First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot the liquid up with a dry towel right away.
- Take the bedding off so nothing touches the spot.
- Keep the mattress as dry as possible while you work.
- Leave the spot alone to dry before you judge the result.
The real risk with a mattress is moisture, since water sinks into the layers and stays trapped there. Fresh spots usually come up with a light touch, but an old, yellowed or dried-on stain is slower work, and it may fade rather than vanish. Keep every pass small, because water is only safe with care and soaking is never an option.
Work on one small area at a time, and blot it dry before you move on. Baking soda for mattress stains is a gentle first step. If an old yellow mark still won't move, an enzyme stain remover is worth trying.
Before you start
What this material can take
Use with care4
- Water
- Oxygen bleach
- Enzyme cleaners
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
Avoid4
- Hot water
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
7 items
What you'll need
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- Clean dry towelsTo blot liquid up without pushing it deeper into the padding.
- Mild liquid soapFor the cold-water blot. (opens Amazon)
- Cold waterIt's the temperature every spot step uses.
- Enzyme cleaner or liquid laundry detergentFor blood and urine, applied sparingly. (opens Amazon)
- White vinegarFor the rinse after a urine sponge. (opens Amazon)
- Baking sodaFor odor that's left once the spot is dry. (opens Amazon)
- Vacuum with a brush or upholstery attachmentTo lift the baking soda out of the padding.
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Check the label and strip the bed
Read the mattress care label or the maker's website before you start, so you know what the material can take. Strip off all bedding and covers, and set the bedding aside so it doesn't touch the spot.
Careful. Don't remove or wash a cover that isn't designed to come off, because doing so voids the warranty.
Step 2 of 6
Blot first, then clean with cold soap
If the spot is damp, press it with a dry towel to pull up the liquid. Then lightly apply mild soap and cold water, blotting as you go, using just enough liquid to dampen the spot.
Careful. Use cold water only, because hot water can set protein stains on a stain you can't identify.
Step 3 of 6
Treat blood and urine stains
For blood or urine, apply an enzyme cleaner or liquid laundry detergent sparingly, and blot it in. For urine, sponge with a detergent solution, rinse thoroughly with plain water and blot dry, then apply a white vinegar solution and blot again.
Tip. Use less than you think, since you can always add more after the first blot.
Step 4 of 6
Let the spot dry completely
Start in the morning so the spot has the whole day to dry. Water-damaged items need 24 to 48 hours to dry out, which is what prevents mold growth.
Step 5 of 6
Sprinkle baking soda on any odor
Once the spot is fully dry, sprinkle baking soda over any smell that's left. Leave it for 20 minutes to an hour, or up to five hours for a strong odor, then vacuum it up.
Tip. Use a brush or upholstery attachment so the powder comes out of the padding.
Step 6 of 6
Vacuum, then remake the bed
Vacuum the treated area, then check it in good light before you remake the bed. If a mark still shows, repeat the blot and enzyme round before anything goes back on the mattress.
Careful. Don't put sheets back on before the area is completely dry, because leftover moisture can encourage mold and mildew.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best stain removers for mattress
You only need a mild liquid soap, an enzyme cleaner or liquid laundry detergent, white vinegar and baking soda for this job.
Rug Doctor Spot & Upholstery Cleaner
BISSELL Little Green Portable Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner
Utopia Kitchen White Flour Sack Towels
Empty Spray Bottles 16oz/4Pack
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.
See what to do for what you're seeing →If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Know the stain? Use its own guide
Every stain on mattress
Body fluids7
Wax, gum & sticky1
Discoloration & marks7
Mold & outdoor2
Food & drink9
Smoke & burns1
Water, rust & minerals2
Paint, glue & adhesives2
Oil & grease1
Makeup & personal care1
Ink, marker & crayon1
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
A stain that's lifting will come up onto the towel with each blot, and the cloth will look lighter every time. If the towel keeps coming up colored, keep blotting with cold water and give the spot time to settle before you judge it. Once the area is fully dry and smells neutral, the job is done.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your mattress
Memory foam
Memory foam needs the lightest touch of any surface here, so use the smallest amount of cold water that lifts the spot. Stop once the stain stops coming up onto the towel, and don't keep working it to chase the last trace.
Give memory foam the full drying time before anything goes back on it. Check the spot by feel as well as by sight before you call it finished.
