How to Clean a Mattress

Updated on June 01, 2009
N.P. asks from Mesa, AZ
17 answers

Hi moms,
I need to clean a mattress of my son. He was vomiting and my husband did not clean it immediately. So when I came back home it was too late. I tried wash with Bissel (pet stain and odor), tide, Oxyclean. There is no stain , but it still smells. Any suggestion?
N.

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J.O.

answers from Tucson on

Hi N.

There are some carpet cleaning companies that also clean mattresses. If you want a cheaper option, put it outside for some airing!

All the best!

J.

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D.T.

answers from Phoenix on

Try sticking it out in the sun after using one of the other mentioned products. I have found that the sun can get out lots of stains and smells!

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K.F.

answers from Phoenix on

I don't have time to read everyones responses so if I'm repeating, I'm sorry. I heard vinegar and baking soda gets smells out! Also check the Queen of Clean out. Good Luck!

Mommy of 2 girls

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R.H.

answers from Yuma on

Do you or anyone you know own a steam cleaner for carpets? If you put some stain/odor remover on first and then steam clean it, it should lose the stench. I also suggest using a shop vac on just the affected area--get it damp with cleaner and then suck it up. Good luck and swat your husband for his non-immediate clean up!

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H.S.

answers from Flagstaff on

I would try Natures Miracle. It's an all natural enzyme cleaner that you can purchase at PetSmart. It did wonders getting out old cat pee smell, I bet it will do the trick with the vomit smell too. Good luck!

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D.D.

answers from Phoenix on

Try to clean with vinegar and water. Can you use vinegar in your Bissel?
I use a cup of vinegar in my daughter's laundry, it removes milk vomit smells and pee smells very well.

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D.P.

answers from Tucson on

Hello N.,

Have you tried spraying it with Fabreeze?? I am not sure if it will work as my husband is good at cleaning up right away if he is the one that catches it. Anyhow, it is supposed to get odors out of stuff. Maybe it will work on this.

D. P.

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B.B.

answers from Tucson on

We use Fabreeze...a lot!

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A.T.

answers from Phoenix on

try frebreeze or lysol(i like the berry smelling one), that is what i used when my son wet his bed all the time and we didnt have a mattress cover on it. It took the smell away. Good luck

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L.H.

answers from Phoenix on

i was going to suggest the sun as well; couple days maybe. at least all day. flip it.
i like what samantha said - use the naturals. in the past i have used febreeze and lysol but then it smells like febreeze and lysol and i dont like that. good luck.

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J.P.

answers from Phoenix on

Vinegar neutralizes odors

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K.C.

answers from Phoenix on

Odorzout...from PetSmart. It is all natural. You sprinkle it on the mattress, let it set for 24 hours, vacuum it up and do it again until the odor is gone. The Queen of Clean highly recommends this product because it is not a harsh chemical and it really works.

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

Hi N., I don't have any suggestions to get it clean, but for the future, make sure you put a waterproof mattress pad on it. I'm sure you know now the importance of that, but all of our beds have them, including ours since we don't know who will be in it and has an accident or something! Our oldest has a double bed and her cover actually zips and covers the whole mattress. Like a big pillowcase that zips closed at the end. Anyway, it's worth the extra cost. Good luck to you and have a great weekend! ~F.

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S.H.

answers from Phoenix on

Hi N.,
You can sprinkle baking soda over the area and then I put a spray nozzle on the vinegar and spray over the baking soda. This will fizz & it can sit there for a while and/or rub around with a sponge.
You can also pour peroxide over area and let that fizz as well. You can do both.
HTHIA =)

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C.D.

answers from Phoenix on

Maybe it is just me, but even if you use vinegar, the sun, odorzout, or any of those pricier ones, there is still one basic problem: There is dirt, bacteria and whatever came out still inside the stuffing that you just can't scrub out. My advice (and yes, cover your wallet) is just to buy a new one and always keep a fitted plastic sheet on it under a mattress pad, even if you have a "sheet protector" to prevent bedbugs, mites, etc. These things are only $6-$11, and I keep a couple on hand all the time, checking for tears during the sheet changes. I wipe them during sheet changes and throw it away as it gets old (I've washed them, too if they really need it, but aren't worn out.) I've never regretted protecting our mattresses, that end up always smelling clean - just don't use those that are plastic top and bottom - you don't want to keep any kind of possible moisture in.

I even keep our own bed covered w/one of these all the time, then a nice thick mattress pad over it. Even grownups leave stuff behind, y'know? And no old dead skin gets inside, either during sheet changes or any other method. No sweat, oils, monthly leaks, date night leftovers, drooling sleep or anything gets through. Our mattress has a 20 year warranty. Any mattress I have to keep that long better be clean!

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A.P.

answers from Flagstaff on

I dont know if you have ever heard of oddeban but it works great for getting rid of smells. try it and see how it works fo r you

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J.K.

answers from Albuquerque on

The best thing to get rid of vomit, pee etc. is this product called "pets and kids". (I am not exactly sure of the title but it is something like that.) We have used it for everything from vomit, pee, and rotten milk and it totally eliminates the smell. I put a lot of it on the mattress and then dabbed as much of it out with a towel as I could and repeated this until the smell and stain was gone. I was so relieved I didn't have to get rid of our mattress. Good luck!

O.K. I found the name, "Kids 'N' Pets" http://kidsnpetsbrand.com/

This stuff is awesome and after you have used it there is no odor at all--not even a chemical cleaner smell. It's great stuff. Our daughter threw up in our car and not even a professional detailing would get the smell out but kids n pets totally removed the smell.

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