Prep first
Before you start
- Rinse a fresh splash with plenty of water right away.
- Don't add other cleaners to try to cancel the bleach.
- Check the material before anything wet touches the mattress.
- Expect to hide or even out the spot, since lost color doesn't come back.
Bleach on a mattress works on the fabric's dye, so the spot is a loss rather than a residue you can wipe away. Mattresses hold moisture deep inside, which means the cleanup has to stay light: a little cold water, applied sparingly, and bedding stays off until the mattress has dried. Patches that have turned yellow or rust-colored after bleach or benzoyl peroxide won't reverse, so blending them in is what you can realistically aim for.
If you're trying to get bleach smell out of a mattress, let it dry fully before you add anything. A pet enzyme stain and odor remover can handle lingering odor once the surface is dry, but skip extra bleach or heavy spray. If you're hoping to get stains out of a mattress without bleach, a light touch and patience beat stronger products.
Before you start
What mattress can take
Use with care4
- Water
- Oxygen bleach
- Enzyme cleaners
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
Avoid4
- Hot water
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
6 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Dry towelsTo blot the spot and check whether anything comes through.
- Mild soapFor the cold-water wash. (opens Amazon)
- Clean cloths or spongesTo apply and blot without soaking the mattress. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme cleaner or liquid laundry detergentFor blood or other biological stains only. (opens Amazon)
- White vinegarFor the rinse after a urine spot. (opens Amazon)
- Baking soda and a vacuumTo pull out leftover odor once the mattress is dry. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 72 minutes
Read the care label first
Find the mattress care label or check the maker's website before you start. Note the fabric on the top layer, since wool, silk, mohair, leather and spandex should never be bleached and need the gentlest approach.
Tip. If you can't find a label or identify the material, stop after blotting with a dry towel.
Step 2 of 72 minutes
Strip the bed and blot
Take off all bedding and covers, and set them aside where they won't touch the spot. If the spot is damp, press a dry towel onto it until the towel stops picking up moisture.
Step 3 of 710 minutes
Work in mild soap and cold water
Apply a small amount of mild soap mixed with cold water using a cloth, and blot as you go rather than rubbing. Lift the spot out of the fabric, and switch to a clean section of cloth whenever the one you're using picks up color.
Tip. Work from the edge of the stain toward the middle so the spot doesn't spread.
Step 4 of 7
Treat a biological stain with enzyme
If the spot looks like blood or other biological matter, use an enzyme cleaner or liquid laundry detergent, applied sparingly. Dab it on, then blot it off with a dry cloth once it's had a moment to work.
Step 5 of 7
Sponge and rinse a urine spot
For urine, sponge the area with a detergent solution, then rinse it with a vinegar solution. Blot the rinse up with a dry cloth so the mattress isn't left wet.
Tip. Use white vinegar only, since colored vinegar can leave its own stain.
Step 6 of 7
Let the mattress dry completely
Let the area air dry completely before you put anything back on the bed. Start in the morning so it has time to dry through the day. Water-damaged items should be dried within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth.
Tip. A fan pointed at the spot helps it dry faster.
Step 7 of 7
Clear any leftover bleach smell
Once the mattress is dry, sprinkle baking soda over the area and leave it for 20 minutes to an hour. For a strong odor, leave it up to five hours, then vacuum it off thoroughly.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for bleach spots on mattress
Choose an enzyme cleaner or liquid laundry detergent for biological spots, and skip any product that lists bleach on its label.
Utopia Kitchen White Flour Sack Towels
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on mattress, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
Heavy buildup usually takes more than one round.
Heavy or long-standing buildup →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
Progress looks like the spot fading into the surrounding fabric once everything is dry, and the cloth should pick up less color with each blot. Judge it only after it's dry, because wet fabric reads darker than it really is. If two rounds of gentle cleaning leave the spot looking identical, the color loss has set, so move to the older-stain section.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your mattress
Memory foam mattress
Memory foam is the version where moisture matters most, since excess water can break the foam down. Work with the lightest touch you can, and blot out what you put on before it spreads into the foam. Polyurethane foam is also a material bleach can't touch, so keep bleach off it entirely.
Watch the drying closely here, and don't cover the spot with a sheet until the foam is fully dry to the touch.
