In this article, we are going to talk about an element on which our body rests for many hours a day, and whose only barrier of direct contact between it and our body is the fabric of covers and sheets, a fundamental reason that explains How to maintenance and cleaning of mattresses.
The mattress is one of the most used elements both at home and in the rooms of all types of accommodation, and its characteristics and conditions facilitate or hinder the rest of those who use them.
For this reason, from the moment we bring them in for the first time, we have to get used to carrying out certain maintenance and cleaning tasks for mattresses, which help to preserve the conditions of the beginning for as long as possible, although surely the passage of time will end up leaving its traces.
Reasons that make it necessary to carry out the Maintenance and Cleaning of Mattresses:
Depending on the type of material with which they are made, mattresses, in general, absorb all kinds of dirt: sweat, dust, and other body fluids, such as saliva when sleeping on your stomach, stains from menstrual blood spills, or even urine and vomit.
In hotels and other places where mattresses are used by all types of users and taking into account that they can be sources of contagion of diseases transmitted by customers, it is usual to try to preserve the cleanliness of mattresses by covering them with bilayer protectors, in which the part in contact with the mattress is waterproof and the upper part closest to contact with the body is made of comfortable and static materials, which do not generate noise or uncomfortable movements of wrinkled fabric, to facilitate the rest of the users.
In this case, the covers are constantly washed, also vacuuming both sides of each rest base, to maintain the cleanliness of the mattresses.
When deemed necessary by the cleaning and maintenance supervisor, deep mattress cleaning services are performed, including deodorization.
In this type of establishment, the maintenance and cleaning of mattresses are essential for three reasons:
- Economic reasons: good mattress maintenance lengthens their useful life, avoiding unnecessary outlays.
- Image reasons: an establishment that offers rest, must take special care of the maintenance and cleaning of mattresses, in perfect condition.
- Hygienic reasons: these types of establishments cannot afford a dirty mattress that could be a source of infection among customers, to avoid complaints and claim sheets.
- The cleaning and disinfection of mattresses become an inescapable task and of first importance, in the cleaning of hospitals, health centres, and residences for the elderly, which in addition to using resistant systems of covering and protecting the rest of the base of the patients, who are removed for their total cleaning in the laundry facilities, maintenance and cleaning of mattresses is also carried out with the germicides indicated in the cleaning protocol of each hospital, or geriatric residence.
- In any home, the maintenance and cleaning of mattresses are important to avoid allergies caused by the proliferation of mites that are concentrated in a greater proportion in this type of element.
In homes where there are children, it is very common to find a mattress stained with urine, which will generate a very bad smell and will prevent adequate rest.
Although manufacturers recommend changing the bases and mattresses every ten years, depending on the treatment and maintenance, it is easy to keep the mattress in perfect condition, for much longer, following a few simple guidelines.
Tips for Proper Mattress Maintenance
- All mattresses must be placed on a firm base so that they do not deform.
- To achieve regular wear of all its parts, between mattress maintenance tasks, they must be rotated 180º at least every six months.
- If you want to keep the mattress in good condition, you should never bend or fold it, as it will probably suffer a non-recoverable deformation.
- In the maintenance of double-sided mattresses, winter-summer, it is also necessary to flip, and rotate alternately.
- Avoid cleaning with moisture that can penetrate the inside of the mattress, creating mould.
- We strongly recommend the use of good protective covers, to keep the mattress in good condition.
- No one should stand up on the bed, to keep the mattress in good condition, and if it is always on the ends, to avoid deformation.
- Do not tear off the label on the bed base, as it may contain specific instructions on cleaning mattresses.
- Cooling the bedroom for at least ten minutes a day before making the bed again helps keep the mattress in good condition.
Cleaning and Maintenance of Some Types of Mattresses
To carry out effective maintenance, it is necessary to know what type they are and thus carry out the tasks of cleaning the mattresses, and the most appropriate care based on their composition and characteristics.
Mattresses Made of Natural or Synthetic Latex
This type of mattress is made with latex foam that can be natural or synthetic, in different densities, in which an inner core is usually distinguished, surrounded by other layers, with springs, they are rest bases that present high resistance and duration of between fifteen to twenty years, provided that adequate maintenance and cleaning of the mattresses is carried out.
