How to Get the Water Stains Off of Pillow Top Mattresses

White vinegar helps to remove a water stain from a pillowtop mattress.

Water stains on mattresses tend to dry with a brown discoloration, often with a dark ring around the edge of each stain. Removing water stains from a pillow top mattress becomes a challenge because of the extra cushioning in the pillow top's upper layers. The cushioning material absorbs any moisture that penetrates the mattress. Set in stains may be impossible to remove. For best results, clean any spills off the pillow top mattress immediately. Common household products will help to remove stains from your mattress.

Things You'll Need

• Rags
• Bucket or other container
• Laundry detergent
• White vinegar

Instructions

1. Mix 1/2 tsp of laundry detergent with 1/2 cup of room-temperature water. If your laundry detergent is concentrated, use even less. Use as little detergent as possible, as excess suds are difficult to rinse out of a pillow top mattress.

2. Dip a rag into the soap mixture, wring it out and dab it on the water stains, working from the outside of each stain toward the middle. This helps to keep the stain from spreading. Work with as little moisture as possible -- a pillow top mattress can soak up water like a sponge.

3. Mix 1 tbsp. of white vinegar with 1 cup of room-temperature water. Dip a fresh rag into the vinegar mixture and wring out the rag. Dab at the water stains with the vinegar solution, working from the outside of each stain to its center. The vinegar solution helps to rinse away the soap and break down the stain. Repeat, if needed.

4. Allow the pillow top mattress to air dry for at least an hour.

Tips & Warnings

• Always use a mattress pad. A mattress pad helps to protect your mattress from stains and other damage.

• Even a small stain can void your mattress warranty.

• Use borax for disinfection, if needed. For example, clean urine or other body fluids off the mattress with a disinfectant solution.

• If you accidentally use too much liquid when you're removing the water stains, blot the wet areas with a clean towel right a way to help soak up the excess moisture.

• After you remove as much moisture as possible, fold a dry towel in half and put it over the damp area on the mattress. Place a weight on the towel, such as a plastic bin or a phone book in a plastic bag. The weighted towel will help absorb the moisture. Check the spot in half an hour and repeat the process with a dry towel, if needed.

• Drying the mattress with a blow drier won't get the moisture out of the deeper layers of padding, and applying heat will set any remaining stain.

References

• Ohio State University: Stain Removal
• Lehigh County, Pennsylvania: Safe Alternatives for Cleaning

Resources

• University of Illinois Extension: Water Spots
• Reader's Digest: Extraordinary Uses for Vinegar