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The short answer: to clean a mattress, strip the bedding, vacuum the whole surface with an upholstery tool, spot-treat stains with an enzyme cleaner matched to the stain, then sprinkle baking soda over everything, leave it several hours to absorb odors and moisture, and vacuum it off. The one rule that matters most: never over-wet a mattress — the interior holds water and grows mold, so use minimal liquid and let it dry fully before remaking the bed. Do a deep clean every three to six months and spot-clean spills the moment they happen.
A mattress collects dead skin, dust mites, sweat, and the occasional spill, and you spend a third of your life on it, so it is worth doing right. Below is the full method plus stain-specific fixes for urine, blood, and sweat. We do not test the cleaning products we mention; picks come from aggregated owner reviews and expert consensus, explained in how we rank.
What you need
| Item | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Vacuum with upholstery attachment | Removes dust, dead skin, and dust mites |
| Baking soda | Absorbs odors and residual moisture |
| Enzyme cleaner | Breaks down protein stains: urine, blood, sweat |
| Hydrogen peroxide (3%) and dish soap | For set-in stains on light mattresses |
| Clean white cloths | Blotting without transferring dye |
| Spray bottle | Controlled application of cleaner |
| Fan | Speeds drying — critical to prevent mold |
Use white cloths so dye does not transfer, and keep liquids to a minimum throughout.
The step-by-step deep clean
- Strip and wash the bedding on the hottest cycle the fabric allows to kill dust mites and bacteria. See how to wash bedding for temperatures.
- Vacuum the entire mattress — top, sides, and seams — with the upholstery attachment, working slowly to pull out dust, dead skin, and mites. Get into the piping and any tufted buttons.
- Spot-treat stains now, before deodorizing, using the stain-specific method below. Blot, never rub.
- Deodorize with baking soda. Sift a generous, even layer over the whole surface, gently rub it in, and leave it at least a few hours — overnight is better. It draws out odors and lingering moisture.
- Vacuum the baking soda off completely.
- Air and dry. Open windows, run a fan, and let the mattress dry fully. Flip and repeat on the other side if it is a double-sided model.
Stain-specific treatments
Different stains need different chemistry. Protein stains — urine, blood, sweat, vomit — respond to enzymes, not soap. Always blot up fresh liquid first and work from the outside of the stain inward.
| Stain | Best treatment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Urine | Enzyme cleaner, 10 to 15 min, then blot | Enzymes break down the odor compounds, not just the color |
| Blood | Cold water and enzyme cleaner or hydrogen peroxide | Never use hot water — it sets blood permanently |
| Sweat / yellowing | Baking soda, peroxide, and dish soap paste | Test on a hidden area; peroxide can lighten fabric |
| Vomit | Enzyme cleaner after removing solids | Deodorize with baking soda afterward |
| General / drink spills | Mild dish soap in water, blotted | Extract with a damp cloth, keep it minimal |
For the light-mattress paste, mix a few tablespoons of baking soda with a small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide and a drop of dish soap, apply to the stain, let it dry, then brush and vacuum off. Peroxide can bleach, so test a hidden spot first. The same enzyme approach carries over to bedding — see our laundry stain removal guide.
The one mistake to avoid: over-wetting
The single biggest error people make is soaking the mattress. Unlike a hard surface, a mattress traps liquid deep in its foam or padding where it cannot evaporate, and that trapped moisture grows mold and mildew inside the mattress within days — a far worse problem than the stain you started with. Every wet step should use the least liquid that works, followed by blotting and extraction.
If you use a portable upholstery or carpet spot machine to lift a stain, that caution matters even more: extract thoroughly, then dry with a fan and open windows for many hours before remaking the bed. Never use a full-size deep-cleaning carpet machine on a mattress. For heavier upholstered spills elsewhere, our best upholstery cleaner machine roundup covers the portable options that are safe for spot work.
Tackle dust mites and allergens
Mattresses are a primary reservoir for dust mites, which feed on dead skin and trigger allergies and asthma in sensitive people. Vacuuming removes many, but a few habits reduce the population between deep cleans: wash bedding weekly on hot, keep bedroom humidity low since mites need humidity to thrive, and let sunlight and fresh air reach the mattress when you can, as UV helps.
The most effective single measure is an allergen-barrier or washable mattress protector, which physically blocks mites from colonizing the mattress and can be laundered. Our best mattress protector and best waterproof mattress protector roundups cover both, and whether they trap heat is addressed in do mattress protectors make you sweat.
Cleaning by mattress type
The cautions shift a little depending on what your mattress is made of, and getting this wrong is how people damage an expensive bed.
| Mattress type | Key caution |
|---|---|
| Memory foam | Most moisture-sensitive of all; use the least liquid possible and dry for many hours with a fan, since foam holds water deep inside and grows mold readily |
| Innerspring / hybrid | More forgiving of airflow but the padded top still traps moisture; vacuum the sides and seams where dust collects around the coils |
| Latex | Naturally more resistant to dust mites and mold, but still spot-clean only and never soak |
| Pillow-top | The thick top layer holds liquid; blot aggressively and extend drying time |
Across every type the rules are the same in spirit: vacuum, spot-treat, deodorize with baking soda, and dry completely. Foam simply punishes mistakes fastest. If you are unsure how old your mattress is or whether it is worth deep-cleaning at all, our bedding hub covers lifespan in how long does a mattress last.
If you find mold or heavy mildew
A mattress that has been stored damp, sat on a floor without airflow, or absorbed a large untreated spill can grow mold, which shows as musty odor and dark or fuzzy patches. Surface mold on a mattress is genuinely hard to remove because it roots into the padding, and health authorities generally advise that heavily mold-infested soft furnishings often cannot be salvaged. For light surface spotting, take the mattress outdoors if possible, brush off loose growth wearing a mask and gloves, treat the area with a cloth dampened in a diluted rubbing alcohol or a mild disinfectant solution suited to the fabric, then dry it thoroughly in sunlight and airflow. If the mold is extensive, has penetrated the mattress, or keeps returning, replacement is the safer choice. Prevent it by never sealing a damp mattress in plastic and ensuring the bed frame allows airflow underneath. The bathroom version of tackling mold is covered in how to remove mold from the bathroom.
Prevent the mess in the first place
Cleaning is easier if less reaches the mattress. The three preventive steps that matter most:
- Use a washable protector. It intercepts sweat, spills, and dead skin, then goes in the wash — the mattress stays clean underneath. This is the biggest single win.
- Wash sheets weekly. A large share of what soils a mattress is your own overnight sweat and skin, which sheets absorb first. See how often to wash bed sheets.
- Rotate every three to six months. Rotation evens wear and gives you a natural reminder to vacuum and deodorize.
How often and final notes
Deep clean every three to six months, spot-clean spills immediately, and time it with your mattress rotation so it becomes one routine. With a protector in place, the mattress itself needs deep cleaning far less often. Whatever you do, dry it completely before the sheets go back on — a made bed over a damp mattress is how mold starts.
For the rest of your cleaning cadence see our weekly cleaning schedule, and browse everything at the cleaning and laundry hub. When it is time to replace the mattress rather than clean it, our bedding hub covers that in how often to replace a mattress.