Mattresses can quickly become a home for dead skin cells, oils, and bacteria if not regularly cleaned, making it a perfect time to give your bed a thorough cleaning.
While most people change their bedding once a week, mattresses are often overlooked. However, it's recommended to give them a thorough cleaning at least twice a year.
The average person sheds about half a billion skin cells daily, which can accumulate in the mattress.
If a mattress is not regularly cleaned, these skin cells can attract dust mites, an insect-like pest that can cause allergies and pose a significant risk to people with asthma.
According to Pensionist, Sheri, a professional cleaning lady who runs The Fairy Housekeeper business, explained how to perform a thorough mattress cleaning to prepare your home for the festive season.
In an online video, Sheri explained that there are 5 "simple steps" to keep your bed fresh and hygienic.
The first step is vacuuming. Sheri said, "Remove all bedding, vacuum thoroughly, really get into all the nooks and crannies."
Although the mattress may seem clean to the naked eye, vacuuming will help reduce the buildup of bacteria and dead skin cells.
For the second step, Sheri recommended sprinkling the bed with baking soda, which can help remove stains and odors from the mattress. She said, "This removes any persistent odors. Leave it for 20 minutes. During this time, you can clean the rest of the room."
Third step: After the 20 minutes, vacuum up all the baking soda from the mattress as the third step. Baking soda is a natural odor remover, usually very mild, making it perfect for use on your bed.
The fourth step is to steam your mattress if you own a steam cleaner, to remove dust mites. Sheri said, "This will help remove dust, mites, and bacteria!"
The fifth and final step is to remove any stains you can see on your mattress. Sheri said, "Treat any stains using a stain remover product, which you can buy in most regular supermarkets."
But if you can't buy a stain remover, you can also use dish soap and hot water with a damp cloth to dab and remove stains.
Once all steps are completed, you will have a sparkling clean mattress to relax on this Christmas season.
Sheri said, "Put on some fresh bedding, and I guarantee you will sleep well."
