Of all the jobs to do in the house, cleaning your mattress is probably not high up on the list of what you did recently. It’s easy to think that because our mattresses are covered by sheets, they will stay clean, but unfortunately, this isn’t the case.

Photo, Taisiia Shestopal

Dust, dirt, and sweat can still make its way into your mattress, and if you ever have a spill or one of your children or pets has an accident, then your mattress will need to be cleaned. 


If you take regular care of your mattress, you’ll find that skin issues may clear up, and then you’ll get a better night’s sleep. If you end up not being able to stay on top of your mattress care, you may then need to replace it, which is an expensive exercise. But then, with some simple and relatively quick maintenance, this won’t be an issue for you.

Step 1: Use a mattress protector. This is the most cost and time-effective way to help keep your mattress clean and to make sure that it lasts as long as possible. This is regularly used for younger children that are still being toilet trained. A mattress protector will mean that you don’t need to do a deep clean every time there’s an accident.

While these are great for children, they are useful to have on every bed in the house. It’s much easier to clean a mattress protector than the mattress itself, and you’re covered if you ever have an accident with a drink in bed. Choose a protector that has a towelling top. These are more comfortable and don’t get as cold in the winter months.

Photo, Ty Carlson

Step 2: Vacuum it down. This is the best way to get all of the dust and debris out of your mattress and is what Maid 2 Match Sunshine Coast does for all of their clients. Take your vacuum and use the brush attachment if you have it. If not, any other setting that’s used on the carpet will do. Vacuum the whole mattress and make it a point to get in the crevices around the sides.

Also, make sure to flip it when you’ve done one side and do the other. This will suck out any dust and dead skin that have made their way into the mattress. This is worth doing at least once per month, but if you have pets or people in the house that have allergies or sensitive skin, then you may want to do this every other week.

Step 3: Air it out and flip it. Once you’ve vacuumed the mattress, leave it to air for a few hours, under the sun if possible. This will help freshen up the mattress and help to get rid of any remaining bacteria. Once you’ve done this, make sure to flip it when you put it back on the bed.

You should try to do this every few months, at least, as this will help to extend the life of your mattress and make it more comfy to sleep on.