If you’re like me, you probably only just learned that you’re supposed to clean your mattress every year. Whoops. But now that I know how, I’m going to pass it along to you, my lucky readers!

Cleaning a mattress is a semi-difficult process for one small person to accomplish if your mattress is large and heavy (like mine), so you may need some help. It’s important to clean your mattress yearly to prevent buildup of dust, allergens, bacteria, sweat, and other not-so-great things to have inside your mattress. Yuck! But aside from the bulkiness of moving the mattress and the time spent waiting for it to dry, this process is super simple!

• First, you’ll need to take all the linens/sheets/etc off your bed & wash them according to manufacturer’s instructions. If you want to, you can try laundry stripping your sheets to get them extra clean!

• If you have a mattress protector, remove it and wash it too. Mine wraps around the entire mattress top and bottom, so it was a little hard to get off. If yours has plastic, make sure you wash it with COLD water and do not put in the dryer. If it’s sunny where you live and you have the room, try drying it along with all your sheets out in the sun!

• Make a DIY Mattress Refresher Spray with baking soda, essential oils, and distilled or filtered water. SO MANY blogs out there tell you to sprinkle baking soda on upholstery, wait for an hour, and then vacuum it up to absorb odors, but did you know that’s actually a terrible idea? Unless you’re looking to completely ruin your vacuum motor, then you’re going to want to steer clear of that suggestion. Try this instead!

  DIY Mattress Refresher Spray:

  In a 16oz spray bottle, combine:

  • 1 TBSP baking soda

  • 30-50 drops of essential oils (I use Thieves, Joy, and Lemon essential oils for a springtime scent!)

  • top with distilled or filtered water

• With help if needed, lean your mattress up against a clear wall. Spray both front and back of the mattress with your DIY Refresher Spray (avoid soaking the mattress) and allow it to dry for several hours. To speed up the process, open your windows and turn a fan on. If you have the clean space and the willpower, you can let your mattress dry in the sun for a boost of some good, old fashioned anti-bacterial UV rays- aka sunshine!

• When your mattress is dry, rotate it and place it back on your bed frame. Rotating your mattress seasonally (every 3 months) will help it last longer and prevent misshaping or buildup of sweat, skin flakes, body odor, etc. All the fun stuff that happens when you’re human!

• Last but not least, enjoy your newly refreshed mattress and sleep soundly!