We spend a lot of time sleeping or lying in bed, so our beds get a lot of use. They can get stained and smelly from spills and body fluids. Items like pillows, sheets, and mattress toppers can easily get dirty but are easier to clean because they’re smaller. Cleaning stains from a mattress is harder, so it’s good to know the best ways to do it.
Cleaning your mattress well makes it last longer, feel more comfortable, and keeps it clean and healthy to sleep on. Getting rid of stains is usually part of this cleaning. We’ll show you how to clean up small stains like blood, pee, throw-up, coffee, and wine. With common things from your home, you can clean up these spills and make your mattress look new again.
Step-by-Step Guide to Removing Small Stains from Your Mattress
We’ll explain the simple steps to remove small stains from a mattress. Even though different stains might need different cleaners, the basic method is the same. After covering these steps, we’ll talk more about how to handle specific kinds of stains.
- Soak up the liquid by gently pressing a clean cloth onto it. Avoid rubbing the stain to prevent the liquid from going deeper into the mattress.
- Put a little bit of the cleaning solution you prefer on the stain. Enzyme-based cleaners are especially good for removing organic stains like blood, urine, and vomit. Other useful cleaning items you might have at home include white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, laundry soap, and dishwashing liquid.
- Dab the area with a dry towel to remove any extra moisture. Choose a light-colored towel to prevent any dye from transferring to your mattress.
- Cover the stained spot with baking soda and let it sit for a few hours. This helps soak up any leftover liquid and gets rid of smells.
- Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the baking soda from the mattress.
- If needed, put more baking soda on the area and then vacuum it up once more.
- Allow the mattress to air dry for at least eight hours to lower the chance of mold or mildew forming. Using a fan to blow on it can help it dry faster.
Effective Methods to Eliminate Blood Stains on Mattresses
Blood stains are very hard to get out. As blood dries, it clots and sticks to fabrics, making it important to clean these stains quickly. Whether the blood is fresh or dry, always clean it with cold water to prevent the stain from becoming permanent.
Fresh Blood
Since fresh blood hasn’t settled into the fabric yet, you can usually get rid of it using a cloth and cold water. For tougher stains, using hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar, then applying baking soda, can help break down the blood and remove it from the fabric.
- Gently pat the blood stain with a cold, damp cloth, starting from the edges and moving towards the center to prevent spreading the stain.
- Dab the area gently with a dry cloth to soak up moisture.
- If the blood stain remains, use a bit of your preferred cleaner. Choices like diluted hydrogen peroxide, diluted white vinegar, and baking soda are commonly used.
- Allow the cleaning solution to rest on the stain for a few minutes.
- Dab the area with a cold, damp cloth to remove the cleaning solution.
- Use a dry cloth to dab the area and soak up any remaining liquid.
- Do this process again if necessary.
- Allow the mattress to air dry for a minimum of eight hours.
Dried Blood
To remove dried blood stains and any odors, you need a strong cleaner. Enzyme cleaners are great for this, but you can also use common items from around the house.
- Choose either an enzyme cleaner or a hydrogen peroxide mixture. For homemade hydrogen peroxide cleaners, recipes usually suggest creating a paste using cornstarch or baking soda.
- Wet the area with cold water.
- Put the enzyme cleaner or hydrogen peroxide mixture on the stain.
- Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Dab the area with a cold, damp cloth to remove the solution.
- For really tough stains, take an old toothbrush and some cleaning solution. Gently scrub from the outside of the stain towards the center to avoid making it bigger.
- Use a dry cloth to dab the area and soak up any extra liquid.
- Do this process again if necessary.
- Allow the mattress to air dry for a minimum of eight hours.
Quick Solutions for Urine Stain Removal from Mattresses
If you have young kids or pets, it’s common to find urine stains. These stains leave yellow marks and a strong smell, and they can also attract bacteria.
Cleaning up fresh urine from mattresses is easier than removing dried stains, so it’s best to act fast when accidents happen. Older urine stains sink deep into the mattress and need a more powerful cleaning approach.
Fresh Urine
It’s best to clean up accidents immediately. Using some distilled vinegar and baking soda can help get rid of fresh urine stains and smells.
