The Simple Way to Clean Your Mattress (Which You're Probably Not Doing Enough)

Hopefully, you know to change your bedsheets at least once a week and wash your pillows twice a year. Cleaning your mattress, however, is less straightforward. Sanitizing what you sleep on each night isn't as easy as tossing it in the washing machine, but that doesn't mean you should skip the task altogether. According to Business Insider, your mattress is teeming with fungi, bacteria, and microscopic particles—making it the filthiest object in your bedroom. Luckily, you can clean your mattress in a day using the baking soda from your pantry.

Consumer Reports recommends that everyone disinfect their mattress once every six months. Start by stripping your bed and dealing with any problem areas on the surface. You can use your vacuum's upholstery attachment to get rid of dust and hair—being extra thorough around the seams—and use a cleaner or dish detergent solution to tackle old stains.

Once the top of your mattress is clear of debris, it's time to deodorize it. This is where the baking soda comes in handy; liberally shake it over the mattress, using as much as an entire 1-pound box if this is your first deep-clean. According to Consumer Reports, you should let the baking soda do its job for 24 hours, which means you may need to spend the night in a different room. If you can't afford to have your bed out of commission for that long, letting the baking soda sit for as little as an hour can make a difference as long you massage it into the material.

Baking soda fights any odors that might have accumulated in your bed over months (or years) of sleeping in it. After giving your mattress a chance to marinate, break out your vacuum again to suck up the excess powder.

If you find an especially nasty scene beneath your covers, you may not be cleaning your bed accessories correctly. Here's the best way to clean your pillows, and how often you should be doing it.