It’s not an everyday job, or even every month, but it’s true that using a steam cleaner can help to keep your mattress clean and fresh, helping to ensure you get a good night’s sleep. A good time to remember to do this would be the next time you flip your mattress, because you will have already removed all the bedding, so you can make the most of the opportunity.
Top tip: start this task early in the day so it’s dry by bedtime!
1. Strip the bedding
Take all pillows, duvets, sheets and mattress toppers off and put them out of the way. Throw all bedding in the wash, you’ll want fresh and clean sheets on a freshly steamed bed!
2. Vacuum the mattress
Next step is to remove any dust. You’d be surprised at the amount of dead skin and hair collects on your mattress, and this will be much worse if you allow pets in the bed. Use an upholstery attachment on a powerful vacuum and really get in there. If you want to diffuse odours, sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the mattress and leave for an hour, then vacuum it all off.
3. Spot-clean any marks
Now is the time to grab a fabric stain remover and get to work cleaning the mark from the coffee you spilled on a lazy Sunday morning. Don’t soak any areas, use product sparingly and then use a clean microfibre to soak up any excess liquid once you’ve worked the stain away.
4. Steam the mattress
Hover the steam cleaner attachment a few centimetres above the mattress, not allowing it to touch the fabric. The ideal method is long, slow strokes that leave the mattress surface damp, not soaking wet (this will take way too long to dry). By steaming, you are sanitising the fabric, helping to remove dust mites, bacteria or even bed bugs. Remember to do the sides too!
5. Allow to dry fully
Leaving a mattress still slightly damp is a sure-fire way to encourage mildew, so once you’ve finished steaming, open all the windows, turn on any ceiling or tower fans to help ventilate and circulate the air, drying the mattress fibres. Starting early enough in the day should give you enough time for it to be dry by evening, especially if you’ve opted for a warm, breezy day.
To test how dry it is, press down hard with a dry paper towel on the mattress. If it comes up damp, the mattress is clinging to some moisture and needs more time. If this is the case, try using a wet and dry vacuum to remove any excess moisture and speed up the process so you can remake the bed and go to sleep.