These are mattresses with thermal adaptation properties to improve sleeping conditions, keeping the heat in winter, and staying cool in summer.
The latex that is the material with which this type of mattress is made has the natural property of not being suitable for the nesting and survival of bacteria, mites or mould, which makes this type of mattress the best rest option for allergy sufferers and facilitates mattress cleaning tasks.
- The first thing to do, to carry out good maintenance and cleaning of your latex mattresses is to ventilate them properly on a daily basis, this type of material needs constant aeration to maintain its qualities.
- Continued use without aeration causes this type of mattress to deform in contact with the heaviest areas of the body, which is always proportional to the size and weight of the users.
- To achieve proper maintenance of latex mattresses, direct heat sources such as electric blankets cannot be used, which permanently degenerate the material.
- The cleaning of mattresses of this type admits washing with machines, taking special care with the temperature of the water, to avoid problems of deformation and irreversible deterioration of the material.
- Do not use protective covers with a waterproof layer on this type of mattress, because they prevent perspiration of the material.
Mattresses Made of Visco-Elastic Foam
They are mattresses made with a type of material, known as memory foam, without internal support structures, adapting to the contours of the body, and favouring the rest of people who suffer from sleep disorders.
The correct maintenance of mattresses of this type involves placing them on a firm base that prevents their deformation, and that at the same time allows correct aeration or recirculation of the air, helping to reduce the sensation of heat that this type of material generates during its use.
- At the time of purchase, and after removing it from its packaging sleeve, the maintenance of mattresses made of this material begins, because it must be allowed to ventilate for at least one day.
- To avoid unpleasant odours, and between the maintenance and cleaning of mattresses made with this material, good daily ventilation is necessary, completely removing the bedding to achieve good perspiration for a quarter of an hour in winter, and a half time in summer, and after this time the bed can be completely made again.
- Another maintenance task for visco-elastic mattresses consists of turning the mattress 180º, to achieve regular wear of the padding. Action that must be carried out at least twice a year, coinciding with the beginning of winter and summer, for example.
- To achieve good maintenance and cleaning of mattresses with these characteristics, it is also highly advisable to place them in a vertical position near open windows with abundant ventilation, for a period of half a day, a procedure that must be carried out in each season in areas of wet weather, and at least once a year, if the weather is dry.
- Another monthly task to clean a viscoelastic mattress is to remove all the dust, with the help of a powerful vacuum cleaner. This operation must be carried out on both sides of the mattress, to avoid the dreaded mites.
- If there are stains that must be treated to achieve better cleaning of the mattresses, it is recommended to use dry cleaning foam, without soaking with excess moisture, and subsequent drying in a well-ventilated area, but without direct exposure to the heat of the mattress. sun, which can decay the materials with which they are made.
- Mites multiply better with heat, so in addition to good ventilation, a low temperature is recommended in bedrooms for allergy sufferers, and the use of protective covers against these microscopic agents.
Anti-Bedsore Mattresses
They are rest bases especially indicated for people who have to stay for a long time in absolute rest, this type of mattress relieves the pressure of some points of the body, to reduce the risk of suffering ulcers, and due to the characteristics of the users, they need cleaning to keep the mattress in good condition.
- The maintenance and cleaning of anti-bedsore mattresses depend on the materials with which they have been manufactured, but the most common is that it is a system formed by compartments filled with air, which work with a constant inflation compressor, covered with a plastic surface, which facilitates the way on how to clean an anti-bedsore mattress.
- Always disconnecting from the mains first, and if there is no specification to the contrary from the manufacturer, an anti-bedsore mattress can be cleaned, making passes to rub the entire surface with a cloth impregnated with disinfectants, such as bleach, or ammonia, making successive passes, and finish bypassing another cloth moistened only with water, to remove all the dirt, as many times as necessary, allowing it to dry in the air.
- For proper maintenance of the mattress, it is always advisable to check that there are no air leaks before deflating and collecting.
Do you want to clean your mattresses, but can never find the time? We make it easy for you, we have a long experience of cleaning mattresses of all kinds.