Guide
How to get stains out of a mattress, and how often to clean
Blot, never soak: cold water with a little washing-up liquid for most marks, and an enzyme cleaner for urine, sweat and vomit. Vacuum the mattress every few months, keep a washable protector on it, and have it deep cleaned every 12 to 18 months.
The rule: as little water as possible
A mattress is a thick block of foam, fibre or springs wrapped in fabric, and anything that soaks through the cover takes days to dry out. A damp mattress grows mould and starts to smell, which is a worse problem than the stain was.
So every method here uses a cloth that is barely damp, worked in by dabbing and lifted out by blotting. Memory foam is the most sensitive: it holds water and gives it back very slowly, and it should never be wetted beyond a light dab. Check the maker's care label too, because some covers are removable and washable and some are not.
Stain by stain
| Stain | What to use |
|---|---|
| Sweat and yellow patches | Cold water with a drop of washing-up liquid, then bicarbonate of soda once dry |
| Fresh urine | Blot hard, then an enzyme cleaner, then bicarbonate of soda once dry |
| Old urine | An enzyme cleaner may lighten it. The smell lives in the filling and needs treatment at depth |
| Blood | Cold water only, dabbed and blotted. Hot water sets it |
| Vomit | Lift off what you can, blot, then an enzyme cleaner |
| Tea, coffee or juice | Cold water with a drop of washing-up liquid |
| Old marks of unknown origin | Try the washing-up liquid method. Some will never fully shift |
Enzyme cleaners are sold for pet accidents and break down the proteins in urine, sweat and vomit that cause both the stain and the smell. Never use bleach on a urine stain: bleach reacts with the ammonia in urine and gives off an irritating gas.
Cleaning a mattress, step by step
- Strip the bed and wash the bedding. The NHS advice for people with a dust mite allergy is to wash bedding regularly at 60C or above.
- Vacuum the mattress on both sides with the upholstery tool, working slowly along the seams and the edge where dust gathers.
- Treat stains one at a time with a barely damp cloth, dabbing from the outside of the mark inwards, then blot with a dry towel.
- Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda thinly over the whole surface, leave it for several hours, then vacuum it off. It absorbs odour and some moisture.
- Dry it fully. Open the windows, prop the mattress on its side if you can, and do not make the bed until it is dry right through.
How often to clean a mattress
| Task | How often |
|---|---|
| Wash the mattress protector | With the bedding, or at least monthly |
| Vacuum the mattress | Every few months, or monthly with allergies or pets |
| Rotate head to foot | As the maker says, often every few months |
| Turn it over | Only if it is double sided. Many modern mattresses are not |
| Professional deep clean | Every 12 to 18 months, more often with allergies, pets or accidents |
Does mattress cleaning kill dust mites?
House dust mites live wherever people shed skin, and a mattress is the biggest single store of it in most homes. People with asthma or eczema react to the allergen in what the mites leave behind rather than to the mites themselves.
A professional clean removes a good share of both, and many households with allergies notice a difference afterwards. It does not leave a mattress free of mites for long, because they return, so it is most effective alongside the things the NHS recommends: washing bedding at 60C or above, dusting with a damp cloth and using a vacuum with a HEPA filter. A washable protector between the sheet and the mattress catches much of what would otherwise go into it.
Mistakes to avoid
- Soaking the stain. It spreads the mark wider and deeper and leaves a tidemark as it dries.
- Hot water on body stains. Blood, urine and sweat contain proteins that heat fixes into the fabric.
- Mixing products. One cleaner at a time, rinsed out before the next.
- Steam on memory foam. Heat and moisture together can damage it.
- Making the bed too soon. A sheet over a damp patch traps the moisture in.
When to pay for it, or replace it
A professional mattress clean costs about £40 to £70 for a double, £30 to £50 for a single and £60 to £110 for a superking, with urine treatment at £25 to £60 on top. Most firms have a minimum charge of £60 to £90 a visit, so it is often cheapest booked with a sofa or a carpet at the same time.
Replacement is the better answer when the mattress sags or has lumps, when an odour comes back after proper treatment, or when it has been soaked more than once. No clean will put support back into a worn-out mattress.
Common questions
How long does a mattress take to dry after spot cleaning?
A few hours for a small area with the window open. A patch that still feels cool to the touch is still damp, so give it longer before putting a sheet back on.
Can I use a carpet cleaner on a mattress?
Only with an upholstery tool, very little solution and plenty of dry passes, and never on memory foam. Too much water is the usual way a home clean goes wrong.
Does a stained mattress affect the warranty?
Often, yes. Many manufacturers' warranties exclude stained or soiled mattresses, which is a practical reason to have a protector on from the first night.
Is it worth cleaning a cheap mattress?
A spot clean and a vacuum, yes. A professional clean on an inexpensive mattress that is also sagging is usually money better put towards a new one.