Your mattress is holding 467 litres of sweat – here’s how to spring clean it

According to a recent study conducted by Dreams, there is one key place that you’re forgetting to spring clean – your mattress. While you might be thinking, “I change the sheets every other week so isn’t that enough?” and the answer is no because your mattress is much dirtier than you may think.

Changing your sheets is one thing, but actually giving your mattress a deep clean is another. In new research found by Dreams, it revealed that 1 in 4 Brits have never cleaned their mattress.

The average mattress lifespan is up to 10 years, which means if you never clean your mattress, that’s 10 years worth of dirt, sweat and bacteria built up inside it. According to Dreams, the average person produces around 200ml of sweat each night which over the lifetime of a mattress can add up to 467 litres of sweat.

Aside from this being gross and unhygienic, the cleanliness of your mattress can impact your body, skin and hair. On average, we shed around half a billion skin cells a day which can settle into your mattress. Not only can this irritate your skin but it can also trigger asthma and allergies, making you feel ill and keeping you up at night.

So, instead of just changing your sheets and calling it a day, here’s how to properly clean your mattress with tips from Dreams and ‘Queen of Clean’, Lynsey Crombie.

5 quick tips on cleaning your mattress

1. Strip the bed

To get started, strip your bed on sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers and protectors. Crombie states that having a clear surface to work with “makes the whole job feel less overwhelming and means you can actually see if there are any marks, dust or areas that need attention.”

2. Open the windows and air the room

“One of the easiest ways to freshen up your mattress is to let it breathe,” says Crombie. Giving your mattress some air from your windows while it’s bare will air it out and make your whole room feel fresher.

3. Clear dust and debris

Before you start deep cleaning your mattress, you should start by getting rid of any dust, dirt and hair that has accumulated on the surface. Crombie suggests “using a UV mattress vacuum for a much deeper clean. A light steam using a handheld steam cleaner will also help to kill bacteria and lift dirt from the surface, leaving it feeling fresher.”

4. Spot clean stains

If there are any stains on your mattress, gently blot the area “so you don’t spread the stain or push it deeper into the mattress.” For stubborn stains, you can use products like hydrogen peroxide and even shaving foam. Try to use as little moisture as possible as this liquid can soak into the mattress which can affect its construction.

5. Dry your mattress and remake it with clean bedding

After you’ve deep cleaned your mattress, let it dry properly so you don’t trap any dampness in it. Once it’s dry and fresh, finish your mattress spring clean with clean bedding.

For a full tutorial, see how to clean a mattress for step-by-step details.