8 min read
What You'll Need Before You Start
Most mattress cleaning requires only what you already have at home:
- Vacuum cleaner with an upholstery or crevice attachment
- Baking soda (a full box for a queen mattress)
- Cold water and clean cloths or sponges
- Enzyme cleaner for biological stains such as urine, blood, and sweat (available at most grocery and pet stores)
- Hydrogen peroxide (3% solution) for set organic stains
- A few drops of dish soap for the hydrogen peroxide mixture
- Clean towels for blotting
Do not use hot water at any point. Heat sets protein-based stains (urine, blood) permanently into mattress fabric. Always use cold.
Step-by-Step: How to Clean a Mattress
Step 1: Strip the Bed
Remove all bedding: sheets, pillowcases, mattress protectors, and any toppers. Put them in the wash while you work on the mattress. If dust mites are a concern, wash everything at 60°C. This is also a good time to rotate the mattress (head to foot) if it's a single-sided model, or to flip and rotate if it's a double-sided model like the Sleep In flippable collection.
Step 2: Vacuum the Entire Surface
Use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum. Work in slow, overlapping passes across the entire top surface. Then run the crevice attachment along all seams and edges, these spots collect dead skin cells and dust mite waste more than anywhere else. Don't skip the sides of the mattress.
Step 3: Treat Any Stains
For fresh stains: blot immediately with a dry cloth to absorb as much liquid as possible. Never rub, rubbing spreads the stain and pushes it deeper into the fabric. Then treat with the cleaner appropriate to the stain type (see the stain guide below).
Apply cleaning solutions sparingly. A damp surface dries. A soaked mattress takes days and can develop mould internally before you notice it.
Step 4: Deodorize with Baking Soda
Once stains are treated and the surface is mostly dry, sprinkle baking soda generously across the entire mattress top. Use a full box for a queen-size mattress. Leave it for at least 2 hours and ideally 6-8. Baking soda absorbs residual moisture and neutralizes odours. Opening a window helps if the mattress needs serious airing out.
Step 5: Vacuum the Baking Soda
Vacuum up all the baking soda using the upholstery attachment. Use the same slow, overlapping passes as before. Make sure to get it out of any fabric texture. Baking soda left behind leaves a faint white residue on bedding.
Step 6: Air Dry Completely
Before replacing bedding, confirm the mattress surface is dry. Run a fan across it if you treated wet stains. Never make a bed on a damp mattress. Even slight internal moisture creates conditions for mould growth, and by the time you smell it, it's already a significant problem.
Stain-Specific Cleaning Guide
Urine Stains (Fresh)
Blot aggressively with dry towels to absorb as much liquid as possible. Apply an enzyme cleaner according to the product directions. Enzyme cleaners break down uric acid at a molecular level and eliminate the smell permanently. Baking soda alone will not remove urine odour. After the enzyme cleaner dries, apply baking soda, wait several hours, and vacuum.
Urine Stains (Old or Set)
Mix 250 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide with 3 tablespoons of baking soda and a few drops of dish soap. Apply lightly with a cloth and allow to dry. The hydrogen peroxide oxidizes urine proteins and fades the stain. Test on a hidden spot first, hydrogen peroxide can lighten some fabrics slightly. Follow with baking soda and a final vacuum once dry.
Blood Stains
Cold water only, always. Hydrogen peroxide is effective on fresh blood: apply it to the stain, allow it to fizz (it's reacting with the blood proteins), blot with a clean cloth, and repeat. Do not use hot water or a hair dryer. Heat sets blood stains permanently.
Sweat and Yellowing
Sweat accumulates gradually, causing the yellow discolouration visible on unprotected mattresses. The hydrogen peroxide and baking soda mixture is effective here too. For widespread yellowing, you can apply the mixture across the full surface, let it dry, and vacuum. It won't fully reverse years of built-up staining, but it improves the surface and removes odour.
Mould or Mildew
Mould on a mattress is serious. Apply a mixture of equal parts rubbing alcohol and warm water to the affected area, then dry in sunlight if possible. UV exposure helps kill mould spores. However, if mould has penetrated into the foam, surface cleaning does not solve the underlying problem. A mattress with deep mould contamination should generally be replaced. See our mattress buying guide if you're at that point.
- Don't soak the mattress: Foam absorbs water and takes days to dry internally. Mould grows in damp foam.
