In this blog, we aim to narrow down the best and easiest ways to keep your mattress clean and healthy and increase the lifetime, well beyond the 20 year warranty (that we have at Quokka beds). Things like food/drinks, accidents and even sickness or wet, humid weather can all have an impact on your mattress and it is vital to get these spills/stains under control as quickly and efficient as possible to get you back to a clean, peaceful sleep.
We will start with a range of prevention measures and finish off with quick and easy ways to clean your mattress once the problem occurs.
Ways to best prevent spillage/accidents on your mattress
Preventing your mattress to get stains/spillage and even accidents (as we know they do happen, especially with young children or pets in the house) is key to keep your mattress looking and feeling perfect for many, many years, even beyond our Quokka beds 20 year latex mattress warranty.
Mattress Protectors
The number one thing you can do is to always use a mattress protector on your mattress. Not only does this help to keep the mattress clean, it can also help to keep moisture out (and ultimately prevent mould to form). We always recommend to use natural and or Organic materials in your mattress protector, such as an organic cotton. Materials like polyester tend to increase body perspiration and temperature. It’s always a good idea to have a fully machine washable mattress protector, in order to keep it clean in an easy and fast manner.
Limit food/drink intake in the bedroom
This might feel natural to some, but if you are bed bound for example, limiting food and drinks in bed isn’t always easy. It is recommended to keep food and drinks outside the bedroom. Even something simple as a spilt glass of water might lead to mould if it’s not cleaned and dried properly. And when we say dry, we mean VERY dry. If any spillage isn’t cleaned and dried up straight away, preventing mould isn’t going to get easier.
Preventing moisture levels
This is the number one priority in order to keep your mattress clean and healthy. There are a number of ways you can keep moisture levels healthy, starting with the basics:
Protect your mattress
As mentioned above, a mattress protector is the first and most likely the most important thing to have on your mattress. It prevents stains due to spillage, moisture from the body on hot and humid days and during bouts of sickness. We always recommend a mattress protector made out of natural/ organic materials.
Always ensure you have adequate ventilation
Ventilation is key to prevent any mould growth. If the mattress is not ventilated, and moisture isn’t dried out properly, mould would eventually start to grow, and can cause more issues than just a cleaning one.
Ensure the bed is on a proper base, with slats measuring 5-9 cm wide and they should be spaced 3-5 cm apart. The mattress should never be placed directly on the floor as this won’t allow the right ventilation required for a latex mattress. During hot and humid weather or during a bout of sickness, it’s always a good idea to ventilate the mattress. This can be done by pointing a fan underneath the bed, using the cold setting on a hair dryer or taking the layers out to air dry in between use. It is important to note that latex should never sit in direct sunlight as this can damage the integrity of the latex and void any warranty.
Keep an eye on humidity levels
Weather you live near the coastline, in a hot and humid environment, during long periods of wet weather or having a poorly ventilated home, it’s always a good idea to have a look at your humidity levels. The easiest way to measure your indoor humidity level is by using a hygrometer. A hygrometer is a device that serves as an indoor thermometer and humidity monitor. If levels are too high, a simple dehumidifier will work wonders. They simply take the moisture out of the air and expel it (in various ways depending on the type of device). If you are waking up to condensation or moisture on your bedroom windows, this is a sure sign that your home is high in humidity and can ultimately lead to mould growth in furniture and clothing.
Keep your mattress clean and clean up any spills/accidents straight away
In order to keep your mattress as clean as possible, use a water proof mattress protector and clean the mattress protector regularly in the washing machine. Air the mattress out after bouts of sickness, and wet or humid weather. If you experience any spillage or moisture events on our mattress, it’s imperative to clean and dry it out immediately.
The best way to clean a water spillage is to blot with a dry towel, and make sure the mattress is DRY before using again. Drying it can be done by air drying the layers, using a fan to aid or using a dehumidifier. Just remember to never put latex in direct sunlight as this deteriorates the latex and can void warranty.
If you have done the above and still by horror find any mould, it needs to be dealt with quickly and in the most efficient way. This will prevent it from coming back and cause bigger problems, such as health issues. To clean and kill the mould spores, use a couple of drops of laundry liquid in some water and blot it with a sponge (don’t rub or scrub, as this can spread the stain). You can add a high percentage isopropyl alcohol or oil of clove (which aids in drying and killing the mould and). As always, make sure the mattress is very dry before using the mattress again.
