Does your mattress need cleaning? You can easily do it with elements that you already have in your house. Write down these tips!
Cleaning a mattress may sound like a big job, but it really isn’t. You can give your mattress good sanitation, eliminate mites and stains, with materials that you surely already have at home and in a short time. This way you can keep it in good condition and ensure your rest, without putting your health at risk.
Deep cleaning of mattresses
Do a deep manual cleaning using household cleaning products at least twice a year. Following these simple steps to know-how:
- Uncover the mattress and shake it to remove all the debris that has accumulated on it.
- Mix a tablespoon of laundry detergent with a liter of cold water and mix well until you create enough foam.
- Apply the foam to the mattress and make circular movements with the help of a soft sponge, especially where there are stains.
- Finally, let the mattress dry well, place it in the sun if possible or help yourself with a hairdryer.
Clean the mattress with baking soda
If you have a very old mattress, there will surely be some brown stains that are the result of moisture and dirt accumulation. To remove stains from the mattress you can use baking soda.
Take note:
With a damp cloth, remove and rinse off the excess solution and allow it to dry well (preferably in sunlight).
How to clean and disinfect a mattress with pee using vinegar
There are two ways to eliminate pee and bad smell from the mattress. The first is using the bicarbonate method that is just explained to you, and the other is with white vinegar.
- Lightly dampen a clean cloth with liquid soap and water.
- Fill a container with 2 parts hot water and 1 part white vinegar, and rub the stained areas with the cloth.
- Let it dry completely.
White vinegar plays an important role as it helps prevent mold and bacteria.
How to get rid of mites?
But the most important thing about these microscopic insects is that they act as allergens and cause allergies in a significant part of the population.
For this, a series of important recommendations must be followed:
Ventilate the house well. It must be done daily, with special emphasis on bedrooms, since mites have a special predilection for mattresses and pillows. Windows should be kept open for at least half an hour so that the air can be completely renewed.
Clean the dust. It should be done without lifting it, using a damp cloth to prevent both dust and mites from passing through the air and remaining in suspension. It is also recommended to use the vacuum cleaner instead of sweeping and, if there is someone allergic to mites at home, it must have a special filter.
Environmental humidity. Humid environments favor the proliferation of mites, for which the humidity conditions in the home must be kept below 50%. The use of air conditioning or dehumidifying devices is one way to achieve this in humid climates.
Mattress and pillows. The amount of mites that accumulate in them is surprising since the temperature that the human body gives them favors their reproductive cycle. It is worth knowing that there are anti-mite covers on the market that prevent them from concentrating on these elements of the bed, but if they are not available, it is recommended to also vacuum over the mattress and pillows, always with the corresponding filter.
Sheet washing. You have to change the sheets at least once a week. As for washing, the comfortable thing, without a doubt, is to do it cold. However, if done this way, a good part of the mites and their offspring would remain in them and alive.
No rugs and carpets. If you decide to ignore the recommendations of not having them at home because it is an ideal habitat for these small arachnids, it is essential to clean them correctly and regularly.
Chemicals. Acaricide products are easily found in supermarkets, similar to the insecticides used against mosquitoes, and which are non-toxic to humans. The problem is that they do not eliminate dead mites, which also have an allergenic effect, so after using them you will have to clean them following the indications already exposed.
Another fundamental piece of advice is to change the sheets once a week and make the bed every morning but without covering it with the quilt, so the sheets can breathe and the mites will not be encapsulated.
Remember that mites can cause allergies, infections, asthma, and other respiratory diseases, so removing these animals from mattresses is essential for your health.
How often you should clean or change the mattress?
The ideal period to clean your mattress is every 15 days, so you can extend its duration. As for deep cleaning, it is recommended to do it every 6 months.
Removable covers are always a good option
First of all, if your mattress has removable covers, it will be much easier to do a thorough cleaning. You must take into account that after several washes the tone of the mattress could vary slightly, which is why you should avoid having it constantly in the washing machine.
When you decide that the time has come for the covers to be part of your laundry, the first thing you should do is take a good look at the manufacturer’s washing instructions and follow them as if they were the word of the most experienced mother.
Wash a single cover first, even more so if your mattress came with matching pillows, it is better to wash the mattress cover with the pillow covers, this will prevent you from damaging the entire mattress in case the homemade cleaning does not give the expected result.
Even if they are made with very resistant fabrics, after several washes, they can be damaged. In any case, it will always be better to do the cleaning by hiring a professional mattress cleaner.
Location matters
On the other hand, you must take into account the location of the mattress.
The plugs and the rest of the furniture determine its location, but if you have a choice, make sure that it is not exposed to direct light or heat sources such as radiators, as they will damage the mattress first, forcing you to look for a substitute much sooner than you expected.
From time to time turn to professionals
As a final piece of advice for cleaning and maintaining your mattress, it is recommended to give your faithful move accompanying a beauty treatment from time to time. Professional cleaning and anti-mite treatments will rejuvenate your mattress as if it were a botox treatment.
These indications will be of help to you and that the mattress in your house will continue to be by your side for a long time, not only because of the affection they are given and because they are already adapted to you.