Over time, bedding eventually loses its original whiteness and takes on a yellowish tint, sometimes dotted with stains and rings. Not very glamorous! Why does a mattress turn yellow over time? How can you remove these unsightly and sometimes smelly stains? Rest assured, you don’t necessarily need to hire a professional cleaning company to fix this. Effective solutions can be found right in your own cupboards to easily remove stains from a mattress. Discover the best products and tips for taking care of your mattress. With a little elbow grease, you’ll keep it white, clean, and healthy for a long time.
Why does a mattress turn yellow?
Mattresses are particularly vulnerable to everyday accidents, and various factors can cause them to turn yellow overall.
Reason No. 1: Night Sweats
The primary cause of a yellowed mattress is perspiration. This phenomenon affects some people more than others, but it affects us all. Nights can also be hot, restless, or feverish, leading to increased production of sweat and sebum. Body fluids seep into the mattress and eventually create yellow stains of varying sizes.
Reason #2: Using hair or body oil
Well-hydrated skin is healthy skin! Unfortunately, using greasy creams or oils on your body and hair before bed can stain your mattress. The grease seeps into the fibers and leaves unsightly rings. These stains, which are particularly difficult to clean, are one of the causes of noticeable yellowing where your body rests.
Reason #3: Inadequate cleaning of urine stains
Bedwetting is a common little accident that every family experiences. And let’s not even mention the urine stains left by sick, territorial, or angry cats! In these situations, cleaning the mattress is usually done in a hurry. This haphazard cleaning can leave one or more stubborn yellow stains that sometimes take a long time to fade.
Reason No. 4: Excessive Sun Exposure
Have you always thought that the sun is good for your bedding? True and false! Airing out your mattress regularly is a very important part of caring for it, and the sun naturally helps fight bacteria and dust mites. It’s even said to whiten fabrics and remove stains. Be careful, though—this only works with natural fibers! If your mattress is made of synthetic fibers, UV rays can actually cause it to yellow.
How do you clean a yellowed mattress?
It's important to keep your bedding clean to ensure a good night's sleep, but cleaning a mattress might seem like a complicated task. Follow these simple tips to make your life easier!
Tip #1: Lemon juice
The citric acid in lemons has powerful stain-removing properties . This simple, eco-friendly homemade solution also helps eliminate unpleasant odors. To get rid of yellow stains on your mattress, make a lemon water solution by mixing the juice of 3 lemons into a cup of lukewarm water. Scrub the stains vigorously with a washcloth soaked in the mixture. Remove as much moisture as possible by wiping with a dry cloth, then let the mattress air dry. To speed up the process, you can use a hair dryer on a low setting.
Tip #2: White vinegar or household alcohol
White vinegar is a great ally for household cleaning thanks to its disinfecting and stain-removing properties. It’s very effective for cleaning a yellowed mattress. If you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute it with rubbing alcohol. Pour 500 ml of vinegar into a basin. Add a few drops of dish soap and 200 ml of lukewarm water. Dip a sponge into the mixture and wring it out thoroughly before scrubbing the entire surface. Rinse with clean water using a cloth without soaking the mattress, then let it air dry all day.
Tip #3: Laundry detergent or Marseille soap
The cleaning power of laundry detergent helps remove stubborn stains from a very dirty mattress and restore its original whiteness. Prepare soapy water using laundry detergent or Marseille soap, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Dampen a clean cloth with the solution and clean the mattress, taking care not to soak it. Wipe away any detergent residue with a second cloth dampened with clean water, then let it air dry. If your mattress is made of natural fibers, place it in the sun to help it whiten further.
Tip #4: A mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide
Baking soda is a powerful sanitizer, and hydrogen peroxide has bleaching and disinfecting properties . The combined action of these two products is very effective on yellowed mattresses. Mix 500 ml of hydrogen peroxide and 4 tablespoons of baking soda vigorously to ensure the powder dissolves completely. Pour the mixture—with a drop of dish soap added—into a spray bottle and spray it over the entire surface of the mattress. Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the surface and let the mixture sit for 6 to 8 hours. Finally, remove any remaining powder with a vacuum cleaner.
Tip #5: Soda crystals
To restore your mattress’s luster, soda crystals are an unbeatable solution. They can dissolve certain particularly stubborn stains, such as blood stains. This powerful disinfectant requires a few safety precautions, so be sure to put on household gloves before you begin. Take a basin and dissolve one cup of soda crystals in 5 liters of hot water. Soak a sponge in the solution and scrub the entire mattress, paying special attention to heavily soiled areas. Rinse with a washcloth dampened with clean water, then let the mattress air dry for several hours.
Tip #6: Ammonia
Ammonia is an incredibly effective degreaser and stain remover for cleaning a stained or yellowed mattress. However, there are a few precautions to keep in mind when using it, as this product is particularly volatile and corrosive. Use it in a well-ventilated room or directly outside the house. Wear a mask and household gloves to protect yourself before proceeding with the treatment. For this solution, you’ll need one cup of ammonia, a few drops of dish soap, and 1 to 2 liters of hot water, depending on the severity of the problem. Soak a sponge in the solution and clean the entire surface of the mattress. Let the solution sit for 10 minutes. Then simply rinse with a washcloth soaked in clean water and let it dry for the rest of the day.
Tip #7: The Steam Cleaner
There’s nothing like a steam cleaner for disinfecting and freshening up a mattress. Its intense heat and high pressure help combat bacteria, dust mites, and mold. If you have one at home, now is the time to put it to work. Most of these devices come with a built-in vacuum function that will help you remove as much moisture as possible. Be sure to let the mattress dry thoroughly before making your bed.
In summary, there are several ways to clean a mattress. To keep it in good condition and comfortable for as long as possible, be sure to vacuum it at least once a month and air it out often. You can give it a thorough cleaning once a year. Consider replacing your mattress if it’s too old or damaged!
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