Are you aware that the average mattress has more than 10,000 dust mites? Also, average adults shed about 500 gms of skin per year and 300ml of sweat each night! It sure sounds disgusting, but it’s all the more reason for you to stick to a strict futon cleaning schedule.
Cleaning your futon mattress extends its life and will positively affect your health. Most of us fear adopting random cleaning methods on our expensive and fragile futon mattresses. If you share the same worries, we have a few tried and tested ways to help you out.
In this piece, we’ll cover a step-by-step guide to clean, disinfect, maintain, and get rid of stains from a futon mattress. Without further delay, let’s help you scrub and shine your precious night companion!
Read our latest guide about cheap futon mattresses.
How to Wash a Futon Mattress?
Dead skin, pet hair, dust, mold, hair strands, dust mites are just a handful of things that your mattress tolerates every day. If you have kids and pets at home, spills and food remains will be a usual scenario.
A mattress that undergoes so many things also deserves an intensive care routine. Sometimes, you need to offer more than just regular maintenance to your mattress. Heres’s a deep cleaning method to clean a futon mattress.
Step 1: Vacuuming the Futon
Start the washing process by plugging in a vacuum. Use a high-quality and robust vacuum cleaner that can make up all the underlying dirt and debris from the mattress. Don’t forget to flip the mattress and vacuum the bottom section as well.
Also, don’t miss out on the corners while you are vacuuming. If the situation calls for it, you can also use an upholstery brush. Alternatively, you can change the nozzle of the vacuum to reach the cracks and crevices.
Step 2: Deodorize With Baking Soda
The dust is not the only foul element on your mattress; you also have to get rid of the odor. Mildew growth and moisture in your futon can contribute to a smelly mattress. Without proper treatment, the moisture can emit nasty small frequently.
It is essential to include deodorizing step in the cleaning process. To remove the moisture and avoid odor, sprinkle a bit of baking soda over the entire mattress. Let the baking soda settle for at least an hour. Post one hour, you can use a vacuum to clean the baking soda.
Step 3: Removing Stains with Mild Detergent
When you regularly clean the mattress, you may not be paying attention to the stubborn stains. However, during washing, you can use a laundry detergent to get rid of those spots. Mix some detergent with lukewarm water and blot it out with a washcloth.
Refrain from using a lot of moisture. Excessive moisture can cause mildew growth. With this mix, you can remove most of the stains. We highly recommend patch testing the solution before applying it all over. If the solution causes discoloration, you must not proceed.
Step 4: Let the Futon Mattress Dry Completely
After performing all the above steps, you must leave your mattress to dry. Let the mattress air dry for a couple of hours before reusing it. It might also take a full day for the mattress to dry up, so plan your cleaning schedule accordingly.
The drying time also depends on the weather. You can leave the doors and window ajar to allow some sunshine and air to enter the room. To speed up the drying process, use a ceiling fan or hairdryer.
Step 5: Take Care of the Frame Too
When you are deep cleaning the futon, you should also attend to the bed frame. Slide away the mattress from the frame and clean it with a commercial cleaning solution. If you own a metal bed frame, abstain from applying any chemicals.
The best way to clean a metal bed frame is by using a damp washcloth. Just like the mattress, you should also patch test the cleaning solution on the bed frame. It’s is essential to clean the structure along with the mattress.
After all, you can have a clean mattress on a filth-filled frame.
Using Household Cleaners for Futon Mattress
There are a few people who love to go the natural way of cleaning everything. After all, home cleaning solutions are cost-effective and highly-efficient. This section will shed light on the three most useful ingredients that you can find at your home.
Rubbing Alcohol
Whether it is a red wine spill or a tomato ketchup mark, you can handle the stain like a pro using rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol works as a wizard on the futon mattress. Mix equal quantities of rubbing alcohol and water to make a stain-fighting cleaning agent.
Pour and completely cover the stains with this solution. Let the solution do its work for at least 10 to 15 minutes. After the time is over, blot the excess moisture using paper towels.
Hydrogen Peroxide
If you notice and old and dry stains on your mattress, hydrogen peroxide will be your go-to cleaning buddy. You can easily remove dried stains with the help of some hydrogen peroxide and water paste.
This cleaning agent will loosen the grip of the stain on your mattress. After applying this solution, you can quickly suck the dirt with the vacuum cleaner. To prepare the paste, take a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide and mix it with one water cup.
