Gather ’round, folks as we usher you down the rabbit hole of mattress hygiene, a realm you might’ve pushed to the back burner of your mind, until now. Believe you me, it’s far from a yawn fest; in fact, it’s a down-to-the-wire necessity! You see, your trustworthy sleep-chariot, the mattress, doesn’t simply sport an unseemly exterior when ignored, but transforms into a fertile playground for those invisible mattress marauders – dust mites!
Now don’t get me wrong, these fellas aren’t holding any fiendish conspiracy to usurp you from your nightly slumber fairytale, but they do indeed cause havoc to breathing. Thus, in this edutainment segment, allow us to demonstrate the magic trick of restoring your mattress to its original squeaky cleanliness, free of terrible, tea-spilling, crumb-generating children or pet mishaps. Pay close heed to these easy-peasy instructions and your magical sleep-chariot will become fit for a king and queen.
Why’s it so gosh darn important to give your mattress a deep cleanse?
Folks, your mattress isn’t just where dreams are spotlighted nightly, but it’s your personal landing strip for eight hours every twilight, so needless to say, you’d want to keep it cleaner than a bottle of pure spring water. Plus, a gloriously unblemished mattress has more longevity and the comfort-quotient shoots up like a rocket!
And should you carelessly let your mattress lead an adventurous life without cleaning?
Well, without frequent TLC, your mattress starts shouting for attention – emanating a musty and completely unwelcome scent. This aromatic presentation, my friends, is the fantabulous culmination of sweat, dead skin cells, and those covert dust mite conventions. The musty air can spoil your superior hosting skills and, worse still, it’s a health-risk! Those teensy-weeny mites, in their dirt-paradise, are akin to asthma-causing thugs, and if left unchecked, they can trigger a catastrophic anaphylactic shock.
Naturally, you’d be screaming: How frequently should I do a deep clean?
As a rule of the paw, fix an appointment with your mattress every six months. Now, if your lungs are particularly sensitive or the yearly pollen parade gets you sneezing, you might need to hose it down more often. And should you spot a stubborn stain or two, or any dirt buildup, don’t hesitate to give it a spot clean.
Which are the absolute best products to gift your mattress a deep clean?
Your trusty vacuum cleaner, paired with an upholstery add-on part and a mild detergent, is all you need for a general cleanse. For harder-to-erase stains, introduce white vinegar or baking soda to your cleaning arsenal. Smack them on the stain, leave them be for an hour, and then unleash your vacuum on it.
Let’s break down the recipe for the immaculate mattress, a la MasterChef:
– A vacuum cleaner with an upholstery arm
– Baking soda
– White vinegar
– Fairy liquid
– Hydrogen peroxide
– Cleaning cloths or a sponge
– A bucket big enough to house a small country
Fasten your seatbelts, it’s Deep Clean time!
Kick things off by romancing your mattress with the vacuum’s upholstery attachment. This would do away with any superficial dirt, dust, and hair. If you’re armed with a handheld vacuum, feel free to use that too.
Next, unleash a confetti of baking soda on your mattress, which doubles up as a natural de-smellificator. Let it party on your mattress for a good 30 minutes before moving to the next step.
While your baking soda is soaking up the odors, get going on the cleaning potion. In a bucket, mingle equal parts of vinegar and water. If you’re battling obstinate stains, add a few sneaky drops of Fairy liquid to the mix.
Once the baking soda party winds down, use a sponge or cleaning cloth to wipe off the residues. Don’t forget to suck up all the baking soda stragglers with your vacuum.
It’s time to brave those pesky stains. Dip your sponge or cleaning cloth into your vinegar magic potion and plop it down on the stain. If the stain’s stubbornly refusing to budge, coax it out gently with a brush.
After the stain lifts its stubborn head and vanishes, give the area a rinse with clean water and blot it dry with a towel.
Wrap up the cleaning ritual by dousing a clean cloth in hydrogen peroxide and glossing it all over the mattress. Hydrogen peroxide‘s a germ-killer extraordinaire that will escort any leftover bacteria to the exit door. Make sure your mattress breathes in some fresh air and dries off completely before you crown it with fresh sheets.
Related: Your mattress pad definitely needs cleaning — here’s the best way to do it
Voila! Your mattress is now as clean as a whistle, devoid of any dirt, dust, or stains. Regularly scheduling this cleaning bonanza can keep your mattress looking and smelling as good as new for the next couple of years.
