Your bed gets a lot of use, which means your mattress even if it is on a zero-gravity bed takes a lot of punishment. When you consider that the human body harbors bacteria and all sorts of microbes, it’s no wonder why the mattresses in most homes are the most unsanitary things in the bedroom.

The mattresses in your home contain an exotic and nasty mixture of all sorts of harmful and unsanitary things, both living and nonliving.

Dead skin cells, dust mites, bacteria, and fungal spores are just a few things accumulating on your mattress daily. Even if you think you’re sleeping on a clean mattress, the odds are you’re not.

The good news is that you disinfect the mattresses in your home DIY and get professional results.

Types of Mattresses

There are several types of mattresses. Some mattresses harbor germs and bacteria more than others.

Keep in mind that all mattresses eventually become contaminated with dust, dust mites, skin cells, and other debris.

Today’s most common types of mattresses include memory foam, innerspring, gel, latex, and hybrid mattresses.

Natural memory foam and natural latex mattresses are better for people who suffer from allergies because they’re more resistant to dust mites.

However, like all mattresses, they can still become contaminated by food, urine, and other particles.

Common Mattress Stains

Some stains will be more difficult than others to remove from your mattress. If you’re careful about how you treat your mattress by not eating or drinking while in bed, you can prevent spills and mishaps from staining your mattress.

Some of the most common mattress stains are coffee and other foods, urine, sweat, blood, and vomit.

All of these types of stains will promote bacterial and fungal growth if not removed and cleaned thoroughly. You don’t have to have a professional clean and sanitize your mattress.

Steps on How To Disinfect Your Mattress Like a Professional

If you have a memory foam mattress, you have to clean spills quickly because the foam is very absorbent. The best way to clean a memory foam mattress is with a steam cleaner, which you can rent or buy.

If you’re on a budget, cold water, baking soda, dish soap, and enzyme cleaners are excellent ways to clean and sanitize all types of mattresses. Before using any cleaners, vacuum your mattress first to remove any dust mites, food particles, and other debris.

After vacuuming the mattress, spot-clean the mattress with cold water and dish soap. You should never saturate a mattress with water or other liquids.

To remove sweat stains and strong odors from your mattress, sprinkle a layer of banking soda and let it sit for several hours or overnight. You can also disinfect your mattress with a UV light to kill germs and bacteria.

To maintain a clean mattress, you have to clean and sanitize it regularly. It may seem like a time-consuming job, but with regular cleaning and proper care, you won’t have to deep clean or spend a lot of time removing stains and odors, and you will increase the lifespan and comfort of your mattress.

Emma Chen
Author

Emma Chen holds a degree in Public Health from the University of Washington and has dedicated 13 years to promoting healthy and sustainable cleaning practices. Since joining us as a freelancer in 2020, Emma has shared her expertise in non-toxic cleaning solutions, indoor air quality, and allergen reduction. Her experience includes working in community health programs and as a health educator, which shows in her writing. Emma is a yoga instructor in her free time and participates in community clean-up drives.

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