I. General facts about mattress stain removal

Do you have a bed wetter in the family? Do you use your bed as a dining room? Have you and your significant other made some embarrassing "love" stains on the mattress itself? Chances are you’ve spilled something on your mattress and you’re thinking to yourself, "This is starting to smell bad. What the hell do I do?"

Keeping your mattress clean and fragrant is not always the easiest task, especially if you have young children and pets living in your home. The easiest way to answer the question on how to clean a mattress would be to try and keep it clean from the beginning. Unfortunately, accidents do and (more often than not) will happen.

A good mattress cleaner should definitely be used for an assortment of "accidents." It’s just not advisable to simply let the mattress dry and forget it ever happened; you’ll pay for that sin sooner or later.

Your mattress may be dry, but the odor will still linger, and the stains will surely set. Young children, pets and even adults have always been having accidents in bed, and that’s not about to stop any time soon.

Whether it is urine, vomit or you just happen to spill something while having breakfast in bed, you should have a good quality mattress cleaner at hand. The question is what to use, and what actually works to remove those awful stains and odors.

A clean mattress is the only way to sleep. A mattress saturated with water will eventually deteriorate and compound the problem with a really bad smell. Here’s how to stop mattress stains before they happen and what to do if they’ve already happened.

II. Basic Mattress Stain Removal

Nothing is worse than having recently spent a large sum of money on a good quality pillow top mattress, and then finding out that your dog has just urinated on it.

You always have the option to call a professional mattress cleaner, but sometimes the situation can be a little embarrassing, not to mention fairly costly. It’s always better just to do our own dirty work whenever you can.

* As much as possible, don’t use protective chemicals on a mattress. Stain-preventing chemicals are meant for carpets and rugs, not for mattresses. Eventually those chemicals will spread to your sheets and you’ll start to get rashes and irritated skin.

* If you really have to use chemicals, tackle super tough stains with an enzyme cleaner; a biologically-based cleaner that breaks down stains and odors.

* A few mattress-cleaning products that you can also use include Natures Miracle, Bane-Clene (which is great for allergies), and a well-recommended mattress cleaner used by the hotel industry called ProKlean.

A mattress cleaner is not only useful for accidents; people also sweat a lot when they sleep, and over time, your mattress just doesn’t smell as fresh as you would like.

* A high-quality upholstery shampoo usually does the job, and you can get them just about anywhere. The sooner you treat the affected surface, the easier it will be to remove the odor and stain, so if you happen to have upholstery shampoo in your home, try that.

* Some people have suggested that vinegar and water spread over a stain will, at the least, make sure you don’t have an obnoxious smell other than the smell of vinegar. Vinegar is acidic, so it dries quickly while killing most bacteria and mold that it comes into contact with.

* Mix up some "dry suds" using ¼ cup mild powdered detergent in one cup warm water. Beat with an egg beater or whisk until suds form (they should look like whipped cream), then apply suds to the mattress stain with a sponge. Wipe with a sponge dipped in warm water and wring the residue out.

* Use hydrogen peroxide to battle bloodstains. Blot the stain with a white towel from the outside in as it begins to bubble. Continue until blood no longer seeps onto the towel. Some bloodstains may be impossible to remove, though.

Remove urine stains in the same way you would remove bloodstains, or try blotting with white vinegar.

* Soap and water will get mattress stains out. Most mattress manufacturers will recommend using a mixture of soap and water and then lightly spreading (not pouring) it over the affected area. Scrub thoroughly and then dab dry with an absorbent towel. Make sure you dry it as thoroughly as possible.

* Steam cleaning will remove mattress stains. If soap and water didn’t work, try renting a powerful steam cleaner with a handheld attachment. Whatever you do, don’t use harsh chemicals and make sure you do your best to dry the area you’ve cleaned. An absorbent powder like baking soda probably wouldn’t hurt.

* Whichever method you choose, be careful to avoid liquids seeping into the mattress’s padding. Residual moisture can cause mold or mildew. Also, make sure the mattress is completely dry before replacing the mattress pad and sheets.

* Hire professional cleaners; reserve it only as a last resort, but for many people the dry cleaners are the first choice because of the sheer troublesomeness of carpet cleaning. Look in the Yellow Pages under "Mattress" or "Carpet Cleaners" (a lot of carpet cleaners also clean mattresses).

Indeed, if all else fails, commercial mattress cleaning equipment do exist to help you out. While some may be expensive, it’s still a cheaper alternative to replacing the mattress; more on that topic way below.

III. Alternatives to Mattress Stain Removal

* Get a protective mattress pad. First, for those who’ve just purchased a new mattress and would like to know how to keep a mattress clean, you can use one of many mattress protectors sold in most stores that carry household items and cleaners, as well as mattress dealers and furniture stores.

If you can’t stop yourself from eating or drinking on your mattress, or if you have a bed wetter in the mix, get a protective mattress pad. Replacing a mattress pad is way cheaper than replacing a mattress. You can also cover your mattress with a mattress bag which basically wraps your mattress in a protective envelope. These are also good for keeping your mattress dust, mite and allergen free.

* Don’t eat or drink on a mattress. Obviously you don’t want to be eating or drinking on your mattress. Even a water spill can allow moisture to infiltrate the material within the mattress, which (as noted before) causes the deterioration of the material, mold growth, and bad smells. Don’t use your mattress for a dining room table, even if you live in a dorm.

* It’s a good idea to first vacuum the mattress surface on both sides before you go ahead and use your preferred mattress cleaner product. This will rid your mattress of dust and mites.

* Furthermore, changing the sheets as often as possible will usually help keep that fresh scent and feel, longer before you feel the need to pull out the mattress cleaner once again.

* Mattress donation may be the only option for damaged and smelly mattresses; if your mattress is done for good, or if you’re thinking about buying a new mattress, it might be a good idea (even a nice thing to do) to donate your mattress.

Most places like Salvation Army have mattress cleaning services that will take care of your mattress after you drop it off. It’s the responsible thing to do.

IV. Mattress Cleaning Services

If prevention and outright cleaning didn’t work and you just can’t seem to get that stain or that funny smell out of your mattress, there are a number of online vendors offering mattress cleaning services out there.

But do a thorough search first before deciding on which service you choose; check the prices, read the small print, and send them an email to make sure you know who you’re dealing with or to ask any questions you might have about their business policies.