There are plenty of places in your house you probably SHOULD be cleaning, but they are easily forgotten. Places like beneath the refrigerator, behind and under your sofa, and your mattress often get forgotten or pushed aside for more obvious cleaning. Cleanliness has a huge impact on a person’s mental health as well as their physical health.
There are many kinds of mattresses available in modern times, and each will come with its own cleaning instructions by the manufacturer. It is recommended that you follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the cleaning process. On average, most people should be cleaning their mattress every six months, regardless of whether or not you have a mattress pad cover.
Below you will find excellent reasons to be regularly cleaning your mattress.
Use this quick guide to navigate your way through:
- Remove Dust
- Dust Mites & Other Critters
- Pollen & Allergens
- Body Oils & Sweat
- Reduce Bacteria Accumulation
- Avoiding Skin Problems
- Indoor Air Quality
- Cleaner Space
- Overall Comfort
- Peace of Mind
- Tips for Cleaning your Mattress
Remove Dust
Dust accumulates everywhere, it’s just a basic fact of life. Your mattress is no exception, even with a mattress pad to protect it. Sure, it will escape most of the dust accumulation with a cover on it, but it’s still going to pick up some particles even when protected.
Dust is made of many different kinds of particles and can be a nasal irritant for most people. Regular cleaning of your mattress will remove any dust that may have gotten past your protective measures and leave your mattress looking and feeling like new.
Dust Mites and other critters
The image makes you shiver a little bit, doesn’t it? Along with dust comes the dust mites. Dust mites are microscopic relatives of ticks and spiders that enjoy munching on shed skin cells. Also, these little guys enjoy warm and humid environments with an affinity for mattresses, upholstered furniture, and carpet. Dust mite allergies can also contribute to other problems, such as asthma.
There are other potential bugs or other critters that are attracted to the same kind of surfaces. With regular cleanings, you are able to prevent infestations from these little pests and rest easier.
Pollen and Allergens
Cleaning your mattress on a regular schedule can help you remove allergens, such as dust and dust mites which we’ve already mentioned, as well as pollen particles. Anyone with seasonal allergies knows that somehow pollen particles can find their way into some of the darndest places.
Depending on how severe your allergies are to pollen and dust mites, you may opt to clean your mattress even more often than the recommended twice per year.
Body Oils & Sweat
Being a human, you can’t escape leaving small traces of yourself behind. If it’s not dead skin cells, it’s oils and sweat from your pores. Sure, that’s why we frequently change the sheets and wash the mattress pads, but even with the best upkeep some of these make it through to the actual mattress.
While it’s kind of gross to think about it, you can put your mind a little more at rest by completing the regular recommended cleaning.
Reduce Bacteria Accumulation
Alongside all the soils that can be on your mattress comes bacteria. Bacteria is just a part of life. There are harmful and helpful kinds, but you want to be sure that you don’t have any harmful bacteria taking up residence on your mattress.
Keeping your mattress properly cleaned and protected can help you reduce the number of harmful bacteria hanging around your bed.
Avoiding Skin Problems
Anyone who has ever battled acne knows how having issues with your skin can make you uncomfortable in many different ways. Of course, keeping your bedding clean is an absolute must for those with sensitive skin or skin issues.
It may not occur to most that some of the allergens and bacteria which contribute to outbreaks can lie below the sheets and mattress pad on the actual mattress itself. Even if you are not one who often has issues with your skin, regular cleaning of your mattress can serve as prevention and keep you from developing problems.
Indoor Air Quality
Given that cleaning your mattress rids not only stains but also pollen, dust, dust mites, pet hair or dander, and other allergens, the end result of better air quality indoors is inevitable. This can be really important, particularly for those with breathing problems, such as asthma.
Those affected with even minor issues with their breathing will be thankful for having cleaner air to breathe. However, even those without problems breathing benefit greatly from having better air quality.
having a Cleaner Space
When you are cleaning your mattress, it’s likely you will be in the mood to tidy up other things around your room, alongside getting fresh bedding. After all, you’ll likely have a few cleaning supplies on hand with you, so why not?
Having a clean space in your home helps your overall wellbeing. As humans, we tend to be prone to clutter, so tossing some of those nonessential dust-gathering bits can help your space feel more open, inviting, and overall more comfortable.
Overall Comfort
As stated above, having a clean bedroom can help you feel more comfortable. Cleaning your mattress and bedsheets, though, is a huge sense of comfort for your body. When you’re on a clean bed that is free of dust, pollen, oils, and other dirt, you’re going to rest better which attributes to your overall comfort.
Not only do you enjoy the physical comfort of having a clean mattress and sleeping space, but it will also help improve your mental state by being in a clean space.
and, lastly, Peace of Mind
Having a clean mattress and clean surroundings makes for an overall healthier outlook on things. Your worries of dust mites, allergies, and other contaminants are set at ease. Not only is your body more comfortable in its clean environment, but it helps put your mind at rest as well.
There is a link between cleaning your personal environment and good mental health. Having a clean mattress will allow you to have peace of mind that you have done well to make positive changes for your sleeping quarters.
Tips For Cleaning Your Mattress
The “Basics” of Cleaning Your Mattress
If you can’t find the manufacturer instructions for your mattress, there are some basic cleaning techniques we have put together for you that you can use to remove stains and do an overall cleaning of the mattress.
Some use a combination of baking soda, salt, and water to scrub or lift away stains. Others use a hydrogen peroxide and soap solution to lift stains on the mattress. For lingering odors, some experts recommend to sprinkle baking soda onto the mattress and let it sit for as long as possible before removing it, typically with a vacuum cleaner.
very important: Make Sure the Mattress Dries Thoroughly!
When cleaning your mattress, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to allow it to dry thoroughly before putting sheets back onto it. Dressing a damp mattress can cause more problems than not cleaning it in the first place, such as allowing mold, mildew, and bacteria to grow. It’s best to get an early start and, if need be, sleep on the sofa or in the guest room for a night. In most cases, heavy cleaning won’t be required so that a damp mattress shouldn’t occur.
When you’re done, you can kick back and enjoy your comfortable sleep environment knowing that you’ve done a service to yourself for better mental and physical health.
