How To Disinfect A Mattress Tutorial

Being that humans spend on average 1/3 of their lives in their beds, it's safe to say that we use our mattresses more than any other furniture on our homes. So, it's important to keep mattresses clean and disinfected, especially after anyone in your home has been sick. If you don't have a disinfectant on hand at home (like Lysol), we'll show you in step four (below) how you can make your own.

Step 1

To begin, take all your bedding off and clean in hot water. Read more here about how to disinfect your sheets. (And then, you might want to disinfect your washing machine, too.)

Step 2

Before you can actually disinfect your mattress, first you must clean it. Start by sprinkling a small amount of baking soda all over the top of your mattress and allow it to sit for 10 to 30 minutes. The baking soda will absorb any moisture left behind from our bodies and help to pull out odors as well.

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Step 3

Use your vacuum's attachments and vacuum the entire mattress. This will remove the baking soda — and will also help draw out dust and dust mites that may be living inside of your mattress.

Step 4

Spray a very light amount of disinfect spray like Lysol all over the top of your mattress. Do not saturate the mattress — it needs to be able to dry quickly. If you don't have any disinfectant spray, you can mix 1/4 cup of distilled water with 3/4 cup of isopropyl alcohol (70% or higher) in a clean spray bottle. Lightly spray the mattress and allow it to dry for 15 minutes.

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Step 5

Once your mattress is clean and dry, cover it with a protective mattress cover. This will keep your mattress from absorbing most of your body's oils, dead skin, and dirt. Most mattress protectors are washable and should be washed when you change your bedding.