How to Clean Hotel Mattresses

Hotel beds need to be cleaned on a regular basis to keep guests and employees safe from lice, scabies, dust mites, spores, fungi and even viruses. The mattress cannot fit into the washer like the sheets, pillows and comforter can, so it's important that the mattress is washed separately, by hand. Washing a mattress can help your guests stay healthy and give your hotel a good reputation.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Upholstery shampoo bottle w/ brush attached
• Vacuum
• Disinfectant spray

1. Vacuum the mattress. Be sure to get both surfaces by flipping it over and vacuuming the other side. Use attachment tools to get in the cracks, crevices and sides. This will help to remove dust mites, dead skin cells and many other allergens that the bed may have accumulated from numerous guests.

2. Apply an upholstery shampoo to the mattress. In medium circles, scrub the entire bed. Do the same to the opposite side as well as the sides of the mattress. If there is a stain, allow the upholstery shampoo to sit on the stain for at least 10 minutes and then scrub. Baking soda also works to remove stains and odors.

3. Allow the mattress to dry by standing it upright against the hotel wall. Leave it in this position until it is completely dry on both sides.

4. Vacuum the box springs.

5. Replace the mattress on the bed only when it is completely dry.

6. Spray the mattress with a disinfectant spray. This helps to remove any viruses and bacteria that guests may have left behind.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not place the mattress back on the bed if it is still wet or damp, as this could cause mildew and produce problems for your guests. The box springs will not accumulate as many mites, allergens and pests as the hotel mattress, but when you get the chance, it is still wise to clean it. If there is a wet spot on the bed, do not apply more liquid to it. Instead, apply paper towels to remove most of the liquid. When most of the liquid has been absorbed, then apply soaps or shampoo.

References

• How to clean a mattress
• How clean is your hotel?