade; otherwise, just work up a good lather. Remove any remaining detergent with a clean sponge. Leave to dry completely or use a hairdryer, holding 50cm above the stain, to help speed up this process.

How to clean specific mattress stains

'When it comes to using soaps and cleaning products on your mattress, it's important to be careful,' warns Fountain.

'You don't want to use anything too harsh that could damage the delicate fabric of your mattress. Also, keep in mind that it's difficult to completely remove detergents from a mattress, so you may wish to choose products with a mild scent.'

Tea and coffee stains on a mattress: If we're talking fresh tea or coffee spills, just dab at the stain with a baking soda solution (115g in 600ml of water). Leave it for half an hour. Rinse by dabbing with clean water.
Mattress blood stains: If you're wondering how to clean blood stains - most of the magic is in the temperature of your H2O. Dab with cold water (never hot water), and if that doesn't do the job, try the aforementioned baking soda solution.
Mattress sweat stains: If it's other bodily fluids that have caused the stain, use a washing-up liquid solution on a clean cloth.
Vomit stains: Once you've cleaned up, start blotting up any liquid. Then mix equal amounts of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle wet the stain then blot. Repeat until the stain disappears.
Urine stains: Little kids and pets can often have accidents in the middle of the night, so here is one of the best ways to clean up urine. Strip the bed and soak up the urine by blotting with paper towels, applying pressure to reach the deeper layers. Spray the urine stain with a white vinegar solution (two parts warm water, one part white vinegar). Blot with a paper towel. Repeat two or three times to remove the stain and smell. Finally, allow to air dry.

6. Air it out

A bedroom with white bed sheets and grey duvet being lifted in air, table lamp with grey lampshade and orange scatter cushion

Your mattress shouldn't be overly damp no matter what treatment you have used, however, ensure it is completely dry before putting your clean mattress protector and bedding back on.

'Airing out your mattress is beneficial in many ways. Not only does it allow any remaining moisture to dry out, but it exposes your mattress to the sun and fresh air,' says Sarah Fishburne, director of trend and design, Home Depot.

To air out your mattress, simply open a window so your mattress is hit with sunshine, or pick up your mattress and bring it outside. Doing this will eliminate bacteria and mold that may be present on your mattress. Plus, it will help alleviate or eliminate odor.

A bedroom with windows open and curtains moving with the wind

How to get rid of mattress dust mites

A cat lying on a bed with white duvet and small table lamp

Airing the bed every morning is one way to get rid of dust mites – or at least limit them. The best steam cleaners are also great for their bug-busting abilities too. Simply go over the mattress before you vacuum, to help kill and remove any pesky pests that might be lurking.

Pets are also culprits when it comes to finding fleas in your bedroom. So, if you can't resist your furballs, look at our guides to cleaning up after dogs and tidying up after cats for some mess-reducing techniques.

Expert tips on cleaning and caring for your mattress

'When it comes to the heavy-duty jobs, like bed bug removal and steam cleaning, you definitely want to call in a pro. Bed bugs are a super time-sensitive issue, as they spread like nobody's business, so I'll add that you should call that professional pronto. Have them treat your mattress, bedroom, and any other areas affected in the house immediately.' says Melissa Maker, Youtube star and author of Clean My Space.

She also advises regular flipping and a mattress protector, at all costs.

And, social media's most coveted cleanfluencer, Sophie Hinchliffe, (aka Mrs Hinch) has some magic mattress advice. She says: 'For those asking why I use bicarb and what does it do, it's an odor eliminator so any odors that may be lingering in the mattress it just soaks them up and absorbs them. It works really, really well.'

How often should you clean a mattress?

This depends on a matter of things like whether you sleep solo or have pets on the bed (or kids). You'll want to treat urine and bloodstains, plus spills and the likes immediately (that's a given) but you should aim to deep clean your mattress in the following way a couple of times a year, ensuring once is in the summer months so that you can sanitize it in the sun also (more on this later).

'To keep your mattress clean and refreshed, we recommend removing your sheets and protective mattress cover and gently vacuuming the mattress at least once or twice per year.' says Jill Johnson, vice president of marketing, Tempur-Pedic.

When should I clean my mattress?

'It's best to clean your mattress first thing in the morning,' advises Fountain.

'That way, you can let the baking soda do its job for 8 hours or more, and have things cleaned up by the evening. Alternatively, the day before an overnight trip is also another good option, as you can let the baking soda sit on your mattress overnight.'

How can I protect my mattress?

A bedroom with shelf above bed and croissants in woven tray

Yeah, we know. You can't beat breakfast in bed, the cat does what it likes and the dog's just too cute to resist, right? All these, though, make for increased levels of bacteria (and therefore smells), dust mites love pet dander as much as human skin flakes, and muddy paw prints on a duvet are not a good look. If we haven't made you second guess that smoked salmon bagel or crispy croissant, the experts agree... We're not exaggerating.

'While the occasional breakfast-in-bed can be fun, treating your bed as your permanent dining room is a harmful habit to pick up long term.' says Hannah Miller, senior brand manager, Mattress Firm.

'For the chronic bed-eater, keeping a clean mattress is no easy task. If you're eating meals on your mattress, consider every part of your bed set as a potential breeding ground for germs and bacteria.'

'Experts say the average sleeper should be changing their sheets every 1-2 weeks — an activity that will no doubt need to be increased if bed-eating is your thing. Bottom line? Snacking in bed means a major increase in mattress maintenance and possibly quicker mattress replacement.'

'Still unconvinced? Move over and make room in your bed for guests of a different variety. From ants to roaches, eating in bed leaves your sacred sleep zone open to hungry pests (and their friends!). The smallest of spills may leave your bedroom open for business for bugs. Even for the most careful eater, it's tough to eat in bed without leaving something behind, only for unwanted guests to enjoy it later!'

Finally, for a miracle in a can, why not try using Scotchguard, available on Amazon.

'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, or so they say, and the same holds true for mattress stains.' says McClure.

'Protect your mattress by spraying Scotchguard on it, or, if you prefer to go chemical-free, simply use a thin mattress protector. Many people are wary that a "plastic sheet" will feel awkward when sleeping, but many of today's protective covers are barely noticeable and are surprisingly comfortable. It is much easier to take off a protective sheet and wash it, or even purchase a new one, than it is to clean a mattress.'

Why should you clean a mattress?

Sleeping on your mattress every night, in all seasons, obviously causes a little wear and tear. Over time, all that sweat, dirt and dead skin cells accumulates and if you don't tend to it enough, you could end up with a smelly mattress, a bad night's sleep and if you're terribly unlucky, an infestation of some kind.

If that hasn't persuaded you, apparently the average person sweats out half a pint of perspiration every night...