How to Clean & Spot-Treat a Mattress

It’s easier than you think to take good care of a mattress so it can last longer. Proper mattress care includes vacuuming, spot-cleaning stains, and rotating & flipping a mattress every 3–4 months.

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Taking proper care of a mattress can help prolong its usable life, starting with flipping the mattress (if it’s two-sided) and rotating the mattress on a regular schedule. That’s a great time to also clean and sanitize the mattress, helping you stick to a mattress care routine.

Routine cleaning starts with vacuuming to get rid of surface dirt like dust, skin flakes and pet dander. Next, carefully treat any stains with Clorox® Urine Remover, which has hydrogen peroxide in the formula to remove stains like blood, urine, and other bodily fluid stains. Let fully dry. Finally, sanitize the mattress surface with Clorox® Disinfecting Mist.

Once the mattress air dries completely you can rotate it 180° and flip it (if you have a two-sided mattress). To make mattress cleaning easier in the future, consider using a mattress pad to protect the surface from stains. Finally, remake the bed with clean sheets and you can look forward to a great night’s sleep.

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Cleaning a mattress requires taking special care

When cleaning a mattress, it’s important to remember that you can only clean the surface of the mattress, not the inside of it, which is why the inside of a mattress can’t be deep cleaned. That’s why it’s critical not to let the mattress get too wet while you are cleaning or treating stains. Overly saturating a mattress with any liquid lengthens the time required for the mattress to dry completely, allowing the inside to mildew. The key is to work carefully to ensure you don’t saturate the mattress while cleaning and sanitizing.

What you need

Steps to clean and sanitize a mattress

  1. Remove bedding

    Take the sheets and mattress pad off the bed and set them aside to machine wash.

  2. Vacuum the mattress

    Use the upholstery attachment to vacuum loose dirt and soil off the mattress. Use the crevice tool to clean around trim, seams, and quilting.

  3. Treat any stains

    Spray a little Clorox® Urine Remover directly onto the stain until completely covered. Let stand for 3 minutes.

  4. Blot treated area

    To rinse the treated area, use a cotton wash cloth dampened with clean water to blot the surface of the mattress.

    Tip

    Mattresses must not get too wet, so avoid saturating them with cleaners or rinse water.

  5. Air dry the mattress

    After treating stains, the mattress must air dry completely before the stanitizing step.

    Tip

    Use a fan or a portable dehumidifier to speed up surface drying time.

  6. Sanitize the mattress

    Hold Clorox® Disinfecting Mist 6–8 inches from the surface of the mattress and lightly spray until the surface is wet. Do not saturate.

    Tip

    The surface of the mattress must remain visibly wet for 5 minutes to sanitize, after which it can air dry.

  7. Remake the bed

    Once the mattress has dried completely, remake the bed with clean linens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you clean a mattress exposed to flood water?

Unfortunately, a mattress that gets saturated with flood water must be discarded. Some states have programs like https://mattressrecyclingcouncil.org/ for mattress recycling. Check with your garbage service provider to see what’s available near you if you need to dispose of a mattress.

How often should I vacuum my mattress?

At a minimum, vacuum every 3–4 months when you rotate and flip a mattress (also an important part of mattress care). If you have a mattress that doesn’t require flipping, you should still rotate it every 3–4 months, so be sure to vacuum at the same time. This is also a good time to treat any stains and sanitize the mattress surface.

How do you clean a mattress that can’t be washed?

At a minimum, vacuum every 3–4 months when you rotate and flip a mattress. While you can’t saturate or deep clean mattresses, you can spot treat them, being careful not to let the cleaning solution soak into the mattress.

How do you clean a used mattress?

It’s impossible to deep clean the inside of any mattress, but spot treating stains with Clorox® Urine Remover and sanitizing the fabric cover with Clorox® Disinfecting Mist can help refresh a used mattress. That’s why you should only get a used mattress from someone you know, who can verify how the mattress has been used and cared for in the past.