How to Clean Mattress Stains
Sooner or later, almost every mattress ends up with a stain.
While it's true that only the person who changes the bed will
see whether or not the mattress is stained, ignoring the stain
won't make it go away. You can learn how to clean mattress
stains using either commercial products or things you probably
have in your kitchen. After any stain removal, place a dryer
sheet on the mattress before covering it with the bottom sheet
to neutralize any odors and keep it smelling fresh. Here are
some techniques for how to clean mattress stains of various
types.
General mattress cleaning
For stains of an unknown nature, spray a citrus based cleaning
product on the soiled area and let it stand for approximately
five minutes to penetrate the stain. Using a clean white
absorbent cloth, blot the area, pressing down firmly without
rubbing for 30 seconds. Repeat this blotting process until the
area is dry and odor free. Citrus based cleaning products may be
used on almost any type of mattress stain.
As an alternative, you can use a mild dish detergent for spot
cleaning. Blot the stain with the detergent and wipe it clean
with a damp sponge.
Cigarette odor removal
In addition to the risk of starting a fire, the problem with
smoking in bed is that cigarette odors can penetrate absorbent
materials such as mattresses deeper than the surface area that
can effectively be cleaned. If you're not ready to replace your
mattress, you need to find out how to remove this smell. Working
in sections, use the citrus cleaner technique specified above.
Repeat the cleaning and blotting process on each section of the
mattress until the whole thing is dry and odor free.
Baking soda is another option. Sprinkle the whole top of the
mattress with baking soda and leave it there overnight to absorb
and neutralize the odors. In the morning, vacuum the powder off.
Removing mold and mildew stains and odors
Cleaning mold and mildew from mattresses is a difficult,
especially if they have penetrated deep inside the mattress.
Since mold and mildew are caused by moisture, it might be
beneficial to run a dehumidifier, heater or air conditioner in
the room periodically to take the dampness out of the air to
prevent mold and mildew from attacking the mattress.
Another alternative for how to clean mattress stains caused by
mold and mildew is to take the mattress outside on a sunny day.
Sweep off all visible mold and mildew and then vacuum the
mattress with a heavy duty vacuum cleaner. Allow the sun to
shine on the mattress for several hours. This will dry and
freshen it.
Removing urine stain and odors
Accidents happen. When the accident involves pets or small
children and mattresses it is more than just embarrassing. Urine
can saturate absorbent materials such as mattresses well beyond
the surface area. Cleaning urine from a mattress is difficult if
it has penetrated deep into the cloth materials. This creates
ideal conditions for bacteria and mold growth and the related
unpleasant odors.
It may be possible to rescue your mattress if you know how to
clean mattress stains. First blot up as much of the urine as
possible with an absorbent cloth. Then spray a product like PAWS
- Pet Accident Washup Solution or Bio-OX Citrus Concentrate or
any other brand that mentions urine odor removal on its label on
the soiled area. Follow up with the blotting and drying
techniques indicated above.
Vinegar will also remove urine stains. Saturate the stain with
vinegar and blot until no more of the urine can be removed.
Cover the area with baking soda to neutralize the odor, leaving
it on overnight. In the morning, vacuum the powder off.
Removing Kool-Aid stains from mattresses
Kids, brightly colored beverages and beds don't mix. Even the
most careful child will have spill something eventually if they
drink in bed. A mattress will soak up these liquids. It is
impossible to remove the entire liquid spill from inside the
mattress. The dyes in Kool-Aid generally leave a permanent
stain, but you can try to remove the surface stain. First, blot
up as much of the liquid as possible with an absorbent white
cloth. Use the citrus cleaner techniques shown above.
You might also try spraying vinegar onto the stain and letting
it sit for about an hour. To remove as much liquid from the
mattress as possible, cover it with a thick cloth and weigh the
cloth down with a heavy book or brick. After the hour is up,
spray the stain with vinegar again and blot it with a clean
cloth to lift the color. Repeat the process until the stain is
completely removed or no further reductions of the colored stain
occur.
About the author:
Jean Feingold is a copywriter for Catalogs.com. Catalogs.com is
the Internet's leading source for print and online catalog
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