Your bed should be a safe haven at the end of your day. It may be hard to sleep once you realize just how dirty your mattress can get. Luckily cleaning and caring for your mattress is relatively simple and can be done in under an hour.

Begin by stripping your sheets and bed linens. Next you will need your household vacuum.  If it has one, set it on the upholstery setting. If it doesn’t have that setting don’t worry, it will still do the trick. Run your vacuum’s hose attachment over your bed to remove any dust and dander that has settled.

If your mattress is stained or soiled consider purchasing a high-quality upholstery shampoo.  Dilute the shampoo with water and then use a new sponge to spot treat any discoloration.  For blood or other organic stains try using one of the new oxygen filled cleaning products.

As you will need to let your mattress dry completely, washing it is something best done at the start of the day so that it has the most time to dry. The application of a fan can speed up the drying process or if you are able to take your mattress outside it will dry promptly in non-humid weather.

At least twice a year you should flip your mattress. The easiest way is to lift up the mattress from the long side and turn it over.  Follow by flipping the end of your mattress so that what was once the end of your bed is now the head. You may wish to vacuum for dust once more before you proceed.

Many people employ the use of a washable mattress pad to keep their bed fresh. Some mattress pads are now available with tight fibers that will keep mites and other common bed pests from bothering you.