Cleaning class - Mattresses

Did you know that the average American spends nearly 8 hours a day lying in bed? That amounts to over a thousand hours a year! With that amount of time spent snuggled up, our mattresses can get pretty dirty. We sweat in our beds, and we bring some dirt and grime with us when we hit the sheets. If you're like most people, you possibly even have some meals in your bed. Keep reading to learn how to get your mattress all cleaned up.

To start, you'll want to wash your sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and mattress pad. Cleaning these linens should be done at least every other week. If your four-legged furry friends join you or if you're eating meals in your bed, you might want to clean your sheets weekly or even a couple times a week. Follow the care instructions on your sheet set as different materials can withstand different heat levels.

Next is cleaning the actual mattress. With all the linens removed, vacuum the surface and sides of the mattress. To do this you will want to use an upholstery tool with your vacuum. Take your time with this step. Vacuuming will remove dirt, debris, dead skin cells, and the bacteria that can cause skin irritation. Make sure that you are starting out with a clean vacuum attachment. You wouldn't want to spend all this time cleaning your mattress only to make it more dirty with your cleaning tools! 

Once you have removed all the surface dirt, you can move on to cleaning and deodorizing the mattress. Sprinkle baking soda over the entire surface of the mattress. Gently rub the baking soda into the mattress to get a deeper clean. Leave the baking soda on the mattress for at least an hour. The more time you leave the baking soda on the mattress, the more particles it can soak up. When you are ready, use your upholstery attachment again to gently vacuum up all of the remaining baking soda. For more deodorizing, you can stir in a few drops of an essential oil (lavender would be a great choice) into the baking soda before sprinkling onto the mattress.

Once you are finished vacuuming all of the baking soda off the mattress, put the clean linens back on the bed and get ready to snuggle in for a clean night's sleep.