Humans spend around a third of their lives sleeping so it’s important the mattresses we’re sleeping on are clean and hygienic. Mattresses may look clean but if you’ve never cleaned yours, and you’ve had it for a while, it’s likely your mattress is harbouring germs.
Mattresses can harbour everything from dust mites to skin, dirt, oils, sweat and other debris.
Those who suffer from allergies, have pets or like to have a snack in bed should clean their mattresses more regularly to avoid unwanted bacteria.
With this in mind, Jonathan Warren, mattress specialist and director at Time4Sleep has shared his “four easy steps” for cleaning mattresses exclusively with Express.co.uk.
Jonathan said we should be aiming to clean our mattresses twice a year to keep them clean and fresh.
READ MORE: ‘Effective’ laundry staple to remove ‘crusty’ grease from oven racks
He explained: “We spend an average of 19,000 hours sleeping on the same mattress so it’s no surprise that they can harbour germs and bacteria like dust to dead skin and oils.
“With this in mind, we’d recommend cleaning your mattress twice a year to keep your sleep space fresh, tackle any possible allergy flare-ups and extend the life of your mattress.
“It’s best to clean your mattress once during the spring or summer so that it can dry out with the benefit of the warmer weather – not to mention that we’re likely to sweat more during this time – and then again in the winter months at the end of the year.
“Cleaning your mattress can be done in four easy steps, starting with gathering a hoover, bicarbonate of soda, a mattress cleaning spray and a damp cloth.”
DON’T MISS
Pest expert shares four methods to ‘deter’ rats from nesting outside [INSIGHT]
Four garden plants to always prune in winter [UPDATE]
Mum’s homemade spray to ‘remove mould and prevent it coming back’ [ANALYSIS]
1. Remove stains
Firstly, homeowners need to remove any stubborn stains that are lingering on the mattress surface.
Lift the stains with bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda) and then dab the area with a cleaning spray.
Bicarbonate of soda, which is normally used in baking, is a great cleaning agent as it dissolves both dirt and grease and is an effective deodoriser.
This should “avoid making the stain any bigger”, according to Jonathan. Then, wipe away any residue with a damp cloth.
READ MORE: Remove ‘stubborn’ moss from your patio with £1 ‘cleaning staple’
4. Replace your mattress
Jonathan said mattresses should be replaced every seven to 10 years to avoid a build-up of allergies or discomfort.
“He explained: “If yours has reached this threshold and you’re struggling to sleep and suffering from discomfort or a flare-up with allergies, consider replacing it.
“A pocket-sprung mattress is usually the most popular choice as they provide a higher level of support and comfort as the springs react independently to suit your sleeping position.
“If allergies are a concern, you can find pocket spring mattresses with multiple layers of hypoallergenic fillings to keep your sleep undisturbed.
“Continuing to sleep on an old mattress will do more harm than good and even damage your posture leading to conditions like Kyphosis, ‘sad shoulder’ and even hand numbness as found in our recent posture research, so look into replacing your mattress during the seven to 10-year time frame.”