How to Clean Mattress Stains

Learning how to clean your mattress stains will keep the mattress useful for years longer. The major stains to remove are those of body fluids — urine and blood especially. But beverages like coffee, juice and wine can also be problems. Fast action is the first line of defense from stains that get beyond mattress covers and pads.


Did you realize that you spend about one-third of your life on your mattress? Is it any wonder then that mattresses get stained and dirty? What can you do when you get stains from drinks, cigarette smoke, pets, blood or urine on your mattress to keep from having to throw it out? You can learn how to clean mattress stains to help keep your mattress cleaner and healthier and to help it last longer. Here are some quick tips to help you keep that mattress clean.

How to clean mattress stains the easiest way is to prevent the stains, of course. Keeping drinks and pets away from your mattress is a big help. Another way to keep your mattress cleaner is to purchase a mattress cover to help protect your mattress from accidents. If you still get stains on your mattress however, don’t think that your mattress is a lost cause. In most cases, you don’t even have to have special cleaning tools to keep your mattress clean and fresh.

Cleaning stains up as soon as possible after they occur can give you the highest success rate, but many times, we don’t even realize that something has been spilled to stain our mattress until we change the sheets. When you see the stain, you may not even know where the stain came from. How do you clean a stain without knowing what kind of stain it is? Trial and error. Here are some cleaning supplies that you can use:

  • Citrus based cleaner:
    Spray this cleaning solution on the stain/stains and allow it to sit for approximately five minutes. Then take a clean, dry cloth and blot the stain gently to help remove the stain and the cleaning solution. Keep blotting until the stained area is dry to the touch. Be sure that you dry the area thoroughly or you could possibly have another problem with mold or mildew.
  • Mild dishwashing detergent:
    This is another excellent cleaner when you are not sure where a stain came from. Blot the stained area with the detergent and then gently wipe it with a damp sponge. Blot the area dry.

Urine and pet stains can be a difficult stain to remove because you not only have to remove the stain itself, but you need to remove the proteins from the stain so that your pet will not want to use the bathroom there again. Cleaning this stain as soon as possible after it occurs is essential because this can help prevent the urine from soaking into the mattress. Blot the excess liquid up to remove as much of the urine as possible. Then you can use one of the two following ways to clean your mattress.

  • Treat the area with a urine odor removal agent. These are most commonly found on the pet care aisle, but some brands can also be found on the home cleaning aisle.
  • Vinegar is an excellent urine stain removal agent as well. Saturate the area with the vinegar and then blot up the excess liquid with a clean and dry cloth. Then cover the area with baking soda and let it sit overnight on the stained area to help absorb the odor. In the morning, you simply vacuum the baking soda up.

Odors from cigarettes or from being stored away can be removed by simply sprinkling baking soda over the top of the mattress and then allowing it to sit overnight. The baking soda will absorb the odors overnight and then in the morning you simply need to vacuum your mattress to remove the baking soda and the odors.

Blood stains, along with other body fluids can be a challenge to clean. Try a mild soap mixture like with Tide or dish washing liquid. Dab the cleaning solution onto the stain, dabbing until the stain has been lifted. Then with a clean damp cloth, blot the cleaned spot to get out the soap. Then blot it dry, and leave the wet spot exposed until it has had time to dry thoroughly.

Other blood removing techniques include ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and meat tenderizer. Just be sure to get all of the chemicals washed out so they don’t damage the mattress cover fabric. StainSolver is another good product to use on stains.

Keeping your mattress clean and stain free is simple if you learn how to clean mattress stains. With just a few cleaning supplies easily found in the store or in your home, you can keep your mattress clean and smelling fresh and inviting. Then all you need to do is to climb between some clean sheets and sleep the night away.