Sweat and urine can compromise both your mattress and your sleep quality. So, knowing how to these stains out of your mattress is an essential skill.
Especially if you’re going to prioritize your sleep hygiene, which can improve the quality of the rest you get.
Even the best mattresses needs proper care and cleaning, so we’ve done some digging and found out how professional cleaners tackle these common stains.
As we celebrate Sleep Awareness Week 2025 are share all the best tips on improving the quality of your sleep, a clean mattress is an excellent place to start.
With these tried and tested cleaning methods, used by the professionals, you can ensure your mattress is stain free and a healthier sleep space for you to enjoy.
Why are urine and sweat mattress stains bad news for your sleep?
Urine and sweat stains don’t just look unsightly, they can seriously impact your health and have a detrimental effect on your sleep quality.
Yellow stains on your mattress create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mold, dust mites and other allergens, which can trigger respiratory issues, skin irritation and allergies.
Over time they can also cause unpleasant odors, leaving your bed and your whole sleeping space feeling unclean.
Urine and sweat stains also contain proteins and salts that can break down the materials in your mattress, which means your bed will be less supportive and comfortable.
This deterioration will lead to poor spinal alignment which may result in aches, pains and restless sleep, and you may find you need to invest in a new one sooner rather than later.
3 pro tips to remove sweat and urine mattress stains
1. Use an enzyme cleaner
Professional cleaners recommend using enzyme cleaners as their go-to solution when it comes to sweat and urine stains.
These cleaners contain natural enzymes which break down proteins left behind by bodily fluids so this gets rid of not only the stain, but any odors that come with it.
To use an enzyme cleaner effectively on your mattress, blot the area with a clean paper towel first to ensure it’s completely dry. Then spray the cleaner over the stained area and leave to sit for around 15 minutes.
Grab another clean cloth and then blot the area dry, you’ll see that the stains start to lift. Once your cloth is coming back dry, leave your mattress to air and fully dry before adding your bed sheets.
2. Make a baking soda and vinegar cleaning solution
If you are looking for a way to tackle tough stains naturally, then baking soda and white vinegar is a favourite amongst cleaning professionals.
All you need to do is get a clean spray bottle and mix together equal parts of water and white vinegar.
After you’ve vacuumed your mattress, apply the mixture to the stained area, but be careful not to over saturate the surface so it takes a while to dry, as this could potentially lead to mattress mold.
Once the solution has been on the stain for around 10 minutes, sprinkle a generous layer of baking soda over the top. You’ll notice that it starts to fizz a little, this is just the combination working together to lift the stain and deodorize the mattress.
Leave it sit for at least four hours, but if possible longer and then vacuum thoroughly. This is a really good method if you’re tackling stubborn stains.
3. Use the power of steam for deep set stains
If you have deep-set or stubborn stains, then steam cleaning your mattress is the best course of action. The high temperature will break down and lift the stains whilst also sanitizing the mattress.
To steam clean your mattress, use a handheld steam cleaner with the upholstery attachment and keep the nozzle around 6-inches from the surface.
Work methodically in small sections and avoid over-saturating your mattress. If your mattress is getting too wet, you need to lift it higher.
Once you’re done, leave the mattress to fully dry. If you don’t have a steam cleaner then check out our guide to steam cleaning your mattress with an iron.
Note that steam cleaning isn’t appropriate for all mattress types. Even the best memory foam mattresses can be very sensitive to heat and moisture.
Steam cleaning a memory foam mattress will cause the materials to break down, leaving you with an uneven, lumpy mattress.
How to prevent mattress stains in the future?
When it comes to avoiding sweat and urine stains on your mattress then prevention is always better than cure.
Invest in one of the best mattress protectors, which will provide a barrier between you and the surface of your mattress.
When choosing a mattress protector, look for a waterproof option to protect against liquid spills and accidents.
You can also find mattress protectors that have antimicrobial properties, which offer additional protection against bacteria growth.
For complete protection, you may want to consider a mattress encasement. This is like a protector but it covers all six sides of your mattress and uses a zipper to ensure that nothing can get inside, this protects your mattress against spills, bed bugs, dust mites and any other allergens.
You should also ensure that you’re washing your sheets at least once a week. And rotating your mattress every three to six months so that it stops sweat accumulating in one area.
How to tell when your mattress needs replacing?
Cleaning can revive and add new life into most mattresses, but there are some signs that indicate it’s time for a new one.
If your mattress is over 7 years old, shows visible signs of sagging, the material is ripped or torn or you’ve noticed dips that are deeper than 1.5 inches, then it’s time to invest in a new one.
If stains haven’t been tackled on your mattress and it’s now heavily stained, then it’s time to get rid. As we mentioned earlier, stains aren’t just something that looks bad, they can also be disastrous to your health.
You may even spot the presence of mattress mold (this often shows itself by dark spots or a musty smell) and that’s a clear sign that it’s time to buy a new bed as mold can pose serious health risks and it’s often impossible to completely remove once it’s taken hold.
If you don’t notice any tangible signs but you have persistent allergies, wake up feeling achey or you have neck and joint pain, this is another strong indicator that your mattress has reached the end of its life.
Whilst it may seem like buying a new mattress is a huge investment, it’s worth looking at the monthly mattress sales so you can get a new bed for less.
