Good mattress hygiene- 4 quick tips

We asked a number of people in a survey how often they clean their mattresses and the answers were pretty shocking. 90% said they had never cleaned their mattress and of those, at least half didn’t think they could clean their mattress.

Whilst you may not be able to squeeze a mattress into a washing machine they do need regular cleaning to ensure they are free from bacteria, dust and other ‘mattress freeloaders’ than can cause allergies or illness during sleep.

Vacuum your mattress monthly

The first tip is to help reduce the amount of dead skin and dust on your mattress by vacuuming it monthly. This will help prevent layers of dead skin and dander (especially if your pet sleeps on the bed) from irritating you and your breathing during the night. If you wake up wheezing then this could be the cause of excess dust and debris on the top layer of your mattress.

Using one of the smaller rectangular attachments on your vacuum, Dyson or Hoover vacuum the top side of your mattress in vertical lines from left to right. Once you’ve done this then hoover horizontally from top to bottom as well. You’ll be amazed at the amount of dust, hair and debris that comes up!

Use a mattress protector

Most people never consider the fact that they sweat and perspire during the night. Whilst the exact amount of sweat that penetrates your mattress varies from person to person the fact of the matter is this moisture is going to be absorbed by your mattress. You’re never going to be able to put your mattress in a washing machine and sponging it will only help remove a proportion of sweat or stains. So the best way to make sure you keep your mattress as clean as possible is by using a separate removable mattress protector. These can be washed in a washing machine on a 60-degree wash to kill any bacteria and help remove any sweat or moisture that’s been absorbed during the night.

You can see sweat spots on mattresses in the form of yellow patches if you remove all your sheets. Mattress protectors can stop this and keep your mattress fresh and cleaner for longer. Mattress protectors are relatively cheap and we recommend them on all mattresses for this purpose. After all, isn’t it better that a protector absorbs night sweat rather than your poor mattress?

Turn & Rotate your mattress monthly

Turning and rotating your mattress is more than just evening out the natural settlement. It also enables you to make sure that you’re helping to keep your bedroom and sleep routine as hygienic as possible. By turning the mattress you’re helping to keep each side fresh and in rotation. If you just sleep on one side you’re only using half the mattress. By turning and rotating each month, along with vacuuming you can help reduce the build-up of any bacteria or dust. It also means that you’re periodically checking that there’s no dirt or debris under your mattress. We recommend vacuuming and dusting the bed frame whilst you turn the mattress to ensure the bedroom is as hygienic as possible. We have a complete guide here for turning and rotating two-sided mattresses. If you have a cheaper one-sided mattress then we recommend rotating it and following the advice below in addition which leads us to our final bed hygiene tip!

Make sure you dust and vacuum under your bed base/frame

This is so often overlooked but will enable you to keep the highest cleanliness standards in the bedroom. Underneath your bed can be a breeding ground for dust, moisture and debris to fester. Again once a month when you turn your mattress, make sure you pull your bed out and either brush or vacuum underneath it. You’ll be amazed at the amount that builds up. If you’re short on time you may find a Robo hoover a real-time saver as these can usually pass under a bed frame without needing to move it out!

For more mattress hints and tips why not check out our ultimate mattress buying guide below? It could save you hundreds of pounds when buying a new mattress!