As they say… life happens. When it comes to your mattress, accidents happen! Whether an unwelcome surprise from sleeping with your dog or an accident from your little one climbing into bed with you, a urine stain isn’t something to let go. Not only is your mattress a relatively big purchase, but it also plays an important role in keeping you happy and healthy. You’d never do anything to ruin it on purpose, but your new puppy doesn’t feel the same way. Now, you’re looking at a relatively large purchase that has a pretty gross stain on it. Is there anything you can do to really clean my mattress? Is deep cleaning it an option?
Before we begin...
Before you begin attempting to deep clean your mattress, be sure to check the care label for manufacturer recommendations or cautions. Never drench your mattress with alcohol or liquid cleaners of any kind. Mattresses aren’t designed to get wet, particularly those made from memory foam. Memory foam is a porous material and once it gets wet, the moisture seeps down into it and stays there unless you are able to properly ventilate it. A wet mattress takes on a musty smell, and mold begins to grow inside it within a few days. You’ll be dealing with a situation worse than the one you have now!
How to Deep Clean A Mattress
Step #1: Gather your needed supplies and get to work right away.
Ideally, you saw the accident happen. The quicker you can address urine, or any other stain, the better. Urine stains will set, so it’s important to get to work right away. You’ll need:
- Baking soda
- Dry towel
- Laundry detergent
- White vinegar
- Water
- Spray bottle
- Vacuum
Step #2: Blot the area.
This may be referred to as “deep cleaning a mattress” but you shouldn’t be scrubbing hard. Scrubbing pushes the acidic urine further and further into the mattress. Grab a dry towel and blot the soiled area, soaking up as much of the liquid as possible.
Step #3: Attack the stain.
You’re now going to want to spray a vinegar solution on the stain. In order to make this, mix two parts cold water, one part white vinegar, and a small amount of laundry detergent together in a spray bottle. Allow the solution to sit for about 10 or 15 minutes.
Step #4: Add baking soda.
Cover the entire stain with baking soda and allow it to sit for at least eight hours, if not closer to ten. For stronger odors, you may want to try an enzyme cleaner. You may need to sleep elsewhere for the night, like a recliner, if the stain happens in the evening.
Step #5: Vacuum up the dry baking soda.
Using the hose attachment, vacuum the dried baking soda from the mattress. The stain and the urine odor should be gone!
Don’t make the same mistake again!
Even a high-quality, luxury mattress won’t stay stain-free forever if you don’t have it properly covered. You may swear to never drink wine in bed or let your dog up onto the mattress again, but that’s only part of it. Every night, you sweat, drool, and leave skin oils when you sleep. Our Sleep Experts recommend you buy a mattress protector for your mattress. This protector will stop moisture from getting into the mattress, preventing the growth of mold and mildew, as well as keeping stains like water, wine, coffee, blood, sweat, and urine from seeping in.
Perhaps learning how to deep clean a mattress is all you need to sleep great again on your current mattress, or you may look at a set-in stain and realize your mattress is past its prime. If there’s no reviving it, now may be the time to buy a new mattress altogether. Don’t forget to purchase a mattress protector this time!