Can You Wash Foam Mattress Pads?

Ways to Clean Foam Mattress Pads

It’s a good idea to attempt cleaning up a stain immediately after you notice it, especially if you don’t want it to soak in or ruin the whole pad. Here is a list of ways you can clean your mattress pad:

The Cleaning Process

A. Cleaning – Vacuum

First vacuum clean the mattress – both sides. This will remove most of the surface dust: skin cells, dust mites and other loose debris. Foam mattress toppers are best cleaned using a vacuum attachment with soft bristles. Vacuum the entire surface of the topper – both sides.

B. Washing – Hand Wash

Using Detergent Solution: Use a fairly mild detergent: one designed for washing baby clothes or hand-wash liquid. Mix two parts of water with one part detergent and put it into a spray bottle.

Spray the mattress topper lightly all over – or even better, work in sections. Split it into four quarters and clean each quarter, one at a time. Do not rub the solution into the mattress – simply spray it and blot it with a sponge. You can rub particularly badly soiled areas gently with a fine brush and then blot it dry.

C. Drying – Dry the mattress topper

Always let the topper air dry. Forced drying, such as with a hair dryer, could ruin its viscoelastic properties. The same applies if you are cleaning a latex foam topper.

More Tips to Clean and Care for a Foam Mattress Pad

You have to make sure that you allow the pad to air dry. You shouldn’t try to put it in the dryer since the heat is too intense. You will have to wait until it dries completely to be able to use it again, so the sooner you clean it, the better.   Some people that use mattress pads switch the position of them from time to time in order to make sure they don’t get stained and to keep them comfortable.

You don’t want them to wear down one side too much, so you may want to do this as well. Another thing that you may opt to do is spray it with something that gets rid of odors. This won’t take out any stains, but it will allow you to lessen any unpleasant smells that you may have noticed.

You should make sure that you are keeping your linens clean as well, so you don’t stain your mattress pad. If you don’t, there may be stains that are seeping through your covers that you haven’t noticed.

Of course, not all stains will be your fault either. Depending on the mattress pad you purchase, there may be stains present from the foam, especially if it is yellow or a similar color. Sometimes the material will start to break down or stain because of things that were done to it at the factory when it was being assembled. However, you can keep track of this, so if it’s unsightly or doesn’t seem safe to you, all you need to do is replace the mattress or purchase a new cover for it.

Be sure to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions on how to take care of the mattress pad that you chose. These tips may offer more insight into the cleaning process, and can also tell you how it should be cared for. All products are not designed to last for the same amount of time, so it’s important to know when it will need to be replaced. Of course, some pads are able to be kept for up to 10 years, so they will be with you at least as long as it’s safe to keep a mattress.

There’s no reason not to purchase a mattress pad, especially since there are so many ways to clean it. You have options and some pads already come with their own covers, which make them a breeze to care for. Shop around for a good deal and remember to read reviews to find something that will work well for your bed, especially if you need it to solve a certain problem.

Conclusion

If you’re unsure of whether mattress pads can be washed or not, the answer is yes. They can’t be placed in a washer or dryer, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t keep them clean. There are plenty of ways to keep it looking new and fresh, and ways to solve stains that may come from a spill or accident.

If you already know how to clean your sofa, or car interior, cleaning a mattress pad isn’t really all that different. The best part is that the cleaning items you’ll need are likely already in your home.