- Don't use hot water: Heat sets protein-based stains permanently.
- Don't use bleach on foam: Bleach degrades polyurethane foam and voids most manufacturer warranties.
- Don't use a hair dryer: Sustained heat can distort or melt foam layers.
- Don't rub stains: Rubbing spreads the stain and drives it deeper. Always blot from the outside of the stain inward.
How Often Should You Clean Your Mattress?
A basic maintenance schedule for most households:
- Monthly: Wash all bedding at 60°C. Vacuum the mattress surface if allergies are a factor.
- Every 3-6 months: Full vacuum and baking soda deodorize. Also a good time to rotate the mattress head to foot on single-sided models.
- Immediately: Spot clean any spill or accident as soon as it happens. Fresh stains are far easier to remove than set ones.
- Seasonally: Air the mattress near a window or in indirect sunlight once or twice a year to reduce moisture buildup.
Why a Mattress Protector Prevents Most of This
The most effective mattress cleaning strategy is prevention. A waterproof mattress protector creates a barrier between your body and the mattress foam, blocking:
- Spills and accidents before they reach the foam
- Sweat absorption, which causes most of the yellowing and odour on unprotected mattresses
- Dust mite penetration into the foam core
- Allergen buildup in the mattress interior
Protectors are washable. Mattresses are not. A good waterproof mattress protector washed every month or two keeps the mattress underneath clean for its full lifespan.
Mattress Miracle in Brantford carries mattress protectors fitted to all standard sizes, compatible with our Restonic and Sleep In mattress lineups. Call (519) 770-0001 to confirm sizing and availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find Your Perfect Mattress at Mattress Miracle
We are a family-owned mattress store in Brantford, helping our community sleep better since 1997. Come try mattresses in person and get honest, no-pressure advice.
441 1/2 West Street, Brantford, Ontario
Call 519-770-0001How do you clean a mattress at home?
Strip all bedding, vacuum the entire surface including seams and sides, treat stains with cold water or an enzyme cleaner (blot, never rub), sprinkle baking soda across the whole surface and leave 2-8 hours, then vacuum it up. Allow the mattress to dry completely before making the bed again. A waterproof protector prevents most cleaning emergencies in the first place.
How do you clean urine out of a mattress?
Blot immediately with dry towels to absorb as much as possible, then apply an enzyme cleaner and follow the product directions. Enzyme cleaners break down urine proteins and eliminate odour permanently, baking soda alone cannot do this. After the enzyme cleaner dries, apply baking soda, leave a few hours, and vacuum. A waterproof mattress protector prevents urine from reaching the mattress foam at all.
Can you steam clean a mattress?
Steam can sanitize a mattress surface, but use a low-moisture setting and ensure the mattress dries completely before use. Foam mattresses should not be saturated with moisture, and some manufacturers void warranties if the mattress gets wet internally. For foam or memory foam, dry deodorizing with baking soda and careful spot cleaning is the safer approach.
How often should you clean your mattress?
Vacuum and deodorize every 3-6 months as part of regular maintenance. Spot clean stains immediately when they occur. Wash bedding monthly. A mattress protector significantly reduces how often a full deep clean is necessary.
Shop This Topic at Mattress Miracle
Popular picks at Mattress Miracle:
- Restonic ComfortCare Dalton & Albany pocket-coil mattress
- Whitney bamboo mattress
- Somnia posture pillow
Or browse all mattresses in our Brantford showroom.
Related Reading
- Mattress Protector Canada: What to Look For and Why It Matters
- How to Choose a Mattress: Complete Canadian Buying Guide
- Best Cheap Mattress Canada 2026: Budget Picks That Last
- Best Mattress Canada 2026: Expert Picks by Sleep Type
Visit Our Brantford Showroom
Mattress Miracle
441 1/2 West Street, Brantford
Phone: (519) 770-0001
Hours: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thu-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-4
If your mattress is past the point of cleaning and it's time to replace it, we carry Canadian-made options starting under $500. Come test them in person, no commission pressure, no rush.
Brad, Owner, 40+ years of experience: "The number of mattresses that come in covered in stains from years of no protector is honestly surprising. A $50 protector saves a $1,000 mattress. If you already have a stain situation, baking soda and enzyme cleaner will get you most of the way there. But if the mattress smells deeply of mould or has permanent sagging, cleaning is just delaying the inevitable."