Neither your partner, nor your parents nor your colleagues. The one that is possibly going to have to support you the longest is your mattress. Not surprisingly, we spend a third of our existence horizontally. And yet, we do not usually treat this life partner as he deserves.
Right? Let’s do an examination of conscience together.
Are you one of those who change the sheets frequently or do you do it every leap year, when there is no other choice and the fabric already has so many bacteria that it has taken on a life of its own and you watch your favorite series together?
Do you sit on those that should be your very neat sheets with the clothes you bring from the street, those that have passed through the subway, the bar, the park. And how do you clean the stains?
Let me guess, you are one of those who believes in the romantic myth of having breakfast in bed and, therefore, subject your mattress to possible risks such as coffee, orange juice and God knows what other pernicious liquids.
Finally, do you turn your mattress periodically or is it already so defined that you could make your wax mold with it?
If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, you may need to continue reading to prevent your mattress from being worthy of appearing in a scene of CSI.
Eating in bed, sitting in street clothes or not cleaning stains in time can harm our mattress. (Photo: GETTY IMAGES)
“I have stained my white sheets…”
Whether it has happened to you or in the song by Lalo Rodríguez or not, washing bedding is essential for the health of your mattress and your own.
No, keeping it unchanged for weeks and months will not make it warmer and cozy. It will be a great breeding ground for bacteria and odors.
To keep the mattress clean, change the sheets weekly, as recommended by the Sleep Foundation, an organization dedicated to studies on the quality of sleep.
It is also recommended to wash the mattress covers pillows and blankets and comforters, although less frequently than sheets. The first, once a month. In the case of blankets and quilts, depending on their use, it may be at the end of the season of use. If you use a duvet cover, it will be easier to wash it and you can do it more often.
It is also important to wash the pillows, but first check if they can be machine washed.
Ideally, it is best to wash everything with hot water, so we will get rid of dust mites, invisible but very annoying -especially- for allergy sufferers and asthmatics. Before doing so, check the labels to avoid shrinkage, damage or loss of color.
Once a year does not hurt
Or two.
The meticulous even turn the mattress 4 times a year to keep it in good condition.
Wash bedding every week following the manufacturer’s instructions. (Photo: GETTY IMAGES)
Depending on the design you have , it may be enough -according to the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU)- to put the part of the head on the feet. It can also be completely turned over, that is, turning face up what was face down for months.
Or both.
Some mattresses even have different fabrics for winter or summer season.
When to turn it over? It may be a good idea to do it when the cold gets worse or the heat starts, so you will have the two laps that the experts recommend.
If you want to go further, you can do it with each change of season.
There are some mattresses that cannot be rotated because they have differentiated zones or with reinforcements for certain areas.
Ah! Have someone help you move the mattress. It is not going to be that, doing something that is good for your back, you end up hurting it.
While you move the mattress, you can try to do a little general cleaning by passing the vacuum cleaner to eliminate all the dust that can accumulate.
If you want, you can even put baking soda, dry, on the entire mattress. Let it act for a long time, even a few hours. Then, remove everything with a clothes brush and vacuum.
Do not forget to vacuum frequently in your room and, specifically, under the bed. Ideally, you should do this once a week.
For each stain, its trick
But, beyond a general cleaning and refreshing from time to time, there are stains that must be removed as soon as possible so that the mattress is not a nest of bacteria and eliminate undesirable odours.
Whatever the origin of the stains, there are two things to avoid: soaking the mattress and rubbing them. This is only going to make things worse.
Put on gloves, hold the stain with a towel so it doesn’t spread. And clean stain by stain, if necessary, repeating the process several times until it disappears. When one is ready, move on to the next.
When finished, rinse the area. But, remember to do it with a well-wrung cloth or towel.
In the case of saliva and sweat stains, the most common on mattresses and pillows, you can use an upholstery stain remover or an enzymatic cleaner .
Check before applying that the cleaner is suitable for the mattress upholstery material. The OCU also recommends a small amount of mild dish soap dissolved in a cup of warm water with a few drops of white vinegar as an option.
To remove blood stains from a mattress, prepare a thick paste of baking soda using as little water as possible. Put the mattress on its side and apply the paste. After a few minutes it will be dry and you can gently brush the mattress to remove the remains.
Repeat the operation until the stain comes out. Finally, gently pass a sponge moistened with salt water. A quick and effective remedy for a recent stain is to apply hydrogen peroxide on the stain and gradually absorb it with cotton or gauze.
Dust mites are a problem for both allergy sufferers and asthmatics. (Photo: GETTY IMAGES)
When you have finished, moisten a clean cloth with water to gently rinse the area, then apply baking soda, let sit, then remove with a soft brush or gentle vacuuming.
If it doesn’t work, change it
For urine stains, you can previously take the precaution of putting an extra protector on the mattress that is waterproof, washable and reusable. There are also bed covers that do not cover the entire mattress, but a specific area. There are single-use and reusable ones.
In the case of these stains, as well as vomit stains, action must be taken as soon as possible. The chemical substances in this type of fluid can damage the mattress.
The OCU recommendation is that, after removing the excess fluids, dissolve a little dishwashing liquid hand or upholstery foam in lukewarm water and add a few drops of ammonia. Apply the mixture to the mattress with a sponge or cloth. Then pass a cloth moistened with clean water with a few drops of antiseptic such as alcohol or hydrogen peroxide and dry the area well with a dry cloth or absorbent paper such as kitchen rolls.
In any case, with any stain, do not put the mattress in normal position until it is dry.
The same principle applies to the mattress as for love: it is eternal while it lasts.
In the case at hand, manufacturers usually recommend a change every 8 o 10 years. Although it is not an exact science.
But if it no longer gives you what you need, if it bothers you every night instead of giving you pleasure or rest, it may be time to look for other options.
It may interest you:
What is the best position to sleep? The serious mistake you make when changing the sheets on your bed The importance of always making the bed in the morning
Remember that 1313266745 you can receive notifications from BBC Mundo. Download the new version of our app and activate it so you don’t miss out on our best content.
Do you already know our YouTube channel? Subscribe!
