How To Deodorize a Mattress

How To Deodorize a Mattress

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Last Updated on May 10, 2023

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    We, humans, spend one-third of our life sleeping. Given that, regardless of how super quality your mattress is, it will absorb your sweat, body oil, blood, dead skin cells, and many other grimes.  

    While we often clean our bedding, we avoid cleaning our mattresses. One reason could be that it looks cumbersome and even impossible. Another reason is that many might not know how to deodorize a mattress so that it is healthy-looking and fresh-smelling.

    Fortunately, we have several tricks up our sleeve to help you clean and deodorize mattresses effortlessly. Read on to know all about how to freshen a mattress!

    For many, deodorizing the mattress entails calling a professional or using expensive and harmful chemicals. Many others avoid it entirely and prefer to buy a new mattress once the old mattress’s dirt, stains, and odors render it unusable. Fortunately, you can do it effortlessly with simple and readily available household cleaning ingredients and tools. 

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    Baking Soda

    According to mattress experts, one of the best ways is to clean the mattress with baking soda, which is one of the best natural deodorizers. Baking soda on the mattress also helps lighten stains and discoloration and remove odors. For it,

    • Strip the mattress of all bedding and vacuum clean it vigorously.  
    • Sprinkle the baking soda all over the mattress surface using a sifter and leave it for a minimum of 30 minutes. How long to leave baking soda on the mattress? The longer, the better. It is most efficient if you leave it overnight or for 24 hours.  
    • If possible, try to expose the mattress to as much sunshine as possible with baking soda on it. It would help dry moisture and eliminate odor. 
    • Finally, vacuum the mattress well using the upholstery attachment until the equipment sucks up all traces of baking soda. 

    Water With Vinegar

    If you are wondering how to get smell out of mattress and even take care of stains, vinegar is your best friend. For it,

    • Mix equal parts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle.  
    • Mist the mixture all over the mattress to cover all its surface. However, be careful not to overspray it, or the mattress will become too wet. 
    • Let it air dry by turning on the fans and letting the maximum sun and airflow into the room through open doors and windows. 
    • When damp, you can scrub specific dirt and stain areas with a thick bristle brush for thorough cleaning.  
    • Once completely dry, deodorize the mattress with the baking soda method described above.  
    • Vacuum the mattress to a spic and span cleanliness.  
    • Since vinegar has a strong smell that is likely to linger, spray a few drops of any essential oil like jasmine, lavender, etc. It will mask all lingering odors.  
    • Air-dry the mattress entirely before replacing the bedding. 

    Cornstarch

    While sleeping, your mattress inevitably absorbs your body sweat and body oils, which has its peculiar smell-- wondering how to get sweat smell out of mattress? Let cornstarch come to your rescue. 

    • Vacuum the mattress well after removing the bedding. 
    • Mix a liberal portion of cornstarch with baking soda and sprinkle well all over the mattress.  
    • Allow it to air dry for a couple of hours, or preferably 24 hours. Then, allow plenty of sunshine and air through open doors and windows for more effective cleaning.  
    • Vacuum using the upholstery attachment until the mattress is eliminated of all traces of cornstarch and baking soda mixture.  

    Give some more time to air dry completely and restore the bedding.  

    Essential Oils

    Because of the high absorbency of various grime and allergens, all mattress starts smelling. Sometimes the smell persists even after deodorizing the mattress. Wondering how to get odor out of mattress? Use essential oils.  

    Essential oils like lavender, chamomile, rose, jasmine, lemon, peppermint, etc., are excellent choices. 

    Moreover, essential oils work best with baking soda. The latter is incredible at neutralizing odors, while the former adds a lovely fragrance to the mattress. Moreover, many essential oils like lavender are known for their calming and relaxing properties.  

    The best method to follow is the baking soda process. Mix a few drops of essential oil of your choice and execute the baking soda method. The fragrance and cleanliness are bound to bowl you over. 

    Laundry Detergent

    Sometimes your mattress might get stains like that of urine, blood, and other materials that might smell strong and awful. It is always best to spot and clean them when fresh. Even if they are not fresh, you can tackle them with a laundry detergent. 

    • Create a paste of baking soda and a gentle laundry detergent. If desired, add a few drops of any essential oil.  
    • Spread a thick layer over the stain and allow it to sit for a couple of hours.  
    • Scrape the area well with a spoon, a towel, or similar tools. ‘ 
    • Repeat till the stain and odor goes away completely. 

    Vacuuming

    You need not use your vacuum cleaner only to remove all traces of mattress deodorizer. Your mattress might have collected plenty of dust, dirt, pet dander, etc.  

    Vacuuming the mattress regularly using its upholstery attachment will effectively remove all grime and reduce the frequency of using a mattress deodorizer.  

    The precaution you need to take while vacuuming is not to exclude the crevices and sides of your mattress. It is best to vacuum every inch of the mattress.  

    Simultaneously, you should vacuum your entire bedroom regularly to keep things fresh and germ-free.

    Clean Your Mattress with Lemon

    The natural cleansing, anti-bacterial, and neutralizing ability of lemon make it an excellent deodorizer. All you need to do is take thin slices of lemon and rub them all over the mattress. You need not be concerned about the sticky juice or pulp stuck to the mattress. 

    Allow the mattress to air-dry completely, preferably in the sun. It would kill all germs and deodorize the mattress beautifully. If required, you can finish with baking soda and essential oil mixture.

