We spend a lot of time on our mattresses. In fact, nearly one-third of our lives are spent sleeping. It’s important to wash your sheets and for many families, it’s included on the weekend to-do list. But do you ever think about washing your mattress? Do you even need to clean your mattress?

The answer is yes! Luckily, mattresses don’t need to be cleaned weekly like our bed sheets. We recommend cleaning your bed twice a year. You can also refer to the recommendations from the manufacturer which can be found on the label.

Once the sheets and bedding are removed, the first step is to vacuum the bed using the upholstery tool on your vacuum cleaner. This will help to remove dust. Go over the top and the sides of your bed and if you’re able to, as much of the box spring that you can reach. If your vacuum has a crevice tool, use that next so you can vacuum in the quilting, along the edges, and where the pillow top is attached (if you have a pillow top mattress).

If you don’t use a mattress protector, you may see stains on your bed. These can be cleaned with upholstery cleaner or an enzyme-based pet odor remover. If you prefer homemade cleaners, we recommend making your own cleaning solution with 1-teaspoon dish detergent, a mild formula, and 1 cup of warm water. When removing stains, be sure to not over soak the bed and let it dry completely before you put your clean sheets back on.

If you sleep with fur-babies in your bed or are cleaning up an accident that your child had at night, you may notice a slight odor. Luckily, the mattress can be deodorized with baking soda. Simply sprinkle baking soda over the surface of your bed. If you can, leave the baking soda to sit for 24 hours. The baking soda will help remove unwanted odors. Once you are ready to make the bed, vacuum up the baking soda.

Cleaning your mattress will remove or clean sweat, dust, allergens, and dust mites that collect on your mattress. It’s simple to do and can be done twice a year or with the changing of the seasons. In addition to sleeping on the best mattress, you’ll also want to sleep on a clean one too!