How to keep your mattress fresh and bug-free

Bed bugs? Pet hair? Sweat stains? 

It sounds like something from the set of a horror film. If your mattress is resembling a scene from Friday the 13^th, it might be time to think about what you’re potentially doing wrong. There’s nothing like a fresh bed to climb into at the end of a long day. However, over time, the mattress is going to deteriorate.

Thankfully, keeping your mattress smelling fresh and free of pests is easy.

So what about those bed bugs?

The biggest myth about bed bugs is that they only infest dirty homes. It doesn’t matter how often you pray to the patron saint of soap, bed bugs can be found absolutely anywhere. That doesn’t mean you are defenceless against the pests, though. The best way to get rid of bed bugs is to call a specialist.

The reason for this is that bed bugs don’t just infest your mattress. They can hide in those little furniture crevices and the cracks in the walls. Only a specialist can truly make sure that your bedroom is kept clear of bed bugs.

Vacuum your mattress

Most of your cleaning efforts will involve vacuuming the mattress. You should use a high-powered vacuum cleaner with a filter system. Use a soft and clean vacuum brush to clean the surface of the mattress gently.

Just remember to clean the brush before you use it. Otherwise, you could be transferring dirt and dust to your bed.

Pay attention to your mattress type

Most people tend to disregard the fact that maintaining a mattress using the wrong methods can affect its condition in the long run. It’s essential to check a mattress buying guide first before choosing a mattress support, as using one on the wrong type of mattress will only cause early wear.

Therefore, it’s essential to provide the right kind of support for your mattress and check the support’s condition annually to see if there are broken springs or slats that could affect the mattress. You can check the manufacturer’s recommendations to see the right type of support for your mattress.

For example, spring mattresses only use box springs as their support. On the other hand, memory foam mattresses require solid and firm support. You may also consider beds with frames to support the weight of the mattress and the sleepers. For those who use queen- and king-sized beds, having center support bars is a must.

Lastly, rotating the mattress regularly can also help in keeping it in good shape. Consider rotating them every two to six months, particularly during the first couple of years, to prevent uneven wear.

Use scents that keep bed bugs away

Bed bugs hide in places that make it difficult for you to eliminate them. Fortunately, there are specific scents that bed bugs hate. Getting rid of them by using scents is a hassle-free idea. Here are some of the scents or scented products you can use to drive them away from your mattress:

• Rubbing alcohol
• Tea tree oil
• Lavender oil
• Blood orange oil
• Diatomaceous earth
• Powdered pepper
• Lemon
• Cinnamon
• Peppermint
• Neem oil

Wet-wash your bed

It’s not enough to run Henry the Hoover over the mattress occasionally. Strip the bed as if someone has told you there’s money hidden underneath and wash the linen at high temperature.

Why does it need to be hot, you ask?

The mattress cover, pillow cases, blankets, and duvets can trap dust and dirt inside. This happens each time you use the bed. You should wash the linens at least once every two weeks. You can never wash too often, and that hot water will pack a punch that will eliminate dust mites.

But don’t wet-wash the mattress

Listen to the media and you might think that steam-cleaning the mattress is a very good idea. This could not be further from the truth. Applying liquid cleaner and steam-cleaning your mattress is a bad idea. Vacuuming is the only cleaning option that has been assessed as safe. Wet washing the mattress will either cause more bacteria to breed or just stain the mattress.

You should just stick to the instructions issued by the mattress manufacturer because they do know best and they have tested these methods to ensure quality.

So what is the problem with mattress cleaners?

There has been something of a backlash when it comes to mattress cleaning companies. People are turning away from them, and it’s not because they are unwilling to spend the money on the practice. Mattress owners have realised that a lot of professional cleaners are not doing things right.

They are going against the manufacturer’s instructions, and in a lot of cases this is leading to mattresses expiring much faster than they are supposed to. Purely from a time and money point of view, you can do exactly the same job at home. You do not need a professional to keep your mattress in the best possible condition.

Is it possible to keep your mattress clean forever?

Sooner or later you are going to come to a point where your mattress isn’t getting any better. No matter how much you wish the stains and the constant outbreaks of dust mites to go away, it seems like nothing is working. And that’s because every mattress will eventually reach the end of its usable life.

Regular cleaning will always ensure that your mattress stays clean and fresh for longer, but as with almost everything else, it’s going to expire.

The worst thing you can do is to keep your mattress going until it’s literally falling apart at the seams. Instead, you should replace it on a semi-regular basis. A cheap new mattress will give you a better quality of sleep, will be easier to keep clean, and is just more hygienic.

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