What you'll need
- A vacuum with an upholstery attachment
- Baking soda
- Dish soap
- Hydrogen peroxide (3%) and/or an enzyme cleaner
- Clean white cloths and a spray bottle of cold water
- Optional: a few drops of essential oil for scent
Before you start, strip the bed and wash the sheets and mattress protector on the warmest setting the care label allows. Cleaning the mattress while the bedding is in the wash means everything goes back fresh at once.
Step-by-step: how to deep clean a mattress
Vacuum the whole surface
Using the upholstery attachment, vacuum the top and sides of the mattress, paying attention to seams and crevices where dust, skin flakes and dust mites collect. This single step removes the bulk of what makes a mattress feel stale.
Spot-treat any stains
Deal with visible stains before deodorizing (see the stain-by-stain guide below). Always blot rather than rub, and use as little liquid as possible.
Deodorize with baking soda
Sift a thin, even layer of baking soda over the entire mattress. Leave it for at least a few hours — overnight if you can sleep elsewhere. Baking soda pulls out moisture and neutralizes odours rather than masking them.
Vacuum again
Vacuum up all the baking soda thoroughly. Go slowly — you want every bit out of the surface and seams.
Let it air and flip if needed
Let the mattress air out — open a window or run a fan. If your mattress is the flippable type, this is a good moment to rotate or flip it for even wear. Put on a clean protector and fresh sheets only once it's fully dry.
Removing specific mattress stains
The right treatment depends on the stain. The golden rule for all of them: blot from the outside in, use minimal liquid, and never soak the mattress.
Stain-by-stain
Mattresses — especially memory foam — can't be wrung out or dried in the sun like a cloth. Excess moisture sinks in, takes days to dry, and breeds mould you can't reach. Always treat stains with the least liquid that works, blot it back out, and dry fully before re-making the bed.
How to sanitize a mattress
Cleaning removes dirt; sanitizing reduces germs, dust mites and allergens. After vacuuming and deodorizing:
- Sunlight and air: if you can, let the bare mattress air in a bright, ventilated room. UV light and airflow help reduce moisture and microbes naturally.
- Light steam: a garment or upholstery steamer passed lightly over the surface helps kill dust mites — just don't saturate it, and dry it fully afterward.
- Disinfectant spray: a fabric-safe disinfectant can be misted lightly on the surface. Test a hidden patch first and follow the product's contact-time instructions.
Keep it cleaner for longer
Once it's fresh, a few habits keep a mattress that way: use a washable, waterproof mattress protector; wash sheets weekly; air the bed for a few minutes before making it each morning; and rotate the mattress every few months. These small steps stretch the time between deep cleans and extend the life of the mattress.
Frequently asked questions
How often should you clean a mattress?
Vacuum and deodorize every one to three months, and deep clean (spot-treating and sanitizing) about every six months. Wash sheets and the protector weekly, and handle spills or accidents immediately.
How do you get stains out of a mattress?
Blot rather than rub, and match the treatment to the stain: enzyme cleaner or a peroxide-soap-baking-soda mix for sweat and urine, cold water and peroxide for blood (never hot water). Use minimal liquid, blot from the outside in, dry fully, then vacuum.
How do you deodorize a mattress?
Cover it in a thin layer of baking soda, leave it several hours or overnight, then vacuum thoroughly. Baking soda absorbs moisture and neutralizes odours. Add a few drops of essential oil to the baking soda for a fresher scent.
Can you use a steam cleaner on a mattress?
Lightly, yes — it helps sanitize and kill dust mites — but don't soak it, and dry it completely afterward. Memory foam especially should never be heavily steamed, as trapped moisture can damage the foam and cause mould.
Need upholstery, mattress or soft-furnishing cleaning at scale?
For hotels, dorms, care facilities and offices, our team handles upholstery and soft-surface sanitizing as part of a commercial cleaning program across the GTA. $5M insured, WSIB compliant.