How to Clean a Mattress Stain
Removing mattress stains can be a nightmare, so learning how to clean a mattress stain properly is important, if you want to be a good housekeeper. Cleaning mattresses the wrong way can leave you with a stained bed for year to come. When and what you use to clean your bed and bed sheets are most important, because all stains are not equal.
Mild Cleaning Solutions – Simple Stains
For mild stains, you want a mild cleaning solution. You don’t want to bring out the “nuclear option”, except for the tough stains. A mild remedy of dry suds includes mild detergent in a 1/4th solution with water.
This means you’ll add one-fourth of a cup of mild detergent with 1 cup of water. Stir with a whisk or egg beater, to turn it into a sudsy solution. Dip a sponge into this solution and wring it out to keep it from being too watery. Dab the stain with the sponge, trying to wipe away the stain.
If this doesn’t work, move on to more extensive methods. For some of the stains listed below, know this won’t work and skip this option.
Upholstery Shampoo – Tough Stains
Upholstery shampoo should be used for tough stains and deep stains. Some brands to look for in stores and online are Dirt Devil, Bissell, Franklin, Hoover, Joe Campanelli, 3D and Ace.
Each of these products is going to include instructions, so follow the instructions for the upholstery shampoo you buy.
White Vinegar – Urine Stains
How to Clean a Mattress Stain
White vinegar can be used to clean up urine stains from your mattress. Blot the stain with a sponge dipped in white vinegar. You can also use the following suggestion (hydrogen peroxide) for urination stains on mattresses.
Hydrogen Peroxide – Blood Stains
Hydrogen peroxide is the best method for removing blood stains from sheets and mattresses. Blot the stain with hydrogen peroxide applied with a towel. If you use a white or light tower, you can tell when blood continues to seep from the mattress. If so, continue until the blood no longer seeps.
Remember that some blood stains are impossible to entirely clean.
Enzyme Cleaner – Toughest Stains
Enzyme cleaners are cleaners that use enzymes, which act as a catalyst to chemical reactions, to remove stains. The enzyme cleaner goes deeper than other cleansing agents and are used to remove protein stains, resistant starch residues, fatty stains and oily stains from materials.
Mattress Cleaning Tips
Remember to clean a stain quickly. The longer a staining liquid is allowed to set, the harder it’s going to be to remove that stain. Don’t let a stain set in.
When cleaning a mattress, don’t use so much liquid that it can seep into the mattress itself. This makes the situation worse, because you won’t be able to get the liquid out of the mattress and it’s likely to cause mold and mildew. Along the same lines, don’t replace the sheets and comforters on your mattress, until it is completely dry. Otherwise, mildew and mold is likelier to grow.
Knowing how to clean a mattress means you’ll usually be able to get rid of stains. Some stains are too big to remove, but if all else fails, get out the yellow pages and call a local carpet cleaner, to see if they can help you get your mattresses clean.