How To Clean Mattress Stains (Yes… We All Have Them!)

 Our mattresses are so important to the quality of our sleep (and therefore, the quality of our LIVES!), but we really don’t give them as much care and attention as we should.

 

 

 

The average mattress lasts 8 years, but some types can last even longer. In those years your mattress will see a lot of use!

 

If you’re a lazy-bug like me, then you’re mattress probably gets above-average use!

 

But, of course, there will be accidents. Maybe you’ll spill your morning tea or coffee (guilty!) or maybe the baby will pee or puke on your bed (it happens!). Whatever the cause, it’s important to clean your mattress the best you possibly can. After all… do you really want to be sleeping on regurgitated baby food?!

 

I’ve written a whole guide about how to deep clean your mattress (easy step-by-step instructions to REALLY get it clean!), but this post is going to be a bit more specific. We’re going to talk about how to clean mattress STAINS!

 

Grab my Mattress Cleaning Cheatsheet for recipes and steps for how to get your mattresses really clean!

 

TYPES OF MATTRESS STAINS

 

There are many different types of mattress stains, but we’re going to focus on the most common ones (and the grossest ones!).

The majority of mattress stains are “biological”… meaning your bodies cause them! Nice, right?!

 

The trouble with biological stains is that if you don’t clean them REALLY well, then they will start to smell. Eventually, your mattress will smell worse than a teenager’s gym bag! (trust me… that’s bad!).

 

In this post we’ll look at how to clean three types of biological mattress stains:

 

• Urine
• Sweat
• Blood

 

These types of messes can happen to anyone, at any time. So it’s a good idea to remember these tips for the future… just in case you need them!

 

HOW TO CLEAN MATTRESS STAINS

 

It is best to treat mattress accidents when they happen. But they normally happen in the middle of the night, and no-one has the energy to start cleaning then!

If your adorable little toddler wets the bed in the middle of the night, the last thing you’re going to do is start cleaning the mattress! That’s OK! Use an old towel to dry up as much of the pee as possible, then take the little one into bed with you (after you’ve changed their PJs, of course!) and deal with the mattress the next day!

 

However, you do want to clean the mattress stain as soon as possible. The sooner you treat it, the easier it will be to remove! So don’t wait days to clean it (that’s just gross anyway!).

 

Cleaning Urine Stains 

Urine stains on mattresses are probably one of the most common (especially in a home with kids or pets!), and they can also be the hardest to get REALLY clean once they have dried.

 

The trouble with pee is that it smells! As it dries, the moisture evaporates and leaves behind the stinky pee crystals!

 

If you have pets, then you know that even a small amount of pet urine can stink out a whole room (yes… this is my current battle with my new puppy!).

 

DIY Urine Cleaner

 

There is a very quick and easy way you can treat urine stains and smells, without having to buy any fancy cleaners. Although for really tough jobs… those “fancy cleaners” REALLY do a great job! I have four dogs and four cats… I know about cleaning up tough messes. I LOVE Anti Icky Poo Urine Cleaner – stupid name, great product!

 

For this DIY urine cleaner all you need is hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and baking soda.

 

• 1 cup of Hydrogen Peroxide
• 3 tablespoons of Baking Soda (the stuff in the orange box… not baking powder!)
• A few drops of Dish Soap (Dawn dish soap works best)
• Optional: You can also use a few drops of essential oil