Spring Clean Your Mattress

My sister and I shared a room until we were 18, and you could say we had different interpretations of “cleaning.”  She loved it, while I had other interests, like … oh, I don’t know, literally anything else.

We had to clean our room on Fridays before we could go out with friends. My sister mixed her own vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle — I know — and prepped her dusting towels. I, on the other hand, didn’t clean so much as shove everything into my closet and force the door shut. Now that we’re older, I’ve come to appreciate cleaning — but still not as much as my sister.

SPRING CLEAN = DEEP CLEAN

Break out the vacuum cleaner and the baking soda — it’s time to spring clean your bed! Throw the sheets, pillow cases and blankets into the wash on hot. Since it’s spring and time for a deep clean, we are going to tackle cleaning the mattress itself.

WHY WE NEED TO CLEAN IT

Well, for one thing, we sweat like one pint every night.

You guys? A PINT. The next time you belly up to the bar, go ahead and take a gander at that pint of beer.

THAT’S.

IN.

YOUR.

MATTRESS.

Secondly, we are constantly shedding dead skin onto our beds, which attracts dust mites and other parasites. So, we want to be sure to clean our natural mattress to help eliminate critters and allergens.

VACUUM

You want to clean the mattress as thoroughly as possible, so use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum. The upholstery attachment is the one with bristles. Before you start, make sure the attachment is sparkling clean. Vacuum the entire surface of your bed in slow, short lines to eliminate as much dust / dust mites as possible. Be sure to get well into the stitching, as bugs like to hide in the crevices of the mattress.

APRIL FRESH

Neutralize any odors by sprinkling some baking soda on your mattress. Let it hang out for about 15 minutes and then vacuum it up. Baking soda is a natural deodorant, and is gentle enough to use on your bare mattress. Disinfectant sprays like Lysol can be sprayed on the mattress and box spring to kill odor-causing bacteria, but be sure they’re good and dry before you dress the bed.

AVOID LIQUID CLEANERS

Liquid is the worst thing for your mattress.

Spills are especially harmful because they sink deep into the core of your mattress. This makes your bed an ideal breeding ground for all kinds of nasties like black mold, mildew and bacteria. Stick with a garment steamer or a vacuum for a good cleaning. Spot clean any stains with a moistened cloth. If you need it professionally cleaned, call around. You can usually find a carpet cleaning company that is glad to do the job for under $100.