Skip to main content
1041 Business Blvd Watkinsville, GA 30677     |     Rug Drop-Off Locations

Mattress Cleaning: A Carpet Cleaner for a Squeaky Clean Mattress



Carpet cleaners are designed to be used primarily on carpets — it’s in the name! However, carpet cleaners can be used for a few other things as well, and cleaning a mattress is a perfect example. 

If you’ve ever wondered whether you can use your carpet cleaner on the mattress and, more importantly, how to do it, keep reading — you’ll get all the answers.  

Can You Use a Carpet Cleaner on a Mattress?

Firstly, let’s answer the question that bothers many people — is it okay to use a carpet cleaner on a mattress? The answer to this is YES! It’s absolutely all right to use your carpet cleaner for mattress cleaning. In fact, this is one of the best ways to approach cleaning your mattress. 

Carpet cleaners are extremely efficient in removing dust, dirt, and stains due to the powerful combination of scrubbing brushes, injection of cleaning solution, and vacuum function. When you apply the carpet cleaner to any surface, be it a carpet, a couch, or a mattress, it will inject the cleaning solution into the fabric; then, the brushes take over and scrub away any dirt. The vacuum collects all the dirty water, leaving the fabric clean and (relatively) dry. 

Even though these machines were designed with carpets in mind, they can be used on nearly all padded furniture encased in fabric, and they’re particularly good for cleaning mattresses. So, not only can you use the carpet cleaner on the mattress, you most definitely should! If you do this, you can be sure that your mattress is thoroughly clean, and you’ll be able to see the results with your own eyes. 

Carpet Cleaner on Mattress: How to Use It?

Once we’ve established that using a carpet cleaner for your mattress is a good idea, you’re probably curious about how to approach the process. To make things easier for you, we’ve provided step-by-step instructions for the process; if you follow these, you won’t experience any problems during the cleaning process — you might even enjoy it. 

  1. Strip the Bed from Linens 

Bed covers, blankets, pillows, and anything else you might keep on your bed should be removed. Wash and dry everything before you put it back on the bed, including your pillows. 

  1. Prop Up the Mattress 

If you want to reach all parts of the mattress, it needs to be propped up. You can prop it up against a wall or a large closet and make sure you can get to all the corners that are usually overlooked.

  1. Vacuum the Mattress

Using a regular vacuum cleaner or the vacuum function on your carpet cleaner, go over the entire mattress to remove any surface dust. It’s important to do this before you start with the deep clean because you don’t want dust flying around while you’re cleaning. 

  1. Use the Carpet Cleaner  

You already know the answer to “can you use a carpet cleaner on a mattress,” and now we get to the how. Apply the carpet cleaner to one side, making sure it injects the water mixed with a cleaning agent, and then activate the brushes. Go over the entire surface, and then go over the surface with the vacuum function that will absorb the fluid. Continue to the other side and, finally, to the siding. Take care not to use a lot of water in the process.

  1. Let the Mattress Dry  

Once you’re done cleaning, give the mattress enough time to dry off completely. You can leave it to air dry, or if possible, you can leave it out in the sun — it will speed up the drying process, but the sun also acts as a disinfectant. 

  1. Make Your Bed  

Once the mattress is completely dry, put on some fresh linens and make your bed. Also, make sure that the linens you’re adding are also dry. You don’t want to risk your mattress getting wet from the sheets and developing an unusual smell. 

How Often Should You Clean the Mattress with a Carpet Cleaner?

Mattresses are essential for the support they provide when resting, night by night. Ensure that your mattress is in good shape and clean. But naturally, you may wonder how often you should actually clean your mattress to ensure that you sleep in a clean and safe environment. 

Usually, mattresses require a thorough cleaning every 6 months, so twice a year, get out your carpet cleaner and set about cleaning the mattress. By doing this, not only will you have a clean bed to sleep on, but you’re likely to extend the lifespan of your mattress. However, there might be exceptions to the 6-month cleaning rule. 

In the event of a spill, immediately remove the linens and clean the mattress before anything seeps into the fabric and stains the mattress for good. You may also wonder, “can I use a carpet cleaner on my mattress if it stains”. Well, you can and you should, but be quick about it and make sure you do it before the stains set in. 

Additionally, if you notice that your mattress has a foul smell or it’s not looking very clean, you can forego the 6-month rule. Go ahead and clean it as soon as you notice that it doesn’t smell or look good. 

The Best Mattress Cleaning Strategies

We talked about using carpet cleaners for mattress-cleaning purposes, and you know how and when you should use this cleaning strategy. Now, you might be also interested to learn more about other ways you can go about cleaning and maintaining your mattress. 

Vacuum Regularly

Vacuuming is a good strategy you can apply to mattresses, sofas, couches, even chairs, and of course, your carpets and rugs. By vacuuming the mattress, you remove the top layer of dust and make sure that it doesn’t accumulate on the inside. You can do this every time you change your bed sheets and make your work easier when conducting a deep clean.

Remove Stains

We’ve already talked about can you clean a mattress with a carpet cleaner when it stains, and you know you can. However, this is a good idea only if the stain is fresh. For older stains, you need to implement a different strategy. Use a stain remover, treat the stains, let the mattress dry, and make sure you’ve got all the stains out. Then, you can proceed with the cleaner. 

Apply Baking Soda

The use of baking soda is quite common in household cleaning, and it can be used on mattresses, too. This cleaning agent is particularly good for removing unpleasant odors or excess moisture from your mattress, so it’s your best bet if you have such a problem. 

Get It Professionally Cleaned

There are plenty of ways you can go about cleaning a mattress, but nothing beats professional mattress cleaning. If you want to make sure that your mattress is perfectly clean, call a team of professionals specializing in this area and let them do the heavy lifting for you. 

We at Certified Clean Care offer professional mattress cleaning and can guarantee your satisfaction with our services. Reach out, make an appointment, and let us take care of the rest. 

Mattresses & Carpet Cleaners: A Winning Combination

Mattress cleaning doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, but this can change if you use the right cleaning strategy. And the right strategy is — a carpet cleaner. Hopefully, we have provided a satisfying answer to “can you use a carpet cleaner on a mattress,” and now you’re aware that you can and you should! 

If you still have some doubts or insecurities about cleaning your mattress by yourself, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Certified Clean Care and allow us to use our expertise and deliver on our promise — a gleaming mattress!

FAQ

What is the best thing to clean a mattress with?

Carpet cleaners provide an effective way to clean a mattress, but you can always resort to using baking soda or other cleaning supplies to get your mattress clean again. Just be careful not to use bleach on the mattress, as this might cause significant damage. 

How long does a mattress take to dry after carpet cleaning?

Because the carpet cleaner vacuums all the water from your mattress, you won’t have to wait too long for the mattress to dry. However, to be on the safe side, we recommend leaving the mattress to air dry for at least 6-8 hours. 

Can you use a carpet cleaner on a memory foam mattress?

Memory foam mattresses are slightly different from regular mattresses and should be approached differently. So, can you carpet clean a mattress made from memory foam? Well, no, because the pressure from the machine might disrupt the structure of the memory foam and ruin your mattress.