Imagine wearing the same pair of pants for three weeks straight. Gross, right?
While you (hopefully) swap to a fresh pair of pants every morning, it seems that the same hygiene practices are not being extended to other areas, namely mattresses.
According to a YouGov poll, only 28 per cent of Britons change their sheets once a week. Meanwhile, just over a quarter (26 per cent) of those aged 18-24 said they wash their bedlinen once a month. One could deduce that with such a lax attitude towards bed sheet hygiene, mattress cleaning probably hasn’t even entered their consciousness.
Deep cleaning your mattress is an extra sleep hygiene step that will not only prolong the lifespan of your furniture but carry health benefits too, especially if you suffer from allergies.
It’s an important task to do, especially considering those who clock up the suggested eight hours a night spend around 56 hours in bed a week. While duvets and bed linen will shield your mattress from the worst of the dust, dirt, hair, oil and sweat that inevitably collects, it doesn’t mean that mattresses are immune from the cleaning rota.
Stains and in-bed spillages can make their mark on mattresses and are tricky to shift if not treated quickly. Aside from looking awful, some stains can breed bacteria or emit odours, making for a rather unpleasant sleep environment.
Keeping your mattress in good condition will prolong its lifespan, pushing back the date until you need to look for a replacement. It may also improve your sleep quality by sleeping on a fresh - and fresh-smelling - bed.
Do check the care guide before you start to ensure you’re using the correct formulas for your particular bed.
Luckily there are plenty of specialist mattress cleaners and upholstery refreshers to keep your bed in optimum condition.
We’ve rounded up the best below to shop now.
VonHaus Handheld Mattress UV Vacuum Cleaner
Crumbs in bed: annoying, dirty and hard to get rid of. Keep beds clean with VonHaus’s specialist bed cleaner. The small handheld device can be used across sheets, on bare mattresses and on upholstery too, making it a useful tool to use across the home. The powerful 17000Pa suction is extremely effective at collecting dust mites and bugs into the 500ml dust tank that may go otherwise undetected.
The machine comes with a brush head, crevice tool and a UV head to work under fibres to get to hidden bacteria, leaving no corner of your mattress unchecked. Sold with a two-year warranty.
Buy now £64.99, Amazon
Dyson V7 Animal cordless vacuum
Best for: easy storage
- Run time: 30 mins
- Charge time: 3.5 hours
- Weight: 0.3kg
- Power modes: 2 Tier Radial cyclones
This vacuum, which transforms into a handheld in one click, comes with five additional tools and will give you 30 minutes of cleaning after a full charge.
We loved the look of the model, very sleek and easy to store after we’d used it. The handheld section didn’t feel as lightweight when used on its own though, while some of the attachments made it even heavier.
Despite the compact size, it has a powerful suction where the motorhead and mini motorhead attachments work wonders in deep cleaning car seats and picking up pet hair. The smaller attachments, especially the combination tool, were great for smaller and hard-to-reach areas.
While it comes programmed with three settings – eco, auto and boost – we loved switching it to boost to get a really thorough clean on rugs and carpets. The vacuum's filter system also means it captures allergens and expels cleaner air than the air you breathe – which we thought was pretty clever. Bravo Dyson.
Buy now £369.99, Dyson
VAX Spotwash Home Duo Spot Cleaner
The VAX SpotWash Duo is a convenient and effective spot cleaner which makes it easy to tackle everyday spills and stains, as well as being perfect for refreshing smaller areas. Spot cleaners are brilliant for cleaning carpets, sofas, hard floors and bedding super quickly.
We loved the way you could whip out the VAX Spot Clean quickly and tackle any spills straight away and the fact that it is lightweight and compact all while removing tough stains from all your surfaces.
Also brilliant for those with babies or toddlers as it makes getting rid of baby food stains a breeze.
Buy now £129.00, Amazon
Hoover H-Handy 700 Express
Best for: petite size
- Run time: 12 mins
- Charge time: 3 hours
- Capacity: 0.15 litres
- Weight: 0.66kg
This sleek little model has a great grip and is only 42cm long – so you’ll barely notice it in your living room.
