Mattresses are rarely washed or replaced, and stains show up no matter how careful you are — from coffee, sweat, sometimes even blood or urine. How well you can clean it yourself depends a lot on how old the stain is, the fabric, and using the right method. If you’re not confident about the result, it’s best to go straight to a professional cleaning service.
Always check the mattress label before you start: if the manufacturer specifies dry cleaning only, don’t use liquid products at home.
Removing specific stains
Coffee and tea
Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle, apply to the stain and dry with a hairdryer on medium heat. The same method works for red wine stains.
Blood
Mix a tablespoon each of salt and baking soda with a little water into a paste, apply to the stain, leave for 30 minutes and dry with a hairdryer. Fresh blood stains can be rinsed straight away with cold water, but this can leave marks.
Urine
Mix equal parts vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and water, apply to the stain and dry with a hairdryer. If the stain has reached the spring side of the mattress, remove the cover if possible and treat it from the inside.
Sweat
Mix equal parts salt and lemon juice, apply to the stain and dry with a hairdryer.
Grease
Mix equal parts baking soda and chalk into a paste, apply to the stain, leave for 30 minutes and dry with a hairdryer.
When it’s better to call in professionals
If a stain is old, large, or home remedies haven’t worked, further attempts can damage the fabric. In these cases, professional mattress and upholstery cleaning is more effective — specialists use professional equipment and products that remove not just the stain, but odour and bacteria too.
The best way to deal with stains is to prevent them: a machine-washable mattress protector saves a lot of hassle.
