Are you wondering how to clean a crib mattress without harsh chemicals? A babys bed suffers from everything from everyday dirt to baby formula and poop stains. Maintaining and cleaning the crib mattress and bedding with safe cleaners is vital to keep your little one healthy.
Cleaning the crib sheet, mattress pad, and blankets in the washing machine is relatively simple. Yet, a baby crib mattress or toddler mattress is a different matter. It’s much too large to fit in the machine, and we often forget that it also requires regular cleaning.
A baby crib mattress gets dirty, even if you use a mattress cover or don’t see any visible stains on the bed. It accumulates dust mites, which can cause an allergic reaction in your child. One way to protect your baby from germs and bacteria is to give the baby mattress a deep clean each month.
Ways to Clean a Crib Mattress
While a babys mattress looks clean, it’s likely got dust and dirt on the surface that you cannot see with the naked eye. Discover ways to clean a crib mattress and keep it dirt and stain-free.
Things to Know Before Washing a Baby Mattress
Learning a few things before you clean a baby mattress is helpful. Crib mattresses come in various types and styles. What works to clean innerspring mattresses doesn’t always work for foam mattresses.
The two main types of baby mattresses are foam and innerspring. Some beds have an organic cotton cover, and others have a waterproof mattress cover. Both keep their shape and provide support for babies and toddlers.
A foam mattress is lighter and made from polyurethane foam. The Moonlight Slumber, Pack N Play, and Newton crib mattresses are examples of foam mattresses.
In comparison, innerspring mattresses have many layers and innerspring coils. It’s the type most adults sleep on. The Lullaby Earth, Dream On Me, and Newton Baby innerspring mattresses are popular.
How to Clean a Crib Mattress With a Vacuum
Your vacuum cleaner is ideal for cleaning a crib mattress to remove dirt and dust. We also recommend vacuuming the baby or toddler bed before washing it with a wet cleaning product to keep from pushing dirt down into the cotton fabric.
Crib Mattress Vacuuming
Remove all the bedding from the crib mattress and wash and dry it as usual. Remove the mattress from the crib and use an upholstery attachment on the vacuum cleaner to clean the mattress’s top, bottom, and sides.
How to Wash a Baby Mattress
It’s essential to clean your babys crib mattress routinely. That said, you cannot machine wash a baby crib mattress. Instead, learn how to wash a baby mattress with gentle detergent and warm water without damaging the material.
Check the care tag before washing a baby mattress to determine if cold or hot water and laundry detergent are okay to use on the mattress. Make a cleaning solution with a few squirts of detergent and warm water in a container.
Dip your sponge in the soapy water and wring out the excess water. Wipe the sponge over all areas of the mattress without making it too wet. Rub a damp cloth over the bed to remove soap residue.
Dry the mattress with a towel by pressing the cloth into the surface to wick away moisture. Let the mattress air dry entirely before remaking the bed.
Remove Stubborn Stains From a Baby Mattress
While cleaning the mattress with soap and water removes dirt, it doesn’t always clean stains from a leaky baby bottle or diaper. Find out how to wash a baby mattress to remove a stubborn stain.
Pour a cup of water into a bottle sprayer and add a quarter cup of lemon juice and a cup of white vinegar. Shake the container and spray the solution on the mattress stain. Avoid spraying too much of the cleaner, which soaks deep into the material and takes longer to dry.
Dab at the stain with a clean cloth until the stain is gone, and dry it well with an absorbent towel. Don’t be concerned about the vinegar smell, as the odor dissipates as it dries. Replace the bedding once the mattress is completely dry.
Tips for Keeping a Baby Mattress Clean
You have enough worry as a new parent, and your time is precious. Reduce your work and spend more time with your little one by preventing a dirty crib mattress.
Spray the bed surface with a disinfectant after washing a baby mattress to kill bacteria and germs. Let it dry thoroughly, and make the bed with clean bedding. Change the bedding immediately after accidents and spot-clean the mattress to remove fresh stains. Never remake a damp mattress since this leads to mildew and mold.
Liquids that get into the mattress material cause bacterial growth. Waterproof mattress covers and pads are excellent for keeping moisture and accidents from seeping into the mattress.
Wipe the mattress with a damp cloth when the crib mattress is no longer in use. Store it in a sealed plastic bag in a dry, clean area until you’re ready to use it again.
It’s easy to forget the mattress when cleaning your baby’s bedding. Nonetheless, a crib mattress needs regular washing, even if a crib mattress cover protects it or it’s a waterproof crib mattress. Fortunately, a vacuum cleaner and mild detergent clean the bed and protect your baby from germs.
We hope you liked learning how to clean a crib mattress and keep your baby safe, and we’d love it if you’d share our baby mattress cleaning tips with your family and friends on Facebook and Pinterest.