Home → Blog → Resources → How to Get Bad Odors Out of a Mattress – 9 Solutions
You can remove bad smells from a mattress by using antibacterial cleaning agents, odor-absorbers like charcoal and baking soda, exposing it to natural sunlight, or steam cleaning your mattress. However, the most effective way to ensure your mattress smells fresh is to take preventative measures, such as purchasing a mattress that features built-in odor protection.
Whether you have a lovely new mattress or an old favorite, you will want to keep it smelling fresh and free from bad odors. A smelly mattress dramatically impacts how well you sleep and how much you enjoy resting, relaxing, and recuperating in bed. As such, it pays to take a proactive approach to preventing foul odors and removing unpleasant smells as soon as they appear. In this guide, we’ll look at the types of bad odors on a mattress and tell you how to get smells out of a mattress. Read on for a comprehensive list of top tips from our odor management experts.
The main causes of bad smells on mattresses include:
Sweat and body secretions
Mattresses absorb the sweat and body oils you produce while sleeping over weeks, months, and years. These organic substances provide bacteria, mold, and mildew with the metabolic inputs they require to produce energy, allowing them to grow and prosper. These bacteria often produce the compounds responsible for foul odors and are a primary source of unpleasant smells.
Dust mites are microscopic creatures that consume dead skin cells. They are relatively common in mattresses and produce waste products that can smell pretty awful.
When a mattress becomes damp, it creates the perfect conditions for mold and mildew to thrive. These microorganisms then release volatile organic compounds that add to the nasty smells emanating from your mattress. It usually occurs if you spill liquids on your bed or the bedroom suffers from high humidity.
If you have a pet that shares your bed occasionally, their fur and body oils will shed and work their way into the mattress. Eventually, this will result in a smelly mattress.
Your mattress needs good ventilation and air circulation to prevent an accumulation of moisture. If you have a solid bed frame or cover your mattress with non-breathable materials, you may be trapping the moisture. It will lead to conditions in which bacteria and other microorganisms thrive.
Sometimes, smelly mattresses are just a result of old age. As mattresses wear down and the materials slowly disintegrate, the degrading particles can accumulate and contribute to unpleasant odors.
These factors are often connected, so you may need to tackle a combination of issues before their mattress is completely odor-free.
You can get bad smells out of a mattress by:
Baking soda is a fantastic odor-absorber. It is also cheap and widely available. However, it can be a hassle to use on your mattress. Start by sprinkling baking soda generously across the mattress surface. You then want to let it sit for a few hours. If you have a spare mattress, it’s best to let the baking soda work overnight. Once you are done waiting, vacuum the mattress to remove all the baking soda.
The UV rays in natural sunlight can be an effective antibacterial, while the fresh air dries out your mattress and removes moisture. As a result, leaving your mattress outside on a sunny day will kill some of the bacteria present and eliminate odors. However, do not leave it outside for too long, as over-exposure may damage the mattress.
Vinegar is another excellent antibacterial and also eliminates odors. Your mattress may smell of vinegar for a short period afterward. But it will dissipate as it dries. Mix white vinegar and water in equal parts, then pour the solution into a spray bottle. Spray the vinegar mix over the mattress surface until you achieve a light coverage. Then, let the mattress dry. With this in mind, you can combine this step with leaving your mattress outside in the sun.
Essential oils smell great and often feature antimicrobial qualities. Good examples of these oils include lavender, tea tree, and eucalyptus. Mix the oils with water in a spray bottle, as described above, with the vinegar solution. A few drops will suffice. You can then apply the solution to the mattress.
Activated charcoal soaks up moisture and bad smells, making it a powerful tool for removing odors from mattresses. It typically comes in sachets, so you can leave a few on the mattress for several days to eliminate the problem.
You can find a variety of specialist odor-neutralizing sprays on the market, and they are a popular choice among businesses that don’t have time to try other techniques in this list but want to guarantee customers enjoy fresh-smelling mattresses. Polygiene has partnered with Storm Care to develop the Polygiene x Storm Care OdorCrunch spray that’s perfect for this purpose.
As we already mentioned, citrus fruits are a natural antibacterial and smell lovely. You can mix lemon juice and salt to apply a paste to the mattress surface. It will get to work in around an hour, after which you remove it with a damp cloth and let the mattress dry. It is a messy but effective process that works best if you have time to air the mattress outside.
Steam cleaning has two benefits. First, it removes all the dirt, sweat, and dead skin cells that bacteria and other microorganisms love to munch on. Second, it kills the bacteria, leaving you with a wonderfully clean and odor-free mattress.
If all other cleaning techniques fail, we recommend contacting a professional cleaning service and requesting assistance. They will have access to commercial cleaning tools that are usually more effective for removing smells from a mattress than most of the home techniques listed above.
Finally, it’s worth remembering that you should always check the manufacturer’s instructions, guidelines, and recommendations before you attempt to remove odors yourself. Sometimes, you may find that your mattress requires a specific cleaning procedure or will not react well to a homemade cleaning product.
With all the cleaning techniques in this guide, it is essential that your mattress and bedding are completely dry before sleeping on them. If any part of your mattress is damp when you replace it, smells will likely return quickly.
