Learn how to freshen a mattress and make a DIY mattress freshener spray. These natural tips will help keep your mattress smelling clean and inviting.
Mattresses collect dirt, discoloration, body oils, and dust over time. While replacing a mattress every six to eight years is generally recommended, you can extend its life and improve comfort by keeping it clean between replacements.
A mattress doesn’t go in a washing machine, so regular targeted care is important. Below are straightforward steps to deep-clean and freshen a mattress, plus recipes for an effective spot cleaner and a natural mattress freshener spray.
The most common reason people replace mattresses is comfort—mattresses lose firmness and can sag with age. But hygiene matters too: a clean mattress supports better sleep and can reduce allergy symptoms.
Why Clean a Mattress?
A mattress can harbor dust, dead skin, debris, and bacteria. Regular cleaning is especially important if you have pets, allergies, or asthma. Dust and other particles trapped in a mattress can aggravate respiratory symptoms and reduce sleep quality.
Cleaning a mattress is simple but often overlooked in routine household chores. Adding a few regular steps to your cleaning schedule will keep your sleep surface fresher and healthier.
How to Clean a Mattress
Step 1: Strip the Bed and Wash Bedding
Remove all bedding—sheets, pillowcases, shams, blankets, and duvet covers—and launder them. Whenever possible, line-dry bedding in sunlight; sunlight helps kill bacteria naturally. Pillows can be aired on a clothesline if the care label allows.
Step 2: Air Out and Let Sunlight In
If possible, let the mattress get direct sunlight by placing it outside briefly; sunlight reduces bacteria, mold, and lingering moisture. When moving a mattress outdoors isn’t practical, open windows and let fresh air and natural light into the room for several hours.
Step 3: Sprinkle with Baking Soda
Baking soda is an inexpensive natural cleaner and deodorizer. Sprinkle a generous layer over the mattress surface and let it sit for several hours—the longer, the better—to absorb odors and moisture. For routine freshening, 30 minutes is helpful; for deeper odor removal, leave baking soda on all day.
Step 4: Vacuum the Mattress
Use a handheld vacuum or an upholstery attachment to remove the baking soda and loosened debris. Vacuuming pulls out dust, dead skin cells, dust mites, and other particles that accumulate in the mattress.
Step 5: Spot-Treat Stains
If stains remain, use a gentle, natural spot treatment to avoid harsh chemicals. Apply the spot treatment to a clean cloth, work it into the stain, let it sit for several minutes, and blot away. Repeat as needed until the stain fades. Avoid over-wetting the mattress—use minimal liquid and allow the area to dry completely.
Mattress Cleaner Spray
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1/8 cup Castile soap
- 2 tablespoons vegetable glycerin
- 10 drops lemon essential oil
- Glass spray bottle
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a glass spray bottle and shake well.
How to use
- Spray the stained area generously with the cleaner.
- Gently rub the spot with a clean cloth.
- Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- Wipe away residue with a clean cloth.
- Repeat if necessary until the stain lifts.
Step 6: Vacuum Again
After spot treatment, vacuum the mattress once more to remove any loosened debris and cleaning residue.
Step 7: Spray with Natural Mattress Freshener
A lightweight freshener made with witch hazel and essential oils can deodorize and leave a pleasant scent. Use this spray between deep cleans to maintain freshness.
DIY Mattress Freshener Spray
Ingredients
- 5 drops lemon essential oil
- 5 drops Siberian fir essential oil
- 3 drops wild orange essential oil
- 3 drops cilantro essential oil
- Witch hazel to fill
- Spray bottle
Instructions
- Add the essential oils to a spray bottle.
- Fill the remainder of the bottle with witch hazel.
- Shake well before each use.
How to use
Lightly mist the mattress and allow it to air dry completely before replacing bedding.
Step 8: Re-dress the Bed
Once the mattress is dry and fresh, remade the bed. Using a mattress protector or fitted pad will help keep the mattress cleaner longer by protecting against spills, stains, and dust. After dressing the bed, a linen spray or a light mist of your mattress freshener will keep the sheets smelling fresh.
How to Freshen Up a Mattress Between Deep Cleans
You don’t need to deep-clean the mattress often. For quick freshening, strip the bedding, mist the mattress lightly with the freshener spray, and let it air out. Open windows when possible to speed drying and circulate fresh air.
How Often Should You Clean Your Mattress?
Deep clean a mattress about twice a year. Wash bedding weekly to reduce the buildup of oils, skin cells, and dust that transfer to the mattress. Regular laundering of sheets, pillowcases, and blankets helps maintain mattress hygiene and reduce allergens.
How to Reduce Dust Mites
Minimize dust mites by washing bedding in hot water and drying thoroughly. For mattress surfaces, sprinkle baking soda, let it sit for at least 30 minutes, then vacuum to remove dust mite debris and odors.
I hope you find these tips useful. Try the steps above and adjust them to suit your mattress type and cleaning needs.
- Cleaning to-do list
- Cell phone screen cleaner
- Shoe deodorizer
- Leather shoe care
- Reusable cleaning wipes
- Trash can deodorizer