    Tips To Freshen the Mattress

    While deodorizing the mattress is an excellent way to keep it fresh, there are several other ways with which you can keep it fresh. Some of the best ways to clean and freshen your mattress are: 

    1. Use a Mattress Protector 

    A mattress protector is perhaps one of the best ways to keep your mattress clean and fresh. Functioning as the first line of defense, they are usually waterproof and protect your mattress from all kinds of liquid and solid dirt, dust, allergens, and other possible grimes.  

    The mattress protectors are crafted such that they completely hug the mattress and do not compromise your mattress in any way. As a result, you barely feel their presence. Moreover, they can be easily cleaned in a washing machine and refitted back to the mattress effortlessly.   

    Even if no spill or stain has happened, you should clean the mattress protector once every couple of months, preferably once a month, to keep things ultra-fresh.  

    2. Mattress Pads and Topper

    Mattress pads and toppers also work as mattress protectors and help keep your mattress fresh and clean. However, they do not provide the ironclad protection of a mattress protector and can get slightly cumbersome to clean. Nevertheless, they keep your mattress protected to a large extent.  

    3. Remember to Clean and Deodorize the Underside of Mattress

    We often clean and deodorize the top surface of the mattress. However, you must never ignore its underside and sides. Many mattresses can be flipped and are rotated for even wear and tear. Even if yours do not need it, you should still clean its underside. They might not have stains, but they do collect plenty of dust and allergens.  

    You should be cautious when you flip the mattress to clean and deodorize it, as doing it carelessly or applying too much pressure can likely break the integrity and structure of the mattress.  

    4. Clean Foundation or Box Spring

    While cleaning the underside of the mattress, you must never forget the foundation or box spring of the bed on which the mattress rests. If it is vacuumed regularly or wiped, it will stay clean, pass less grime and allergens to the mattress and help it stay fresh for longer.  

    5. Sun Your Mattress

    The sun rays are a natural mattress cleaner, deodorizer, and even a disinfectant. Nothing can be better if you haul your mattress outdoors and let it be under the sun for as much time as possible, preferably at least eight hours. 

    If this is not possible, you should open your windows and place your mattress so that they can get maximum sunlight.  

    Even when deodorizing your mattress, placing it under the sun should be your last step for the best freshening experience. 

    6. Change Your Bedding Every Week

    Washing your bedding at least once a week is one of the easiest ways to prevent any accumulation of dust, germs, and allergens on your mattress.  

    While you should use a gentle laundry detergent, you must wash the bedding in their hottest water setting but within the care instructions of their label. It is because high temperature naturally kills all bacteria and germs and disinfects your bedding.  

    If your pillows are washable, you should wash them before they get too dirty. Else, you should deodorize them like you would deodorize your mattress.  

    7. Ensure Proper Air Circulation

    Promoting proper air circulation within your mattress and in the bedroom would naturally keep things fresh and clean. 

    Using a slatted base bed frame facilitates proper ventilation and air circulation through the underside of the mattress. It helps wick away all heat and moisture buildup in the bottom and inside of the mattress, triggering mold and mildew growth.  

    You should also open the doors and windows and turn on the fan for a couple of hours while not in the room. It would be better if you could also arrange for the sunlight to fall on the mattress. Your frequency of deodorizing the mattress would naturally decrease.  

    8. Spot Clean Mattress Stains Immediately

    It is always better to spot clean any stain on the mattress, preferably when it's still fresh. Spot cleaning will eliminate odors and help keep your mattress fresh for extended periods.  

    While spot cleaning, you should remember only to dab the stain and use as little water as possible. Else, the integral structure of the mattress might get ruined, and you would need to replace it. A few ways to spot clean are: 

    • You can use commercially available enzyme treatments with minimal water for spot cleaning protein stains like urine, sweat, blood, etc.

    • Dab tea or coffee stains with baking soda solution and leave for about 30 minutes. Then rinse the area by dabbing with clean water and air-dry completely.

    • You can also use borax to clean the mattress, especially urine stains. It is an excellent cleaner. First, dampen the soiled and stained area using water. Then sprinkle the borax powder on it and gently scrub using a circular motion. Allow it to dry for an hour or two. Finally, vacuum the area to clean all traces of borax.

    • Hydrogen peroxide is another excellent stain remover. Mix three tablespoons of baking soda and a few drops of washing liquid with one cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide to use it. Once the powder has completely dissolved, spray the solution using a spray bottle on the stain and leave for an hour. Cover the stain with baking soda paste and leave overnight or for 8-10 hours. Vacuum the area. Repeat if required.

    • Freshly spilled wine stains should be first dabbed with sparkling water, covered with salt for an hour or two, and then vacuumed. 

    Conclusion

    It is essential to keep your mattress free of dust and allergens for sound sleep and a healthy you. We hope you can now easily deodorize and freshen up your mattress with our tips and tricks. It would also save you plenty of money as your mattress would remain usable for much longer. 

    This article is for informational purposes and should not replace advice from your doctor or other medical professional.
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","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003EThere are several other natural cleansers that you can use apart from baking soda to deodorize a mattress like lemon juice and salt, vinegar spray, laundry detergent, etc. One of the best alternatives is mixing equal parts of vinegar and water, adding some mild laundry detergent and a few drops of any essential oil of your choice. Spray it on the mattress and allow it to air-dry completely, preferably under the sun.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},{"_id":"3fc024d","title":"Does Human Urine Smell Go Away? ","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003EHuman Urine has a strong odor that naturally tones down, but its lingering smell persists inside the mattress. Moreover, its high pH and naturally acidic properties breed bacteria, molds, and other allergens inside the mattress. 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    References

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