Although a mattress protector is just an extra covering for your bed, it doesn’t mean you can take it for granted in terms of using and washing it.
Depending on the quality and material, it should be cleaned accordingly in order to keep it neat and extend its life. Speaking of which, a well-maintained mattress protector lasts an average of about a year or two.
And so, in this guide, we’ll be teaching you how to wash a mattress protector.
Things You’ll Be Needing
To wash your mattress protector, you need to have these cleaning products, tools, and equipment:
- Laundry detergent
- Enzyme-based stain remover or DIY cleaner
- Down wash cleaner
- Soft-bristled nylon brush
- Wool drying balls
- Washer or washbasin
- Dryer or clothesline
Steps in Washing Your Mattress Protector
Having collected all of them, you’re now ready to wash your mattress protector. To do that, follow these steps below:
1) Take out the mattress protector
First, remove all of the bedding of your mattress including the pillows and blankets. Then, take out the mattress protector and then read its care tag.
That should give you information as to the correct temperature to wash and dry it, what type of washing (hand-wash or machine wash) you can do, and if you can iron it too.
2) Check for stains and treat them
If your mattress protector has protein stains from food, beverages, grass, blood, or baby formula, you have to treat them beforehand.
You can use either a special enzyme cleaner or a homemade one. There are different ways to make the latter, but you can try mixing this effective and odor-removing solution:
Mix 2 cups of small fresh citrus peels (lemon, orange, or lime), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon yeast, and 4 cups warm water in a clean 2-liter soda bottle.
Ferment the homemade solution in a warm, dark spot and frequently open and close the cap to let out pressure.
Whichever you chose, you should let the solution soak into the stain and leave it alone for a while to loosen it. You can also use a clean, damp cloth or a soft-bristled nylon brush to work the liquid in.
3) Add your preferred detergent
Any good-quality detergent should do to clean your dirty mattress protector. The only exception to this is if your protector is filled with down feathers.
In this case, you should use a down washer to rid it of dirt, stains, and odor while protecting the feathers underneath. We suggest using the Nikwax Down Wash Direct or Granger’s Down Wash detergent.
4) Wash your mattress protector
Now, throw your mattress protector alone into the washer, as this makes the cleaning more effective. Choose warm or cold water as directed by the label, set it to the normal or bulky wash cycle to help keep your washer stable, and then start washing.
5) Dry your mattress protector
Afterward, dry your mattress protector in a normal cycle in the dryer. If you don’t have a drying machine, you can just hang it on a clothesline or drying rack.
While this will work for most kinds of mattress protectors, down-feathered types have to be dried on a low heat setting with wool dryer balls added to the dryer.
Similarly, polyurethane and waterproof ones have to be heated on a low heat setting or simply air-dried.
Also, remember to dry out the mattress protector completely before putting it back on the mattress. Otherwise, it will lead to mold and mildew growth, which can affect the sleeper’s health through allergies, asthma, or other respiratory problems.