The best way to protect your mattress for bad odors is to take positive, proactive preventative measures, such as:
Purchasing sheets, duvets, pillowcases, and even mattresses that include odor control Freshness technologies like Polygiene OdorCrunch2.0 and Polygiene StayFresh, is the single most effective way to prevent smells in mattresses. Polygiene OdorCrunch2.0 captures, binds, and prevents the release of odorous molecules and compounds, while Polygiene StayFresh is an antibacterial technology that hinders the growth of odor-causing bacteria that produce those molecules. Both solutions help to keep your bed and bedroom smelling fresher for longer.
Mattress protectors are affordable, easy to find, and one of the most effective ways of preventing bad odors in your mattress. They protect the mattress from spills, sweat, and body oils. And, in doing so, help prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria.
Cleaning your mattress is also an effective method. The easiest way is to vacuum your mattress to remove dust, debris, and any dead skin cells that may have accumulated. This will remove vital food sources for odor-causing bacteria.
Another simple tip is to rotate and flip your mattress every so often. It ensures every side of your mattress is exposed to airflow and stops everything from accumulating in one spot. It is particularly effective if you sweat heavily during your sleep.
While we are on the topic of ventilation, it is good practice to ensure you place your mattress on a bed frame that allows air to flow around and beneath it. Usually, this means using a slatted frame or one manufactured from breathable materials. If possible, avoid placing your mattress directly on the floor.
Often, dirt, body oils, and sweat transfer to the mattress from other pieces of bedding. As such, you wash pillowcases, sheets, and protectors regularly and make sure they are fully dry before putting them back on.
Wherever possible, try to maintain a dry sleeping environment. Moisture and humidity are crucial contributors to bacterial growth and will make your mattress smell more. You may need to utilize a dehumidifier if there are no other ways of controlling the humidity in the bedroom.
Several substances feature natural anti-odor properties and are a great way of mitigating any slight smells in the bedroom. For instance, you can place dried lavender, activated charcoal, or dried citrus peel around the room. Some of these also benefit from antimicrobial properties.
Preventative measures stop problems from occurring in the first place or, at the very least, ensure they are less of an issue if they arise. However, if your mattress already smells, you will need to take remedial action first.
A smelly mattress can result in:
A comfortable, clean, and pleasant sleeping environment is essential to a good night’s sleep. If you are contending with bad odors, it may disrupt your sleep, leaving you tired and frustrated.
While dust, debris, and other small particles can aggravate allergies, a smelly mattress can be caused by factors that have an even bigger impact. Mold, mildew, and dust mites are all responsible for mattress odors and often trigger allergies and other respiratory conditions, such as asthma. Prolonged exposure may exacerbate these conditions to the point where sleeping is almost impossible.
If things get too bad, smells can spread from your mattress to the surrounding room, affecting other items, such as clothing and furniture. It makes the problem that much worse, as you now have to deal with several sources.
A smelly mattress can be embarrassing. If your guests stay over and the smell is noticeable, you might feel awkward or uncomfortable. It’s also not very pleasant for your guests.
If you allow moisture, mold, and bacteria to accumulate in your mattress, you are probably reducing its lifespan. Regular cleaning not only keeps your mattress smelling fresh but also helps protect it, too.
Allergies and respiratory problems aren’t the only health complications. The factors contributing to bad smells can also irritate people with sensitive skin.
A smelly mattress will often impact your general well-being, affecting you emotionally, psychologically, and physically. It sounds simple, but a clean and pleasant living environment can really help with your mental health.
What are the root causes of bad smells in mattresses?
The two main causes of bad smells in mattresses are microbes (such as bacteria and fungi) and odorous compounds and molecules. Bacteria produce these odorous compounds as part of their metabolic process. Consequently, odor control technologies can target the bacteria or the molecules themselves. This is exactly what Polygiene StayFresh and Polygiene OdorCrunch2.0 do.
Yes, bedding has a significant effect on how smelly your mattress is, and keeping it clean, rotating it regularly, and purchasing bedware with built-in odor protection will all keep your mattress smelling fresher for longer. You can find Polygiene anti-odor technology in pillowcases, sheets, and duvet covers. For instance, Owl + Lark’s Deep Fitted Sheet is treated with Polygiene StayFresh.
Experts suggest you should clean your mattress every six months (SleepFoundation). You should also aim to keep track of how your mattress smells and wash it accordingly. For instance, if you notice smells appearing before the six months are up, you may need to shorten the time between washes.
Yes, some mattresses will smell more than others depending on the materials they’re made from and whether they feature integrated odor protection. For instance, smells can cling to 100% polyester. Smells disperse more readily with other materials, such as bamboo or merino wool.
While the tips we have provided in this guide are effective and will help prevent and remove odors from your mattress, nothing quite beats the advanced odor protection provided by Polygiene OdorCrunch2.0 and Polygiene StayFresh. Both technologies target the root causes of bad smells in textiles and guarantee 24/7, long-lasting odor control that keeps bedware smelling fresher for longer.
Better yet, Polygiene Freshness technologies are integrated into materials rather than applied as a surface coating. This ensures the protection doesn’t wash off or leach out, so you benefit from durable odor protection. When it comes to mattresses and bedding, our solutions give you total peace of mind, so you don’t have to worry about bad odors and can always sleep comfortably.
To learn more about Polygiene Freshness technologies, check out the Polygiene OdorCrunch2.0 and Polygiene StayFresh solution pages.
If you’re interested in incorporating Polygiene technologies into your bedware products, contact our expert team.
