Sweat, blood and urine: how to remove different types of mattress stains

Now that we’ve entered spring, it's the perfect time to spring clean your home. But forget tidying your cupboards and wiping down skirting boards – one area you’re probably overlooking but should definitely be cleaning is your mattress.

As you sleep on it every night, your mattress can get incredibly dirty. While regularly cleaning your sheets can help with your sleep hygiene, it’s important to give your mattress some attention every now and again, so it lasts longer and doesn’t irritate your skin.

Treating stains is especially important when cleaning your mattress. As it comes into contact with your body, it can pick up stains like urine, blood and sweat. So, in preparation of your upcoming spring clean, here are the five most common types of mattress stains and how to remove them.

Before I jump into cleaning tips for specific stains, check out our full guide on how to clean a mattress for a step-by-step tutorial.

1. Urine

Accidents happen, especially if you have a child, but urine is a pretty easy stain to get rid of if you act fast. If it’s fresh urine, start by gently blotting the area with a dry cloth to absorb the liquid. Avoid rubbing the liquid as this will just make it sink further into the mattress which will leave a stain and smell.

After you’ve blotted the liquid, make a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and dish soap. Alternatively, you can find a mattress cleaner in your local supermarket. Apply it to the stain and leave it to sit for an hour. When using this mixture or spray, be careful not to use too much as soaking can cause mould.

Once dry, blot the mixture again, before sprinkling it with baking soda to get rid of any lingering odours. You can leave this for up to eight hours before vacuuming off the excess. Before reapplying the sheets, make sure the mattress is completely dry.

I’d also recommend using a mattress protector, especially if you have young kids as this gives you an extra layer of protection and can prolong the life of your mattress.

2. Sweat

Sweat is arguably the most common stain you’ll find on your mattress – everyone does it, after all! Sweat stains are important to treat regularly, as it’s a primary reason you might see discoloration of your mattress and even pillow – more on yellow stains below.

Similar to urine, use a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and dish soap to remove sweat stains. With sweat, you can be a bit more vigorous with removing it, and some people recommend using a brush to work the mixture into the stain if it’s big. Blot the mixture away with a dry cloth and leave it to dry before remaking your bed.

3. Blood

Blood is slightly tricker to remove, but not impossible. The biggest mistake people make when removing blood from a mattress and furniture is using hot water. As gross as it sounds, hot water cooks the protein within the blood which can cause it to stain more permanently.

For blood stains, clean up the area with cold water, making sure to blot it and not rub. If a stain is left behind, create a paste made from hydrogen peroxide, salt and corn starch. Alternatively, you can use a white vinegar and water mixture. Apply the paste or water to the stain and leave it to dry. Remove the paste or excess liquid before vacuuming off any leftover residue.

4. Food

I think we’re all guilty of having a midnight snack in bed, but food stains and crumbs can leave your mattress feeling sticky, lumpy and uncomfortable. For crumbs, simply use your vacuum cleaner to get rid of them.

For wet foods or drinks, blot or dry it so the liquid doesn’t get too far into your mattress. From there, you can use hydrogen peroxide mixed with dish soap, or a vinegar and water solution, both of which can treat the stain. Let it sit before drying. If the food has a pungent smell, sprinkle over baking soda before vacuuming after a few hours.

In general, I’d suggest not eating food in your bed, but each to their own!

5. Yellow stains

Yellow stains on your mattress can be made by a number of things, including sweat, urine, vomit and general ageing of materials. If you’ve had your mattress for a few years, this is a sign you should consider changing your mattress.

But if that’s not currently in your budget, you can treat these stains by mixing hydrogen peroxide and baking soda – follow the urine and sweat steps above. Like sweat, you don’t have to be as gentle with yellow stains, so you can use a brush to work the solution into the stain – remember not to oversoak though.