Learn the keys to cleaning the baby's mattress for total disinfection

Any mattress accumulates thousands of bacteria, mites and dust daily. In the case of babies, stains from sweat, blood, pee, milk or vomit may occur. In the next post we are going to tell you how to clean the baby's mattress to keep it fresh and disinfected .

How to clean a crib mattress

Cleaning the mattress well is necessary to guarantee the baby's good rest, as well as avoid allergies and health problems. There are different products and home remedies to clean the baby's crib mattress effectively , depending on the type of stain:

• Baking soda: This powder will help eliminate odors, stains and absorb moisture. In addition, it has incredible antibacterial capacity. Mixing it with warm water or white cleaning vinegar can be an effective combination.
• Cleaning vinegar: Vinegar is great for disinfecting and eliminating bacteria, naturally and without chemicals. It is used to remove urine and sweat stains. It is recommended to use with a damp cloth and rub the affected area.
• Bar of soap: another foolproof option is the bar of soap (the usual one). In addition to being 100% natural, it is super effective against all types of stains and gentle on fabrics. You will have to rub the stain, rinse with water and let it dry.
• Hydrogen peroxide : You can use hydrogen peroxide as the most effective remedy against blood stains.
• Lemon and water : This mixture is perfect for cleaning stains and eliminating odors on the crib mattress from vomit, pee, or sweat. In addition, it will leave a feeling of freshness on the mattress.
• Liquid detergent (fragrance-free) : If none of the remedies listed above work, you can use liquid detergent. Rub the area with a cloth moistened with a little detergent and water, let it sit for a few minutes, clean it with water and dry well.
• Steamer or vacuum cleaner : a great ally to remove excess baking soda or to eliminate dust and mites. If you have a steam cleaner, the result will be more effective.
• Tea tree oil : tea tree oil acts directly against mites by suffocating and eliminating them thanks to its properties. To prepare the mixture you only need three ingredients: tea tree oil, water (preferably distilled) and baking soda.

Alondra advises you - Advice

Acting quickly will prevent you from having to spend less time cleaning the crib mattress . It is important not to let stains dry (whether from pee, blood, sweat...) or for odors to become embedded. It is not necessary to deep clean it right away, but you can rinse the stain with warm water or tea tree. Then dry the water well with absorbent paper, until you remove all the moisture possible. The next morning, you can finish cleaning the mattress.

How to clean the baby mattress depending on the type of stain

Now that you know the products you can use to clean and disinfect the children's mattress, let's get to the practice 😉

How to clean pee or urine stains from a baby mattress

With a newborn at home, it is normal for the crib mattress to continually be stained with pee or urine. Cleaning urine from the mattress is very easy!

To save you time and work, we recommend that you put a disposable absorbent crib protector under the sheets, as well as a waterproof terry mattress protector . Even so, you may be able to transfer the stain to the mattress. So how to clean the mattress of pee? Here we leave you the steps to follow!

• If the pee is fresh and the mattress is still wet, proceed to dry it as much as possible, absorbing the urine with a towel, cloth or absorbent paper.
• Next, mix lemon juice and baking soda until it forms a paste that we will apply on it and let it act for 30 minutes. If the stain is dry, cover it with plastic and let it sit for an hour.
• Next, dampen a sponge and rub the baking soda over the stain. Vacuum to remove any remaining baking soda.
• Let it dry completely and that's it!

If this remedy does not work, you can try to prepare a mixture with 250 ml of hydrogen peroxide and 3 tablespoons of baking soda, let it sit and dry.

How to clean vomit stains from a baby mattress

Like pee, vomiting is another of the most common causes in newborns. This type of stain involves solutions with which to remove the bad smell from the mattress as well . So... how to clean a mattress with baby vomit? To clean them you just have to follow the following recommendations :

• Spray the stain with white cleaning vinegar.
• Then sprinkle with baking soda and let it effervescent. Leave it current for 30 minutes.
• Vacuum to remove any remaining baking soda.
• Let dry completely.

Alondra advises you - Advice

As with any of the solutions provided, you will have to use water, it will be necessary to dry it as much as possible to prevent it from being wet and causing bacteria to reproduce . A good solution is to opt for the sun, exposing the mattress to direct, natural light (which in addition to drying, also kills bacteria and germs). If the manufacturer recommends not exposing the mattress to the sun, you can alternatively use a hair dryer .

How to clean blood stains from a baby mattress

Blood stains must be removed as soon as possible, since they penetrate the tissues very easily and are very resistant and can become mission impossible. In order to eliminate them effectively, you can follow the following steps:

• If the stain is freshly made , apply a little hydrogen peroxide, wait for the bubbles to appear and remove it with a cloth moistened with cold water. To avoid spreading the stain, rub it from the outside in, using circular movements.
• If the blood stain is dry or has already penetrated the fabrics, you should use a mixture of one part baking soda and two parts cold water. Spread it with a damp cloth and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then, remove the solution with a cloth moistened with water and let it dry well.

How to disinfect and remove mites from a crib mattress

Once all the stains have been treated and the mattress is dry, we proceed to disinfect it and eliminate the mites. For it:

• Add 250 ml of water in a spray bottle and 1.5 tablespoons of baking soda.
• Once it is well dissolved, add 7 or 8 drops of tea tree oil.
• Next, apply the liquid to the mattress and then rub it with a cloth. In addition to eliminating bacteria and mites, the oil will leave a good aroma and will make your little one rest much better.

If you want more information about mattresses, take a look at our blog on " how to choose the mattress for your baby " where you can discover the different types of mattresses we have at Alondra.

By following these keys, you can be sure that your baby's mattress stays clean and disinfected . Remember that the frequency of cleaning will depend on your baby's individual needs and any incidents that may occur.

So that the day of cleaning and disinfecting the mattress is not so intense, it is best to keep the mattress as clean as possible. To achieve this, it is recommended to place the mattress under the sun daily and ensure ventilation of the room during the day (better from 7 to 10 am) so that all dust or particles in the air can move out of the room .

Frequent questions:

• Is it really important to clean the crib mattress daily?

Crib mattresses can become impregnated with dust, dirt, bacteria and mites that can put your baby's health at risk, causing a high risk of skin and respiratory allergies in the baby. For this and many other reasons, cleaning and disinfecting the crib mattress is essential.

• How to clean or disinfect the baby's crib mattress daily?

To disinfect your baby's mattress you can use about 250 grams of baking soda mixed with 5 drops of tea tree (used as a disinfectant). This recipe will eliminate moisture, bacteria, mites and bad odors.

• How to remove stains from the crib mattress?

To remove stains from the mattress, you can use a mixture of warm water with lemon, white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. If it is urine, sweat or blood stains, it is best to use liquid detergent. All this, applied with a cloth and rubbing vigorously.