White Vinegar
White vinegar is an age-old ingredient and cleaning hack that even modern homeowners swear by. This kitchen liquid can abstain from the growth of mildew and mold. The strong acidic effect of the vinegar neutralizes the mold and get rid of spots and stains.
Also, you don’t have to worry about the intense fragrance of the vinegar. That vinegar smell will disappear eventually. To prepare the solution, you have to mix one part of vinegar with four parts of water.
Cleaning The Suede Futon Mattress
A suede futon mattress is a tad tricker than other futon mattress materials. This material is water-resistant and stain-resistant. However, they are still prone to dust, damage, and spills. That’s precisely why we’ve also listed a detailed cleaning guide for suede futon mattresses.
Step 1: Choosing the Right Cleaning Solution
Most of the suede futon mattresses come with a code tag. This code tag indicates the best type of cleaning solution for the bed. If the label reads “W,” then you should pick a water-based cleaning agent.
The letter “S” denotes the use of a solvent-based cleaning solution. If the tag says “W-S,” then you may use both types of cleaners. If you spot an “X” on the label, refrain from using any solution. That specific letter restricts the usage of any cleaner.
Step 2: Vacuum the Futon
Vacuuming your suede futon is the second step in the cleaning process. Vacuuming will help you to get rid of food crumbs and dust. This step makes the cleaning process more manageable.
Step 3: Apply the Cleaning Solution
Next, fill the spray bottle with the apt cleaning agent. You can use alcohol as a solvent-based cleaner. For water-based cleaning, the best ingredients are soap and water. Spray over the mattress, especially on the stains and spots.
Step 4: Blot up The Excess Cleaner
Once you’ve finished cleaning the stains and the dirt thoroughly, you should blot up the remaining moisture. This step will ensure the prevention of mold growth.
Step 5: Allow the Futon to Dry
The cleaning process is now over, and it’s to time to let the mattress dry. The suede futon mattress will take about 20 to 30 minutes to completely dry. With the cleaning process nearing the end, you will also get rid of any prevalent stink in the mattress.
Disinfecting Your Futons
The cleaning process doesn’t mandatorily get rid of the bacteria and contaminants. A couple of disinfecting sessions for the futon mattress is the right decision.
Step 1: Protecting Yourself
The first and most crucial step of disinfecting is protecting yourself. You can either disinfect the futon in an open place or leave the windows open. You must not avoid using safety equipment to prevent inhalation of harmful and strong disinfectants.
Always wear a safety mask and hand gloves when beginning with the disinfecting process.
Step 2: Mixing the Bleach Solution
Mix one gallon of water and 1 ½ cups of bleach. Many professionals use a Lysol spray, commercial disinfectant, and even vodka instead of the bleach solution. However, the bleach is effective and cheaper than other options.
Step 3: Spray the Bleach Solution
Pour the solution into the spray bottle for a convenient application. Next, spray the solution throughout the mattress. Don’t forget the opposite sides and the corner during the process. After spraying the bleach, let it rest for a couple of minutes.
For deeper cleaning and disinfecting, you can also run a steam cleaner. It is an eco-friendly method to fight germs and bacteria. Then, use paper towels or a clean rag to wipe the surface of the mattress.
Step 4: Leave the Mattress to Dry
The last and the unskippable step in the process is drying. You can keep the mattress outdoor. Allowing the mattress to soak sunlight is one of the best and fastest ways of drying.
How to Remov Urine and Bloodstains from the Futon Mattress
With pets and kids, regular cleaning is not sufficient. Also, some types of stains require a more aggressive cleaning approach. A typical and stubborn stain is urine. Senior citizens with an incontinence problem, kids, and even pets may accidentally wet the bed.
The futon mattress will also deal with unconventional bloodstains. Here’s a way that can blow away most of the stubborn stains in a futon mattress.
Removing Wet Stains
This wet stain removal process is effective on urine and a handful of other spills.
Step 1: Blot the Wet Area
Use paper towels to blot the urine or the liquid spills. The more urine the paper towels soak up, the less damage your mattress is going to face.
Step 2: Sprinkle Some Baking Soda on the Stain
Sprinkle the affected portion with some baking soda. Baking soda will not only remove the stain, but it will also eliminate the urine stink.