- Use a clean cloth to dab the spot and soak up any extra liquid. Make sure not to rub, as this could make the stain bigger.
- Fill a spray bottle with a mix of equal parts water and white vinegar.
- Spray the stained area with the vinegar solution.
- Blot the spot again with a clean, dry cloth to take out more moisture.
- Cover the damp spot with baking soda, and leave it for at least eight hours. This helps soak up the wetness and smell.
- Vacuum away the baking soda and check if there are any stains left.
- If the stain is still there, repeat the steps above.
Dried Urine
Removing dry urine stains usually requires a tougher cleaning solution. A mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and laundry detergent often works well for this.
- In a spray bottle, combine 8 ounces of hydrogen peroxide, 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and a few drops of liquid laundry detergent or dish soap.
- Thoroughly spray the stained area, allowing the solution to penetrate.
- Leave it to dry for eight hours. As it dries, a layer of baking soda residue will form.
- Vacuum away the baking soda, then check the mattress for any leftover stains.
- If stains persist, repeat the cleaning steps.
Cleaning Vomit Stains: A Mattress Cleaning Guide
Vomit is hard to clean because it has different enzymes and acids. Besides getting rid of the visible stain, it’s important to also remove the smell so it doesn’t stay on your mattress.
A store-bought enzyme cleaner is really good at breaking down things like vomit because it targets biological materials. Just use it according to the directions on the package. If you’d rather use things you have at home, mixing vinegar, dish soap, and warm water can also work well.
- Gently dab the area with a disposable cloth to soak up extra moisture. Be careful not to press or rub the vomit into the mattress.
- In a spray bottle, mix 1 cup of warm water, 1 cup of white vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of dish soap. Spray this mixture onto the stain.
- Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Then, with a clean, damp cloth, dab the area to remove the stain residue.
- Cover the area with baking soda and let it sit for at least eight hours to absorb any remaining moisture and odor.
- Vacuum off the baking soda from the mattress, and see if there are any stains left.
- Repeat the process as needed.
Get Rid of Coffee Stains: Mattress Cleaning Tips
Coffee can leave hard-to-remove brown stains, especially if they dry. When a coffee stain is new, try to wash it out with water to prevent the color from sticking to the fabric. If that doesn’t work, using a mix of vinegar and dish soap can help. For coffee stains with cream and sugar, try cleaning with a mix of detergent and warm water too.
- If the spill is fresh, soak up the liquid. If it’s already dry, lightly wet the area with warm water. Begin at the edges and move toward the center to keep the stain from spreading.
- In a bowl, mix ¾ cup of warm water, ¼ cup of white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of dish soap (preferably one that cuts through grease).
- Dip a clean cloth in this mixture and gently dab the stain. Avoid scrubbing it.
- If the coffee had cream and sugar, also apply a mix of warm water and laundry detergent to the area.
- Let the detergent mix sit for five minutes.
- Use a damp cloth to blot off the detergent.
- Then, use a dry cloth to dab away any remaining moisture.
- Repeat these steps if needed.
- Let the mattress dry in the air for at least eight hours.
How to Effortlessly Clean Wine Stains off Your Mattress
Red wine stains are very hard to get out. It’s important to clean them up right away and make sure not to rub them into the fabric.
Store-bought red wine stain removers can work well. If you use one, just follow what the instructions say. Other good cleaners are salt, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap. Don’t use hot water to clean wine stains, since heat can make the stain stick to the mattress even more.
- Gently dab the stain to soak up as much liquid as you can.
- Apply cold water to the stain with a clean cloth.
- Sprinkle table salt over the stain to help draw out the liquid.
- Leave the salt on for a few minutes.
- Use a cool, damp cloth to gently remove the salt.
- Repeat these steps if necessary.
- For tough stains, mix together two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part dish soap.
- Dampen a cloth with the peroxide and soap solution, then dab it on the stain thoroughly.
- Leave it for 20 to 60 minutes.
- Clean the area by blotting it with a new, damp cloth.
- Allow the mattress to air dry for at least eight hours.