Ah, spring. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of freshening up your home after a long winter stuck inside. It’s safe to say that this year, many of us spent more time at home than we’d have liked, so you might be feeling the itch for a cleanse even more!

If you’re anything like us, your bed has probably been a place of great comfort throughout these difficult times, so it’s time to give a little bit of love back by adding it to your spring cleaning to-do list.

If you don’t remember the last time you cleaned your mattress — or if you’re not sure it’s ever been cleaned — now’s a better time than any to refresh it. We’ll cover the why, when and most importantly, how to clean your mattress in this guide.

The benefits of cleaning your mattress

We all understand the importance of a clean home regarding allergens, health and hygiene, but not everyone knows that the same applies to your mattress. It may not be as obvious, but your mattress can accumulate dead skin cells, dust, sweat and oil over time, attracting dust mites, bacteria, and other bed bugs. Some suggest that a typical mattress can have between  100,000 and 10 million mites lurking around. Yuck!

What does this mean for your health and wellbeing, and what benefits can you expect from cleaning your mattress?

Fewer allergens and harmful bacteria

If you find yourself constantly feeling itchy and blowing your nose in bed, your mattress could be in part to blame. Cleaning your mattress regularly can reduce the build up of dust mites and other pollutants aggravating your allergies.

A longer-lasting mattress

Taking good care of your mattress will help prolong its lifespan. Clean mattresses stand up better to wear and tear and keep fresher for longer.

General cleanliness

When you consider all of the bacteria living inside your mattress, it’s easy to understand the effects it can have on your health and the air quality. Reduce the pollution in your home by sticking to a mattress cleaning routine.

How often should you clean your mattress?

There are no strict rules around how often you clean your mattress, but in general, we recommend at least once every six months. If you own a relatively new, dust-mite resistant mattress, you could do it less frequently, but if you share a bed with accident-prone kids or pets, it could be much more often.

It’s better to err on the side of caution and clean more frequently than necessary than have it become another forgotten chore.

How to clean a mattress with baking soda

Cleaning a mattress may seem like a difficult or tedious task, but the reality is that it’s actually pretty simple. With the aid of a few readily available household products and tools and a little bit of elbow grease, you can sanitise and deodorise your mattress in the span of a few hours.

1. Strip the bed

Strip your bed down to the mattress. Your sheetsquilt cover and pillowcases can all go in the wash as you set your doona and pillows to the side. While your linens are in the machine and then drying, you can clean your mattress.

2. Apply baking soda

In a generous layer, sprinkle baking soda directly on top of your mattress,

making sure to concentrate on the side that you usually sleep on. For the full deodorising effect, use a whole box or container and allow it to sit for at least an hour. If you enjoy floral scents, add a few drops of lavender essential oil or dried lavender to your baking soda to make your mattress smell wonderful for a few days.

3. Vacuum

Take your time in vacuuming up the baking soda after it has worked its magic on your mattress. Don’t forget to also vacuum the perimeter of your mattress thoroughly. Give your bed base and frame a vacuum, so you’re returning your fresh mattress to a clean base..

4. Treat mattress stains

While it may be challenging to completely rid your mattress of stains — especially if they’re old and set in — you may be able to reduce their appearance with a little bit of effort. Combine two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part dish soap to create a simple spot cleaner. Gently rub the affected areas with a soft-bristle toothbrush and wipe the excess away with a damp cloth. For biological stains, try a store-bought enzyme cleaner.

5. Allow the mattress to air out

Whether your mattress is wet or not, allowing it to air out near a window should help further neutralise any smells. If possible, stand your mattress on its side to allow for better airflow. Don’t make up your bed until you’re confident your mattress is completely dry to avoid moulding.

It’s better to err on the side of caution and clean more frequently than necessary than have it become another forgotten chore.

How to clean a mattress stains

As mentioned, mattress stains can be tough to get out — you can’t just throw the whole thing in the washing machine! Rather than waiting for your six-monthly cleaning to roll around, it’s best to clean mattress stains as soon as an accident happens, because fresh stains are always easier to treat.

Designed with these sorts of incidents in mind, a high-quality mattress protector should also keep you out of trouble.

Mattress cleaning FAQs

Should you rotate your mattress?

It’s true for general wear, tear and cleanliness — rotating your mattress is a

great way to extend its life. To keep things simple, we recommend you turn your mattress as part of your biannual cleaning routine.

How do you deep clean a mattress?

Baking soda and spot cleaning can only get you so far. If foul odours or fluids have penetrated your mattress, you’ll need to get it deep cleaned by a professional.

How do you clean a memory foam mattress?

Memory foam mattresses can be cleaned in much the same way as latex. The only difference with memory foam is that it shouldn't get wet, so take extra care to avoid moisture when you’re treating stains.

How do you clean a mattress without ruining it?

It’s almost impossible to ruin a mattress with baking soda, so to stay safe, opt for this natural cleaning solution over anything excessively harsh.

Choose a hypoallergenic mattress

When it comes to keeping your mattress fresh and clean, prevention is key. Let your mattress do the hard work for you with a hypoallergenic mattress that’s resistant to mould, bacteria and dust mites, so you can regularly get a good quality of sleep. BeddingCo’s Certified 100% Organic Latex Mattress ticks all these boxes and more. With a 120-day free trial, you can experience the clean mattress difference risk-free.