Healthy mattress maintenance

Maintaining a healthy mattress is more important that you may realise. Not only does it help to reduce household allergens, extend the life of a bed, but it can also result in improved sleep quality. The domestic house cleaning professionals, MOLLY MAID, offers valuable advice on how best to maintain your mattress.

A good bed should last you a lifetime, and a decent mattress should give you a decade of service if treated properly according to mattress experts. To ensure you get the best out of both mattress and bed, here are 20 tips for looking after them.

• Use a Mattress Protector: Not to be confused with rubber or waterproof mattress covers, a mattress protector just adds an additional washable layer to your mattress. This helps prevent stains and keeps the mattress fresher.

• Clean with Caution: Mattresses benefit from a hoovering now and then when you change the bed. This removes dust, dirt and hairs.

• A good airing: It’s always good practice to air a mattress now and then by opening a window on a dry day. If strong smells such as cigarette smoke are embedded in the mattress, consider sprinkling bicarbonate of soda lightly over the mattress, leave for several hours, then hoover off. If possible, take your mattress outside in the sun and air to really freshen it up.

• Remove Stains: To remove spot stains, you can use a paste made from lemon juice and salt. Dab it onto the stain, leave for one hour, then wipe off the salt with a clean cloth.

• Avoid Bed Bugs: You can prevent bed bugs by not placing your luggage onto the bed. If staying at a hotel, you can be at risk of bringing an infestation home with you. Avoid this by keeping your suitcase off the floor and bed in your hotel room, pack your clothes in plastic bags and immediately tumble dry your clothing on your return.

• Keep Pets Off: Pets will bring dirt and hair onto your mattress and will also carry bed bugs, so check them for signs of infection and don’t allow them on your bed.

• Turning the Mattress: Turn your mattress regularly to prolong its life and prevent it developing an uneven surface. You might like to do this with each season. When you first purchase a mattress it’s a good idea to turn it more regularly, say every month.

• Don’t sit ON the bed: Avoid sitting on the edge of the bed as this distorts the mattress.

• Do not eat in bed!: Avoid eating and drinking in your bed as it encourages pests to fester in the mattress and spills tend to be difficult to get out.

So, invest time in your mattress and it will treat you kindly.

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