A mattress gets used every night and collects sweat, skin flakes, dust and the odd spill. A routine clean removes loose dust, freshens odours and deals with small stains. It takes about an hour of work, plus drying time.
Check the manufacturer’s care label first. Memory foam, latex and spring mattresses can have different limits on moisture and cleaning products.
What you need
- Vacuum cleaner with an upholstery tool and crevice tool (a HEPA filter helps trap fine dust)
- Baking soda
- Mild liquid detergent, or an enzyme stain remover
- Spray bottle and cool water
- Clean white cloths or paper towels
- A fan, dehumidifier or air-conditioning to help it dry
How to clean a mattress
- Strip the bed. Remove sheets, pillowcases and the mattress protector. Wash them at the hottest temperature their care labels allow.
- Vacuum slowly. Use the upholstery tool across the top and sides in overlapping strokes. Run the crevice tool along seams, piping and around any buttons, where dust settles.
- Treat stains. Blot, do not rub. Follow the stain guide below and use as little liquid as possible.
- Deodorise. Sift a thin, even layer of baking soda over the surface. Leave it for at least 30 minutes, or several hours if you can keep the room free.
- Vacuum again. Remove all the baking soda, going over the seams twice.
- Dry fully. Point a fan at the mattress, open the windows or run the air-conditioning. Do not put the bedding back until every damp patch is dry.
- Rotate or flip. Turn the mattress head to foot, or flip it if the maker says it is two-sided, so it wears evenly.
Removing common stains
Test any cleaner on a hidden area first, and apply it to a cloth rather than pouring it onto the mattress. Foam absorbs liquid quickly and dries slowly.
- Sweat and yellow marks: a few drops of mild detergent in cool water. Dab the stain, then blot with a clean damp cloth to lift the soap out.
- Urine: blot up as much as possible, then use an enzyme cleaner made for urine. Follow the label for contact time, then blot and dry. Our guide to cleaning dog urine stains and smells explains why enzyme cleaners work.
- Blood: cold water only, because warm water can set the stain. Dab with a cloth dampened in cold water and blot repeatedly.
- Food and drink: lift off any solids, then use the mild detergent method.
Old stains may fade without disappearing completely. Soaking the mattress to chase them usually does more harm than the mark itself.
Drying in Singapore’s humidity
Humidity in Singapore is high all year, so a damp mattress dries slowly and can develop a musty smell or mould. After any wet cleaning, give it a few hours of airflow before you make the bed. Choose a dry day if you can. If you can carry the mattress out to air in the sun, turn it so both sides dry.
If mould has spread into the mattress, or a musty smell keeps coming back after cleaning, the inside is probably damp. At that point it is usually better to replace the mattress than to keep cleaning the surface.
What cleaning does for dust mites
Dust mites live deep in mattresses, pillows and soft furnishings, and thrive in warm, humid conditions like ours. Vacuuming removes loose surface dust, but it does not eliminate dust mites or their allergens, and it is not a treatment for allergies.
To reduce exposure, these steps help more than any single deep clean:
- an allergen-impermeable cover on the mattress and pillows
- washing bedding weekly in hot water, where the fabric allows
- keeping indoor humidity down with air-conditioning or a dehumidifier
- fewer soft toys, cushions and rugs in the bedroom
If someone at home has asthma or allergies, ask a doctor for advice that suits them.
How often to clean it
- Weekly: wash sheets and pillowcases.
- Every month or two: wash the mattress protector and vacuum the mattress.
- Every three to six months: deodorise with baking soda, spot-clean and rotate.
- Straight away: deal with spills and accidents before they soak in.
A washable, breathable mattress protector is the easiest way to keep sweat and stains out of the mattress in the first place.
If the bedroom and the rest of the home need more than a routine clean, our deep cleaning service covers bedrooms, kitchens, toilets and living areas within an agreed scope. Mattress cleaning is not a listed service and heavy stain removal is not part of deep cleaning, so send photos first and the team can tell you what fits.
