Are you sleeping in a clean bed? If you are not sure, you just need to look for stains under the bedding! A mattress stain is always a sign that your bed is not as clean as it should be. But don’t worry! In this blog post, you’ll learn how to clean mattress stains—from coffee to blood spills!

Why mattress stains are a big deal

Besides avoiding the warranty, stains on your mattress are a sign that it needs a thorough cleaning. Most stains represent a sanitation risk—for example, food stains or common bodily fluids. 

As mattresses won’t fit a washing machine, homeowners frequently neglect cleaning them. However, this essential piece of furniture gets dirty too! And removing those gross stains is part of their crucial cleaning process.

Learn how to clean mattress stains here:

Step 1. Strip the bedding and prepare the mattress

Maybe you can’t throw a mattress into the washing machine, but the bedding is another story! Strip everything from your mattress and wash it. Even if the sheets or bed linens are stained, laundry detergent is enough to remove it.

Use a vacuum cleaner with an upholstery or crevice attachment to clean the entire bare mattress, focusing on the seams and corners. It isn’t directly related to the stain but, why not? It just takes a few minutes, and the vacuum cleaner will take away dust mites, dead skin, dust, and other allergens.

Step 2. Remove the stains

The process to remove a stain depends on what causes it in the first place. For example, you can clean most spills using room-temperature water, but you need cold water to remove blood stains! 

We tell you how to remove common mattress stains here:

Blood stains

From a period accident to any other reason, a blood stain can ruin your mattress. Removing the blood from the fabric and foam can be tricky and often impossible. 

How to get blood out of a mattress? You need to act fast to clean blood stains. If blood proteins stick to your mattress fibers, the stain will be harder to remove. 

Follow these steps as soon as you can:

• Use only cold water! Hot or even warm water can set the stain for good into the fibers. Dab the stain using a clean towel damped in cold water. Don’t rub the stain to avoid driving the blood deeper into your mattress! 
• Try a mix of one part baking soda and two-part cold water. Apply the mixture with a paper towel or clean rag and let it rest for 30 minutes. Then, rinse the mix using a clean towel or rag dipped in cold water—Dab the area dry (without pressing the stain!).
• If the stain is still there, make a paste mixing ½ cup of cornstarch, ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide, and a tablespoon of salt. Apply the mixture all over the stained area and let it dry. 
• Once the paste dries out, scrape it or use a vacuum cleaner to remove it.

For particularly tough blood stains, you can use a meat tenderizer! 

This powder can break down blood proteins and make them easier to remove. Use this hack:

• Make a paste by mixing a tablespoon of unseasoned meat tenderizing powder and two tablespoons of cold water. 
• Spread the paste in the stained area and wait for an hour. 
• Rinse the mixture using a clean cloth soaked in cold water, 
• Dab the area with a dry cloth until it feels dry.

Sweat stains

What causes yellow stains on the mattress? If you are not sure what kind of stains are, most likely they are sweat stains. Fresh sweat stains seem like a wet spot in the mattress. However, once they dry out, they get a characteristic yellowish tone.

In Illinois Valley’s hot summer months, it’s not a surprise how easily sweat stains can appear in a mattress. However, you can clean them off by following these steps:

• Mix equal parts of hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and water. Then, spray it generously on the stain and let it rest for 20 minutes.
• Blot out the mixture you sprayed on the stain.

Urine stains

A mattress doesn’t have to remain stained after a bedtime accident. Although urine stains don’t stick as other bodily fluids, removing them without soaking the mattress is a challenge too!

How to get urine out of a mattress? 

If it’s still fresh, first you have to deal with the excess liquid: 

• Blot the urine using a towel. Don’t rub the mattress, as it can push the urine deeper. 
• When you have blotted most urine away, mix equal parts of white vinegar and water to spray it in the stain. Blot the cleaner a few minutes after spraying it. 

If you need to remove a dry urine stain:

• Inside a spray bottle, mix a cup of hydrogen peroxide, three tablespoons of baking soda, and three drops of dish soap. Swirl the mix gently.
• Spray the mixture generously over any urine stain.
• Let the mixture sit in the mattress until you see baking soda residue appearing.
• Vacuum the residue and repeat the process until the stain and smell go.

Vomit stains

Vomit is similar to the other bodily fluids, and it can also leave a stain on your mattress—they all are protein-based stains. However, if the fluid is fresh, you’ll first need to clean the mess.

• Remove the solids and put them in a plastic bag. Throw it outside your home immediately.
• Remove the bedding and throw it into the washing machine. 
• Dab the liquid using paper towels or a rag. 
• Using a rag damped in soapy water, keep dabbing the stained area. Then, mix one-part water and three parts white vinegar to spray it in the stain. 
• Blot the excess liquid in the area. 

If you are cleaning an old vomit stain, follow these steps:

• Mist the stained area with plain water until it’s slightly damp. 
• Mix a cup of hydrogen peroxide, three tablespoons of baking soda, and three drops of dish soap to spray it over the stain. 
• Scrub the stain with a soft brush.
• To finish, mist the stained area with plain water again and blot it with a clean towel.

Red wine and other drinks

Wine and coffee spills can leave a lingering stain too. If the spill is fresh, the first thing to do is remove the bedding and blot most of the liquid with an absorbent cloth. 

If the spill is still visible or you are removing an old stain, follow these steps:

• Mix two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part dish soap.
• Pour the mixture into a damp cloth and dab the stain with it.
• Repeat until the mattress is clean, and blot the moisture with a dry towel.

Step 3. Sprinkle the mattress with baking soda

After removing stains from your mattress, you should let it dry completely for 24 hours—you can use a fan to speed up the process. To take advantage of that time, also sprinkle baking soda throughout your entire mattress. 

Baking soda absorbs odors, so you can get rid of the remaining bad smells by placing a generous layer of this wonderful product.

Step 4. Vacuum the mattress and bring the fresh bedding

After your mattress dries out completely, use the upholstery attachment of your vacuum cleaner to remove the baking soda. 

Lastly, bring fresh sheets and linens to make your bed!

Also:

If you haven’t flipped your mattress in a while, now is the perfect time to do it!

Bonus: Consider using a waterproof mattress protector!

Preventing mattress stains is easier than removing them! It doesn’t matter how careful you are; spills and stains are impossible to avoid… unless you use a mattress protector!

A waterproof protector can extend your mattress’ life and help you keep it nice looking and fresh.

Treat your whole bedroom: cleaning services in Illinois Valley

While you are cleaning your mattress, why not give your entire bedroom a thorough cleaning? Your bed isn’t the only piece of furniture that can deteriorate due to lack of cleaning!
Illinois Valley Clean Team delivers high-quality services to La Salle, Peru, Utica, and other areas in Illinois Valley! Check out our cleaning services and pick the one that suits you best!