Toppers and pads
Move a topper or pad to a flat, dry surface before you start, so the liquid doesn't reach the bed underneath. Work on it there with the same cold-water blot and enzyme steps.
Let it dry flat and fully before it goes back on the bed. Keep it on a dry surface until the drying window has passed.
Air mattresses
An air mattress may use materials that the care information doesn't name, so don't guess at a stronger treatment. Stick with a dry towel, then cold water and mild soap, blotting as you go.
Let it dry fully before you inflate it again or lie on it. Check the maker's website first if you can't find the care label.
Box springs and foundations
A box spring or foundation gets the same light, cold-water treatment as the mattress. Keep the work on the top surface and avoid letting liquid run into the frame.
Let it dry fully before the mattress goes back on it. If the spot is still visible afterward, the set-in section below explains what's realistic.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old stain has had time to soak deep into the padding, so one pass of the steps won't finish it. Expect a lighter mark rather than a spotless one.
For a dried stain, dampen it with cold water first so the cleaner can reach it. Then repeat the enzyme or detergent step and blot again. If it persists, try a white vinegar rinse next, then blot it with cold water.
Yellow and white marks respond slowly, so let each round dry fully before you judge it. If the stain is still visible after a few rounds, accept a faded mark as a realistic result rather than reaching for a harsher product.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on mattress?
Most home remedies for mattress stains either fit into the steps above or don't suit this surface at all. Here's where each one lands, so you can skip the ones that could damage the cover or the foam.
Works3Skip3Avoid2
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 soak the mattress
A soaked mattress stays wet deep inside the layers, which is exactly when mold and mildew take hold. Keep every pass light, and blot instead of pouring on more liquid.
Don't use bleach or spot removers
Chlorine bleach can damage the mattress fibers, and dry-cleaning products or spot removers can harm the fabric and the layers underneath. Never mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar, rubbing alcohol or other cleaners.
Don't rub the stain
Rubbing pushes the liquid deeper into the padding and spreads the stain outward. Blot instead, and work from the edge of the stain toward the center.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
The stain faded but a smell remains.
Once the spot is fully dry, use baking soda for the longer dwell and vacuum thoroughly.
A water ring formed around the cleaned area.
Lightly dampen a wider area with cold water, blending from the ring inward, and blot dry. Use less liquid next time.
The spot is still damp at bedtime.
Keep the bed unmade and use a fan or open windows. Sleep elsewhere rather than covering a damp area.
A dark stain won't move after several rounds.
Try vinegar on fabrics that tolerate it, or call an upholstery cleaner.
When to call a professional
Call a professional upholstery cleaner if a stain is still visible after a few rounds of the steps above. After a flood, call a professional experienced with contaminated-water damage if the water was contaminated. If mold covers more than 10 square feet, follow official remediation guidance, since porous materials may have to be thrown away.
Questions
What causes mattress stains, and how do you prevent them?
Blood and urine are the biological stains you're most likely to face on a mattress, along with spills and water damage. A mattress cover is the best way to prevent stains, since it catches liquid before it reaches the padding. Keep it on the bed so the padding stays protected.
Can you use bleach or a carpet stain remover on a mattress?
No. No, skip both. An enzyme cleaner, detergent and baking soda handle the stains that matter on a mattress.
Does hydrogen peroxide get mattress stains out?
Leave it off the mattress. It can lighten colored fabric that isn't colorfast, and the steps cover the stains that matter here without it.
Does baking soda remove mattress odor?
It's for odor left behind after a stain, so wait until the mattress is completely dry. Sprinkle it on, let it sit for as long as the odor needs, then vacuum it off.
Can an old, dried, or yellow mattress stain be removed?
You can improve an old stain, but it often takes more than one round. Let each round dry completely, and accept a faded mark if that's the best result.
Does white vinegar work on mattress stains?
Yes, as the rinse after a urine sponge and as the next try when a stain persists. Vinegar is already the rinse for urine, so there's no need to add extra.
Are homemade stain removers safe on a mattress?
Not really: mixing cleaners at home adds risk, so stick to the enzyme cleaner or liquid laundry detergent, one product at a time. Mixing cleaners at home adds risk, so use one product at a time, as the steps do.
Which mattress stain remover should you buy?
Buy an enzyme cleaner for blood and urine, and use a mild liquid soap for the cold-water blot. Nothing else is needed for mattress stains, so skip the rest of the shelf.
Odor guides
Still smells?
Related
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.