How to Clean Gross Stains Off Any Mattress

Had an accident? Or just want to keep your mattress in good nick? Here’s how to clean your mattress, whether it’s pocket sprung or organic mattress, memory foam or latex mattress…

Unless you’ve read our mattress care guide and used a mattress protector, mattress stains are inevitable. But if you can tackle stains when they’re fresh, before they become engrained deep in the fibres, you could save yourself the embarrassment of a soiled and smelly bed – saving you from costly replacements. Try a few of these techniques.

Remember basic mattress care

Pop your upholstery attachment on your hoover and give your mattress the once over at least every six months or more often if you have asthma. Hoovering will get rid of dust mites and the skin flakes they feed on, so pay close attention to their favourite areas – the area near your headboard and along the seam lines.

Sleep on a one-sided mattress? Rotate it at least four times a year to keep it strong on the inside. Otherwise, flip your mattress.

Try to make the mattress stain disappear

There’s more than one way to attack your specific mattress stain, so you might have to experiment patiently.

Before you spot clean, remember to dab up as much of the liquid as possible – wiping or scrubbing could spread your stain. Use cloth or sponge rather than paper towels which can disintegrate. Take special care not to get your mattress too wet. Next, hoover your stain to remove the dust and dirt, making it easier for you to clean it properly. When disaster strikes, put your sheets on a cool wash, because hot water will set any stains that you haven’t successfully dabbed off. 

Top tip: pillow top mattresses are more absorbent, so you’ll have to clean the stain quickly before it seeps deep into the fibres – plus, they take longer to dry out. Of course, you shouldn’t put sheets on a damp mattress of any kind.

1. Bedwetting accidents

Discovered this in the morning? Strip the bed completely. Blot the mattress dry as much as you can. 

Method 1:

• Grab a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide – mix three tablespoons of baking soda and a few drops of washing liquid into it until the powder dissolves
• Pour into a spray bottle, attack the stain and let it sit for at least an hour
• Cover the stain with baking soda, hoover it up 8-10 hours later –repeat if you still have a faint stain, but the smell should have disappeared

Method 2:

• Lightly spray the stain with 50/50 white vinegar and water, leave for 5 to 10 minutes, before dabbing it up with a cloth
• Sprinkle baking soda to get rid of the vinegar or urine smell and hoover it off your mattress

2. Bloody nightmares

Perhaps the trickiest mattress stain, you’ll need to clean blood as fast as possible. But use cold water, because warm water will help set the stain permanently.

Method 1:

• Spray or dab the blood stain with 3% hydrogen peroxide and blot with a clean cloth until the stain is gone
• Alternatively, try lemon juice

Method 2:

• Apply a few drops of laundry detergent directly onto your mattress to break down the bodily fluid and blot it 

3. Puddles of puke

Strip your bedding off and chuck your soiled sheets in the wash.

Method 1:

• Mix a 50/50 solution of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle
• Spray the stain and blot with a clean cloth, repeat until the stain has disappeared
• Sprinkle baking soda over the patch and hoover it up an hour later, before letting your mattress air dry 

4. Freshly spilt wine

Dab sparkling water on the stain or pour salt on to soak up the wine.

5. Mystery mattress stains

Not sure what you’re dealing with? Doesn’t matter. These techniques should shift it for you.

Method 1:

• Dilute washing up liquid and spray it on your stain or dab it on using a sponge
• Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes before blotting it with a cloth
• Repeat until the stain has disappeared

Alternatively, dilute white vinegar or a stain remover.

Method 2:

• Pour washing up liquid into water, whiz it up to make bubbles and rub the bubbles into your stain in a circular motion
• Spray the stain with white vinegar and leave for 5 minutes
• Sprinkle baking soda onto the stain. When the fizzing stops, dab it up with a cloth and hoover the rest
• Stain still there? Use a wet sponge and hydrogen peroxide to blot the stain in a circular motion

5. Seriously stubborn old stains

Don’t get your hopes up, once a stain has dried, the odds of removing it are stacked against you. But what’s the harm in trying to remove by renting a steam carpet cleaner with an upholstery attachment to spot clean your mattress?

Make your mattress smell fresh again

Whether or not you’ve stained your mattress, you don’t want it to smell. Baking soda is a cheap and natural deodoriser. Sprinkle it evenly over your mattress, by hand or using your sieve, and leave it to settle – you’ll notice a difference after an hour, but some folk recommend putting a clean sheet over it and leaving the baking soda on the mattress for 5 to 7 days, before hoovering it up.

And that’s not all, because you can experiment with sleep inducing essential oils like chamomile, sandalwood or lavender – just add a few drops to your baking soda.

Of course, your mattress will smell better if you simply air it out by pulling your sheets back and waiting a while to make it in the morning. Or leaving your bedroom window open next time you strip your bedding off. 

Time for a new mattress?

Too stinky, too stained, too embarrassing – if your mattress is a lost cause, replace it with one of our Bed Guru mattresses, if you choose one of our selected pocket sprung mattresses in May or June you even get a FREE waterproof Tencel mattress protector. Browse our collection of everything from rolled to latex and even sports mattresses – call us today to be matched with the ideal mattress for your budget and sleep requirements.

Claim your FREE mattress protector worth up to £61.99

Remember to test cleaning products on small patches before cleaning your entire mattress stain. Call us today on 0113 322 0303 if you want to know more about cleaning your specific Bed Guru mattress.