Did your pet have an accident? Did vomit stain your mattress? Maybe you didn’t buy a  protective mattress cover, or the RV camper sheets you bought didn’t work as advertised. Now your mattress has an unpleasant smell or an unsightly stain, and you just don’t know what to do. Read more to find out how to fix these common problems.

Removing Common Stains from Your Mattress

Kids and adults alike have accidents. Even your pet may have had incontinence due to an illness or because they just couldn’t hold it. No matter how it happened, now you have a stain you’d like to remove. The best way to clean urine stains from your mattress is to start by spraying vinegar directly on the stain. Run a fan or open the window to aid in the drying process. Let the vinegar sit for about ten minutes, and then blot any remaining dampness carefully with a rag. Vinegar is a great disinfectant, deodorizer, and stain remover.

Blood is another tough, but common stain. If you have a difficult blood stain, we have the solution, or, rather, the paste for you. Mix together ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide, 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap, and 1 tablespoon of table salt. Rub the mixture into the stain and allow it to dry. Once this has dried, scrape the paste off the mattress. If some of the stain still remains, wet a white rag with hydrogen peroxide and carefully dab at the stain. Warning: Using a colored rag could result in a transfer of dye to the mattress.

If the above stains aren’t the ones you have, then maybe you have stains from vomit, sweat, or other bodily fluids. If this is the case, you may have to move on to a stronger cleaner. For these kinds of stains, it’s best to use something like diluted ammonia. Use unscented ammonia for your mattress rather than a scented cleaner. Once you have diluted your ammonia, wet a white rag with your solution and gently blot the stain. Take care to avoid saturating the mattress. Next, wipe the area with a clean damp cloth. Last, sprinkle the stained area with some baking soda and allow it to dry. When it’s completely dry, vacuum off the baking soda. The baking soda will both help the bed dry and remove the ammonia odor.

Deodorizing Your Mattress

Getting odors out of your mattress can be done cheaply and easily with two household products. Vinegar makes a great super deodorizer for pesky odors that are resistant to removal. The vinegar should be sprayed on the mattress in a fine mist. The mattress should not be soaked. Allow vinegar to air dry, or sprinkle baking soda on it to help dry the vinegar. Baking soda will also aid in deodorizing. Once the mattress is completely dry, vacuum the baking soda off of the mattress.

For less difficult odors, baking soda can be sprinkled on the mattress and rubbed in gently with a scrub brush. If you like a particular scent, you can add a few drops of essential oil to the baking soda before applying. Some great essential oils to use are sandalwood, rose, and lavender. Allow the baking soda to sit for 10-20 minutes, and then vacuum it from the mattress.

As always, be sure you read the mattress manufacturer’s instructions on cleaning before you start. Once you remove any stains and odor from your mattress, you should utilize a waterproof mattress protector to protect it from any future damage. For questions, or to order your mattress protector, call us at (770) 205-5335.