The vacuum has a powerful 120W brushless motor and picks up hair and dirt from the kitchen floor and behind the sofas with ease. Plus, it’s easy to empty, with just a quick turn of the machine.
The lightweight handheld vacuum is also a breeze to charge – we attached it to the charging dock and after an hour, it had full power – which is the equivalent of 12 minutes of vacuuming time.
You can use it on its own or attach the crevice tool for areas which are just out of reach, a dusting brush for skirting boards, or a furniture nozzle. One of its best features, though, was the light which glows as you use it, helping you see the dust or dirt in front of you.
Buy now £59.32, Amazon
Pro-Kleen Mattress Stain Remover 500ml
A triple threat cleaner to give tired mattresses a new lease of life, Pro-Kleen’s formula not only takes on stubborn stains but it will send weird smells packing too. It’s beautifully simple to use too: simply spray on the offending areas, wait for it to dry and then wipe away any residue left behind. This purchase is for three 500ml bottles, which should last one family home a good while or can be divided amongst friends and family.
Buy now £15.95, Amazon
One Chem Mattress Stain Remover 500ml
Eliminate dodgy stains and smells from your bed with this powerful cleaner from One Chem. The fast-acting solution is ready to use: simply point, spray and let it do its thing.
Buy now £7.99, B&Q
The Pink Stuff The Miracle Foaming Carpet & Upholstery Stain Remover 500ml
Famed for its hardworking formulas, The Pink Stuff is back to rescue stained and smelly mattress with this cleaner which can also be used on carpet and upholstery. The oxi formula works in as little as five minutes, eradicating everything from wine and coffee to sweat from the mattress surface, using a vacuum to suck up an excess once you’re finished. It’s effective but may need a few treatments on truly stubborn stains.
Buy now £2.00, Asda
HG Stain Remover Extra Strong
What it lacks in schmoozy packaging (and really, who wants that from a cleaning brand anyway?), HG more than makes up for in strong, hard-hitting formulas.
Everything you need to know is on the front of the bottle while a spritz will prove all the claims true. This stuff works on everything from wine spillages, coffee stains, pen leaks, tracked-in mud, chocolate smears and more.
While it works on most fabrics, the brand doesn’t advise applying this to Oriental rugs or very delicate textiles.
Buy now £6.75, Amazon
Tesco Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner 500ml
Proving you needn’t dig deep to enjoy a deep clean, Tesco’s own-brand carpet cleaning formula gives you plenty of change from a fiver. The cleaning agent triggers upon contact with oxygen, so one spritz is all you need to get it working. Leave it on for no longer than five minutes before running over it with a vacuum. This is one cleaner best saved for synthetic rugs rather than wool, velvet, silk, antique or leather fabrics.
Buy now £2.15, Tesco
Rug Doctor Oxy Power Stain Remover, 500ml
Using a formula triggered by air, this rug-safe cleaner works by disrupting the chemical bonds of stains, giving a whole new meaning to a deep clean. This is the big gun to call when you’ve run out of side tables and cushions to hide ingrained stains like red wine, ink, grease and pet accidents. It’s multi-use too; as well as rugs and carpets, it can also be applied to soiled upholstery, mattresses, drapes and used in the car as well.
Buy now £4.99, Amazon
ECOVER Stain Remover 200ml
One of the best eco stain removers on the market, the Ecover Stain Remover has a built-in applicator to make removing stains an easy process, and it can be used on everything from upholstery and mattresses to rugs and clothing. Another clear favourite across Amazon with five-star reviews exclaiming they ‘wouldn’t be without it’ and that ‘it’s the only eco stain remover that actually works’.
Using it is a doddle. Dampen the treatment area and squeeze some of the solution through the brush head, work it into the stain and then wash away or dab with a damp cloth. We love the fact that it’s plant-based, vegan and cruelty-free as well as made using biodegradable ingredients. However, it’s not recommended for use on wool, silk or other delicate fabrics so something to note when cleaning pillows or certain sofa covers.
A brilliant addition to any household cleaning cupboard.
Buy now £3.49, Robert Dyas
