How to Sterilize Mattresses
A mattress is a thick and strong pad or a cushion and also a main part of a bed. It can be made from a variety of materials but today, most mattresses are a combination of latex, polyurethane foam and different fabrics on a metal spring core. They can also be made from either natural or artificial materials. Due to their nature and characteristics, mattresses are absorbent and prone to getting dirty and smelly; they may even become a health threat. Sterilization removes dust mites, bacteria, and other allergens that hide on the surface of your mattress. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Vacuum cleaner
- Soap
- Bleach
- Vinegar
- Antibacterial soap
- Sponge
- Baking soda
- Clorox or Lysol wipes
Instructions
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Place the mattress in an open space and strip away all the sheets and other layers. Make sure that the mattress is accessible to you from all four sides.
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Clean the plastic attachment for your vacuum cleaner with warm water and liquid soap. Let it dry completely before installing it back onto the vacuum cleaner.
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3
Plug in your vacuum cleaner and make sure there is enough of the extension cord to go around the whole mattress.
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4
Clean the whole surface of your mattress with the vacuum cleaner. Press the maximum suction button so you can vacuum the mattress as thoroughly as possible. Use slow and straight movements while going over the mattress surface.
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5
Mix water, bleach and antibacterial liquid soap in a bowl and stir it to create foam.
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Wipe your mattress with the mixture and a sponge. Clean the whole surface of the mattress thoroughly and check to see if you missed a spot. Leave the mattress to dry completely.
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Wipe the surface of the mattress with a few Clorox or Lysol wipes. Again, allow the surface of your mattress to dry. If you don't want to pale the color of the fabric, don't leave the mattress to dry in direct sunlight.
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Sprinkle some baking soda onto the mattress surface and let it stay there for 15 minutes. Vacuum the mattress again to remove all baking soda dust. Note that at this point, the mattress has to be absolutely dry. This process will remove odors in your mattress.
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Vacuum and clean your mattress every month or two to keep it clean, odor-free and healthy.
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Tips & Warnings
Use white vinegar instead of bleach for the cleaning and sterilizing solution if desired.
Add some upholstery shampoo in the mixture, if desired.
If you purchased a secondhand mattress and suspect that it is dirty and unhealthy, you may want to sterilize it at a professional laundry service.
Generally avoid buying secondhand mattresses of unknown origin.
References
- Photo Credit bed image by Leonid Nyshko from Fotolia.com