Removable mattress cover
Check whether the cover is designed to come off before you touch it. If it is, read its label and follow it; if it isn't, leave it on, because removing it can void the warranty.
If the spot has gone through the cover into the mattress, treat only the area you can reach, and don't push liquid deeper.
Wool, silk or leather top
These fabrics should never be bleached, and more bleach only damages them further. If you can't tell what the top is made of, stop at blotting with a dry towel and check the label before you use any liquid.
Leather needs its own care, so the Leather guide covers cleaning that surface. Wool or silk should only get the lightest touch, and any color it has lost won't come back.
Foundation or box spring
Liquid that runs through the mattress can reach the foundation beneath it, and the foundation can't be soaked either. Lay a dry towel under the spot as you work so you can see if anything comes through.
If the spot shows wetness on the foundation, stop and let everything dry before you go on. Keep the work on the mattress top, and don't add extra product to the foundation.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
A bleach spot is a color that's gone, and that stays true whether the spot is fresh or has been there for weeks. Once the mattress is dry, look at the spot in daylight before deciding what to do next.
The realistic goal is making the spot less noticeable, since the color can't come back. A light sheet placed over it hides the spot in everyday use.
If it's still there after the steps above, a vinegar rinse or an upholstery cleaner is the next thing to try. Expect a lighter patch to stay even after either one. Stop once cleaning stops changing the spot, since more product only adds moisture and risk.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on bleach spots on mattress?
Plenty of home remedies promise to lift a bleach spot. Most of them fail here, because the color is gone, and the rest are meant for other stains.
Works2Skip3Avoid1
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Enzyme cleaner + Vinegar
Some enzyme and pet stain removers' makers say not to mix them with vinegar or acidic cleaners, or with other household chemicals.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't keep chasing the color
Once the color is gone, stronger products won't bring it back. Each extra round adds moisture and more product to a mattress that already can't get its color back.
Don't mix solutions in metal containers
Stir and store any solution in plastic or glass, since metal spoons and containers aren't safe with bleach. Keeping metal out of the process also keeps your mixing simple.
Don't mix bleach with other cleaners
Ammonia, vinegar, rubbing alcohol and rust removers can all give off toxic gas when they meet bleach. Stick to the mild soap and cold water from the steps instead.
Don't start without reading the care label
A cover that isn't designed to come off should stay on, since removing it can void the warranty. Check the care label before you undo anything.
Don't reach for a spot remover
Spot removers can damage the cover and the materials beneath it, which is the last thing a stained mattress needs. Stay with the gentle approach from the steps.
When to call a professional
When the spot is still there after the cleanup, an upholstery cleaner is the next call. Give them the age of the spot and a list of everything you've already tried on it, since that helps them choose safely.
Questions
Can you use bleach on mattress stains?
No. Chlorine bleach can damage the mattress fibers, and the color it takes out can't be restored. Use mild soap and cold water instead, and check the label first.
Will a yellow bleach spot ever come out?
Usually not. A yellow or rusty area left by bleach is a permanent color change, so the goal is to make it less noticeable instead.
Can acne cream bleach a mattress?
It can. Benzoyl peroxide in acne medicines and skin creams leaves a rusty or yellowish patch much like bleach does. Rinse a fresh splash with plenty of water right away, then expect the color change to stay.
What if I don't know what the stain is?
Don't guess, and don't reach for strong products. Blot it with a dry towel, check the label, and treat it as biological only if it looks like blood or urine.
Why does the spot still show after it dried?
Bleach destroys the dye, and drying doesn't bring it back. Look at the spot in daylight once it's fully dry, since that's the final color you'll be working with.
How long does a mattress need to dry after a bleach spot cleanup?
Plan on it drying all the way through before any bedding goes back, and start in the morning so it has the whole day. Anything that stays wet for long risks mold, so dry it within 24 to 48 hours.
How do I get a bleach smell out of a mattress?
Once the spot is completely dry, cover it with baking soda and let it sit anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour, or as long as five hours when the odor is strong. Vacuum it up afterward.
How do I keep a mattress from getting stained again?
A washable mattress protector is the most practical barrier, since it catches a spill before it sinks in. Choose one you can launder and check its label before the first wash.
Bleach Spots on other materials
Other stains on mattress
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.