How to clean a mattress is simpler than the internet makes it look: vacuum it, deodorise it with baking soda, spot-treat any stains, and protect it so you never have to do the deep clean again. Here's the whole routine — about 20 minutes of work plus some drying time — with the Canadian products that actually do the job.
The hero product for anything biological — urine, sweat, vomit. Enzymes break down the proteins that ordinary cleaners just smear around.
Find it on Amazon.ca →Cheap, and the single best mattress deodoriser. Pulls out moisture and smells. You probably already have a box.
Find it on Amazon.ca →An upholstery attachment lifts dust, dead skin, and the baking soda back out. A small handheld is easiest for getting into seams.
Find it on Amazon.ca →The step everyone skips — and the one that means you never have to deep-clean a stain again. Buy one once, wash it monthly.
Find it on Amazon.ca →For blotting and spot-treating without soaking the mattress. Always blot, never scrub.
Find it on Amazon.ca →The workhorse for yellow sweat stains and old marks. Spot-test first on a hidden corner.
Find it on Amazon.ca →Pull off sheets, the protector, and any toppers and wash them hot (check labels). This is also the moment to flip or rotate the mattress if yours allows it.
Use the upholstery attachment and go slowly over the top, sides, and seams — that's where dust, dead skin, and allergens collect. This single step does most of the freshening.
Sprinkle a thin, even layer of baking soda over the whole top. For stronger smells, sift it through a fine strainer and leave it on for at least an hour — ideally a few hours, or while you're out. It pulls out moisture and odour.
Vacuum all the baking soda back up. The surface should already smell noticeably fresher and feel drier.
Now tackle specific marks — and the cleaner depends entirely on the stain. Jump to our guides for urine, blood, or yellow sweat stains. Golden rule: blot, never scrub, and never soak the mattress.
Let the mattress air-dry completely before re-making the bed — a fan or open window speeds this up, and putting sheets on a damp mattress invites mould. Then add a washable mattress protector so future spills never reach the mattress again.
Vacuum and deodorise every 2–3 months (or monthly if you have pets or allergies), spot-treat stains the moment they happen, and wash your protector and sheets every 1–2 weeks. Treat spills immediately — fresh stains come out far more easily than set ones.
If your mattress sags in the middle, you wake up sore, it's 8–10+ years old, or a stain has soaked deep into the foam (and the smell keeps coming back), no amount of baking soda will fix it — it's time for a new one. See our guide to the best mattresses in Canada for picks at every budget.
Practical mattress-care tips — not medical advice.
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