You should probably clean your mattress. It’s recommended for mattresses to be cleaned once every 6 months. We know it’s often overlooked and how easy it is to focus on clean sheets and a fresh doona. But what lurks within your mattress might make you more proactive.

We spend one-third of our lives asleep, and even more time lounging around in bed. With that being said, from all this time spent in our beds, the lifespan of a mattress can wear down quickly if your mattress isn’t relieved from dust mites, dirt, stains and other debris that naturally accumulates over time. To help you out, we’ve put together an easy “How to” that will save you time and help protect you from the allergens that lie within your mattress.

With a third of our lives asleep, and now with more people lounging in bed watching tele or on their phones, we spend a lot of our time in bed! This excessive use impacts the lifespan of a mattress and can wear it down quickly over time if your bed isn’t relieved of its accumulated dust mites, mold, mildew and debris. To help you out, we’ve put together an easy “How to” that will save you time on cleaning and help protect against allergens.

How to Clean a Mattress with Baking Soda

Cleaning a mattress with Baking Soda is a natural, inexpensive, and effective way to freshen up and remove unwanted odors and stains from your bed. When choosing baking soda for mattress cleaning, it’s best to use a plain and unscented formula that hasn’t been mixed with other cleaning agents that could harm your bed. Be aware when shopping at your local supermarket that you’ve picked up the baking soda and NOT baking powder for this cleaning method!

To clean your mattress with baking soda, you will need one box of baking soda and a vacuum cleaner.

5 easy steps to clean a Mattress with Baking Soda:
1. Strip your sheets and mattress protector. If you don’t own a mattress protector, now is the perfect time to think about investing in one!
2. Sprinkle the whole box of baking soda over the entire surface of the mattress
3. Let the baking soda sit for at least an hour. If you think your mattress needs a more intense clean, you can leave the baking soda overnight. This might be challenging if it’s your own mattress, in that case, you could do this method first thing in the morning and vacuum right before bed.
4. Thoroughly vacuum your mattress to remove all baking soda. Make sure you do this slowly to ensure all the baking soda has been removed.
5. Make your bed with a clean mattress protector and fresh sheets and you’ll be ready to slumber!

Baking soda is a natural and safe cleaning product, but it may not be suitable for all types of mattresses. Baking soda can be abrasive and can sometimes damage delicate mattress materials like silk. We recommend that you spot-test before sprinkling the entire mattress with baking soda in order to avoid any risks.

While the baking soda is working its magic, this is also a great time for your mattress to air out. Think about opening the windows in your bedroom and cleaning up any debris around the mattress for an even cleaner bedroom.

How to Clean a Dusty Mattress

You are not alone, dust mites live in every home! The little bugs feed off human and pet dander and accumulate easily on our mattresses and other furniture around the home. Because our beds are a cozy environment, mites often gravitate towards the bed as they love the warmth.

We only want to get rid of dust mites because they are a major cause of allergies and asthma. While we understand it’s not entirely possible to get rid of them completely, it can be a huge help to those suffering from various health concerns to keep your mattress as dust-free as possible.

We recommend everyone tries to vacuum their mattress every three to six months but if someone in your household has allergies, you could try this method more frequently.

To clean a dusty mattress is simple, all you need is a vacuum with a brush attachment. If you have stains in some areas you can mix equal parts of water and vinegar to spot clean afterward with a dry, clean cloth.

How to Clean a Dusty Mattress:
1. Again, strip your sheets, pillowcases and mattress protector and put them on a warm cycle
2. Vacuum the mattress using a brush attachment to remove as much dust and debris as possible. Make sure to get into the seams, around labels and in any divots on your bed because that is where most of the dust will accumulate.
3. Spot-clean any stained areas with a solution of equal parts water and vinegar. Pour a small amount of the mix onto the area and dab with a clean cloth until it is almost dry. Don’t drench any stains as mattresses are very absorbent – a little-by-little method is recommended here.

For protection against dust and allergens, we have designed our mattresses with your health in mind. All SleepMaker mattresses are treated with Ultra-Fresh, an antimicrobial, which protects against dust mites, bacteria, mould and mildew. Specifically, our Luxury Edit and Performance Edit mattresses at David Jones are designed with a layer of KülKōte Copper, a temperature regulating layer that utilises the natural antibacterial properties of copper.

How to Clean Urine from a Mattress – Deep cleaning a mattress

Your kid has wet their bed for the first time and doesn’t tell you until the morning – 8 or so hours later the stain has sunken. You’ve washed all their bedding but still, when you change the sheets you can see, and lightly smell, their innocent mistake. Here’s how you give the mattress a proper deep clean to get rid of what might have seeped deeper into the bed.

The most effective way to deep clean a mattress is by using a steam cleaner. Please don’t mistake this for a rug doctor you can hire from the supermarket, they can be too aggressive for a mattress. You can affordably buy a portable steam cleaner at any retailer near you like Bunnings, Harvey Norman or Kmart.

How to steam clean a Mattress:

1. Vacuum the mattress using a brush attachment to remove as much dust and debris as possible. Try to use short strokes as you vacuum the entirety of the bed and pay special attention to areas that get the dirtiest such as under your head or your feet.
2. Each steam cleaner is different, so it’s important to follow the set-up instructions.
3. Hold the steamer 5 to 7 centimeters above the mattress and move slowly in long strokes covering every bit of the surface. Avoid doing blasts of steam and check frequently that the surface of the mattress is damp and not wet.
4. Open your windows or turn on a fan and allow the mattress to air dry for at least three hours, we don’t want any moisture to be trapped inside the fibres.

• Other tips for deep cleaning and mattress protection:
  Removing odor: If you can smell an odor coming off your mattress, you can mix baking soda and cornstarch together. Sprinkle the mix over the entire mattress and leave it overnight before vacuuming the excess. Cornstarch is also helpful in removing and lifting oils.
• Invest in a mattress protector: Purchasing a thick mattress protector helps to absorb body oils and moisture by creating a barrier between your mattress and bed sheets. You can check out our mattress protectors here.

We recommend steam cleaning your mattress every 6 to 12 months in order to keep it fresh and free of germs and allergens. However, if your mattress is extremely soiled and cannot be cleaned, it may be necessary to replace it.

Please note: If you have a foam mattress or one with a lot of foam, do not steam clean your mattress as this will damage it as the foam is extremely absorbent.

For more tips on sleep and mattress care, you can visit our sleep guide where you can find helpful advice on how to maintain a clean and healthy sleeping environment.