Clean your mattress every 3-6 months. If you're not able to clean your mattress regularly, you can at least vacuum it to clear dust and dust mites from the surface. Wash your sheets at least once a week to prevent the collection of dead skin cells and dust mites.
It's recommended you give your mattress a proper clean every six months or once every season, to eliminate dirt and dead skills cells, and prevent the build-up of dust mites. However, if you suffer from allergies, it might be wise to clean your mattress more frequently.
Mattresses collect dead skin, dust mites, and bacteria over time. This buildup can harm those with breathing problems or allergies. Studies show that dirty mattresses can make asthma and other breathing issues worse. Cleaning your mattress regularly can improve your sleep.
By regularly vacuuming your mattress, you can remove the dust, dirt, and skin cells that dust mites feed on, making your mattress a less attractive habitat for them.
This build up can then lead to yellow stains on your mattress, unpleasant odors and potentially unhygienic sleeping conditions. However, a really easy to way to keep your mattress feeling fresh is to let it breathe at least every 3-4 months.
For extreme situations, one study found that daily mattress vacuuming dramatically curtails the critters and related allergy symptoms. But if that sounds like too much of an inconvenience to do before your morning coffee, a regular thorough vacuuming once or twice a month will also likely help.
Here's how often she recommends changing your mattress based on its material: Latex: 10 to 15 years. Memory foam: Lower-quality mattresses should be changed after around five years have passed. Better-quality ones can be switched out every eight to 10 years.
Baking soda really does clean a mattress and is a great natural solution for turning an old mattress into a sleeping haven. Baking soda is a good solution to absorb moisture. It's an effective hack for those with a damp mattress.
You shed a half a billion skin cells every day. Over time, many settle into the cracks and crevices of your mattress. Dead skin is a feast for hungry dust mites. These tiny bugs and their droppings can set off allergies or asthma.
Clean your mattress every 3-6 months. If you're not able to clean your mattress regularly, you can at least vacuum it to clear dust and dust mites from the surface. Wash your sheets at least once a week to prevent the collection of dead skin cells and dust mites.
Our Lysol® Disinfectant Spray kills 99.9% of the germs that are hanging around on your homes' soft furnishings. Its unique cap completely covers large areas without over wetting, making it great for soft surfaces such as your decorative cushions, mattress, sofa etc. To use, simply spray and then allow to air dry!
"Regular washing, or about once every one to two weeks, is recommended to maintain cleanliness and a healthy sleep environment," says Harris. Once a week if you don't use a top sheet. Once a month if you do.
Commercial Sanitizing Sprays. Product Recommendations: Use fabric cleaners like Lysol, Febreze, or Resolve, ensuring you don't soak the mattress.
In short, yes, a 20-year-old mattress is definitely too old and should be replaced. At that age, it's highly likely that it's filled with a buildup of dust mites, allergens, and potentially mildew or mould. The structural integrity is also likely compromised, leading to sagging and less effective support.
Most experts recommend replacing pillows every 1 to 2 years. Doing so helps to ensure that you're using pillows that are supportive, clean, and free of allergens. It is also important to care for the pillows you use to ensure their longevity. Generally, you'll be able to tell when it's time to replace your pillows.
Bradley Rau, SVP, general management and development at Sleep Number, agrees that to prevent wear and tear and extend the life of your mattress, you may need to rotate (or in some cases, flip) your mattress. “Most mattresses that include memory foam, latex, or innerspring should be rotated every 6-12 months,” he says.
Best for Deodorizing
By absorbing the odor-causing bacteria, cornstarch eliminates that “old mattress smell.” You can even mix baking soda and cornstarch for a double whammy of cleaning strength. Just sprinkle a 50/50 mix of cornstarch and baking soda onto the mattress, and allow it to sit for 30 minutes.
Another homemade cleaning agent is hydrogen peroxide that you can also mix with baking soda and a few drops of dish soap. It is useful for removing sweat, urine, or blood stains. The simplest way is to make a 50:50 solution with water and rub it in the mattress stains with a soft brush so as not to damage the fabric.
Place your mattress in direct sunlight for a few hours on a sunny day. Sunlight has natural sanitizing properties that help eliminate bacteria-causing odors. Mix equal parts of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Lightly mist the areas, then blot them with a clean cloth.
Regularly cleaning places or areas where bed bugs may be present with a vacuum cleaner is highly recommended to help reduce the number of adult bed bugs seen. Bed bugs prefer to stay and hide near bedding while resting or sitting for long periods of time.