Step 3: Spray White Vinegar on the Stained Area
The next step is to pour vinegar with our without water on the stain. You can make use of a spray bottle to effectively spread the vinegar. Though vinegar has a foul odor, it will vanish after some time.
Let the vinegar do its job on the stain for the next five minutes.
Step 4: Blot the Excess Moisture
Like the other cleaning procedures, this process also involves blotting the excess moisture. It would help if you aimed to dry the spot as much as you can in this step.
Step 5: Add a Bit of Baking Soda Again
There is a likelihood that the stain and the odor might slightly be there. Because of this, you may have to re-sprinkle some baking soda again.
Step 6: Give the Mattress Some Time to Dry
The final step is to let the mattress dry. Depending on the weather, your mattress might even take a whole day to dry up. Try to pick a warm and sunny day to dry your mattress outdoors. Leaving the bed to soak up some sunshine will also get rid of bacteria and moisture build-up.
Removing Dry Stains
If the stain is old and dry, it’ll be much tougher to eliminate. To remove dry stains, you can follow this effective solution method.
Step 1: Hydrogen Peroxide Solution
Mix 2 drops of dishwashing cleaner, 33% hydrogen peroxide, and three tablespoons of baking soda. Remember, this solution is only for the stains and not the whole mattress.
Step 2: Dab the Solution on the Stain
You can use a cotton or a washcloth to dab the solution on the stain. Move the washcloth in slow circular motions. It’s not ideal for saturating the stain with an excessive solution. Applying more solution means a longer drying time.
Step 3: Mix Laundry Powder with Water and Use
Mix 3 tablespoons of laundry powder with one tablespoon of water. Spread this mixture on the stained portion and leave it for about half an hour.
Step 4: Take Off the Paste
Once the paste dries up after 30 minutes, scrape it off using a brush or a spoon.
Step 5: Vacuum the Mattress
Quickly and roughly vacuum the whole mattress, including the stained area. This step will suck away any remaining paste or powder.
What to Do To Keep the Futon Mattress Clean?
You cannot apply baking soda, vinegar, detergents on your futon daily. There are a handful of simple ways that you can adopt to steer away dirt and dust.
Airing out The Mattress
Many people forget to remove the futon from the frame occasionally. This process enhances the air circulation in the mattress. Airing out the mattress should be a part of your mattress care routine.
Try to take out the mattress and soak it in the sun at least once a month. You’ll be surprised to see the benefits and the fresh smell!
Avoid Placing the Mattress on Floor
At all costs, you should restrict yourself from placing your mattress on the floor. You may not be aware, but the floors can quickly transfer the dirt to your futon. You can also buy a futon frame to protect the mattress.
If you have no other choice but to place the futon on the floor, make sure to spread something underneath it.
Rotating It Regularly
Rotating the mattress is one brilliant idea. It is an excellent way to keep your mattress in good shape. Since most of us sleep on one side, it can lead to deterioration of the mattress.
Sleeping in the same position for a long time will cause the bed to sag. This trick can save the appearance of your mattress. Also, flipping will help you to spot dirt and stains quickly.
Investing In a Washable Cover
A washable cover is one of the best accessories for your futon mattress. Covers are the best way to prevent the futon from attracting stains and dust. Additionally, you have to wash the cover regularly to keep things spick and span.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Steam Clean My Futon Mattress?
Steam cleaning is a perfect and easy way to keep up with your cleaning routine. Steam cleaning is a non-toxic method. The high temperature of the steam cleaner also chases away dust mites, bacteria, and mold.
Can Cleaning Get Rid Of Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are one of the worst scenarios for any mattress. Unfortunately, cleaning will not affect a bed bug infestation.
What Can I Do To Get Rid Of The Bad Odor From My Futon Mattress?
To get rid of all that stink, you can use baking soda and vinegar solutions. These ingredients are natural and will not leave behind any smell.
To Sum Up
A futon mattress, or any other mattress, is one of the precious pieces of furnishing in the bedroom. The bed enhances the bedroom decor and also offers a restful golden sleep. Your futon mattress can easily attract dirt and dust because you use it every single day.
Though you have some fantastic cleaning tricks up your sleeve, you should have an immediate response to stains. Hopefully, these simple cleaning methods will help you get rid of dirt and disinfect correctly.
With so many cleaning strategies, your mattress will be clean as a whistle!
