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How To Remove Mold From A Mattress

You need to remember these three keywords: Dry. Disinfect. Protect. Drying your mattress kills and effectively stops mold spores from growing. Disinfecting removes toxins that are naturally released by the mold. You will be kept safe from respiratory and auto-immune health problems. Lastly, protecting your mattress prolongs its lifespan, giving you safer and more restful sleep. Read on to learn tips on how to effectively remove mold from your mattress!

This blog article will cover the following:

How to detect and remove mold from your mattress
- Signs that there is mold growth in your mattress
- Three steps to remove mold from your mattress
Keep your mattress protected from future mold growth.
- Moisture: the biggest trigger of mold growth
- Preventing future mold growth in your mattress

How to detect and remove mold from your mattress

Did you find mold in your mattress? Or do you suspect its presence in your bed? Detecting its growth will save you from costly damage to your health and property.

Signs of mold growth in your mattress

Harmful mold spores are invisible to the naked eye. It takes 3 to 21 days to be noticeable by its smell or harmful health effects and 18 to 21 days to be visible as mold.

So, how can you quickly detect them? Read on and find out:

The persistent musty odor. Does your mattress smell musty? The odor is pungent, similar to rotting food, and does not go away. That’s the first sign that mold is present.
Respiratory health symptoms that don’t go away. Another sign is if people using the bed can’t snap out of having a stuffy nose, wheezing, or red itchy eyes or skin.

Bed molds may cause chronic respiratory problems that are not caused by seasonal viruses.

Stains that you cannot recognize. The next thing to do is to lift your sheets and check. Are there stains on your bed that suddenly appeared? You don’t remember spilling anything, but why did that spot get discolored?

If there are no stains, but the musty smell and the respiratory problems persist, mold presence is still possible. They may be growing in the inner layers.

If these signs are present, act fast!

Three steps to remove mold from your mattress

Now that you know how to detect mold growth in your mattress, it is time to take action! There are three essential steps to remove the mold are:

Drying
Disinfecting
Protecting

Before proceeding with the 3 step process, ensure that you wear protective clothing if dealing with toxic mold such as black mold. Use non-porous gloves, an N-95 mask, eye protection, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants.

Drying your mattress

There are three ways to dry your mattress:

Through direct sunlight. Effectively kill mold with the sun’s UV rays. Put your mattress under direct sunlight for about 3 to 4 hours.
Six hours is even better. Bring it in before dampness sets in at dusk.
Vacuum. Vacuum when it is difficult or not possible for you to give your mattress a sunbath.
Ensure that you secure the vacuum bag inside a trash bag so the spores you vacuumed will not spread back to your bed.
Ventilate. Good ventilation with air flowing well will help dry out your mattress.
Directing your electric fan and dehumidifier to the affected area can also make drying faster.

You can also combine these three methods to ensure your mattress is mold-free.

A note of caution. If your mattress has been severely infected by mold, dispose of it as soon as possible. Check with mold removal experts if the mold has affected many areas in your home.

Disinfecting your mattress.

Disinfect your mattress while drying it out. Ensure that all layers will be penetrated by the cleaning solution that you will use, such as:

Dishwashing soap and water.

Dab a clean cloth or sponge on dishwashing soap diluted in water.
Rub the cloth on the surface of your mattress.
Use another cloth or sponge soaked in water to rinse off the soapy solution.
Do this until the suds are gone.

Vinegar

Spray full-strength white vinegar on your mattress.
Scrub off the mold with a soft brush or a scrubbing pad.

Hydrogen Peroxide.

Spray 3% hydrogen peroxide solution on your mattress.
Let the hydrogen peroxide sit until the solution stops bubbling.
Scrub off the mold with a soft brush or a scrubbing pad.

Rubbing alcohol.

Spray a solution of one part rubbing alcohol and one part warm water on your mattress.
Scrub off the mold with a soft brush or a scrubbing pad.

Commercial disinfecting solutions.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to use the product safely.

A note of caution. The moldy areas may lighten in color but may not altogether remove the stains. You can try spot-treating the stains by mixing baking soda, salt, and water. Rub the paste into the surface with a clean, dry cloth and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Wipe off the excess paste with a clean, damp cloth.

Protect your mattress from future mold growth.

After drying and disinfecting your mattress, it is time to protect it from moisture. Here are time-tested steps you can use:

Seal it with baking soda. Baking soda will further dry and disinfect your mattress. Think of it as the sealing step after all the hard work of drying and disinfecting your mattress. Here’s how to do it.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the surface of your mattress. You can put it on a strainer and shake it all over the mattress.
- Leave for at least 30 minutes.
- Vacuum it off the mattress.
Check ventilation affecting your mattress.
- Use slatted bed frames. If mold is under your bed, moisture may be due to the interaction between your bed frame and your mattress. Use slatted bed frames or anything that can allow air to flow under your mattress.
- Use mold-resistant paint. You can also use mold-resistant paint on your bed frame. Make sure you have already dried and removed mold on the frame before painting.
- Use waterproofed bedding. There are waterproof mattress protectors and pads on the market. They also are mold-resistant. Using them will help you keep your mattress mold-free longer.

What to do after removing mold from your mattress

After drying, disinfecting, and protecting your mattress, get into the habit of doing aftercare for your mattress. Once every six months is good enough.

In case of accidents, water damage, or flood, air out your mattress within 24 to 48 hours before mold spore germination sets in.

Mattress mold removal aftercare

Your mattress is made up of organic materials where mold can quickly germinate. Ensuring it is free from harmful levels of prolonged dampness will keep it clean of mold. So, you keep it dry and clean to protect yourself from mold damage.

Here are aftercare tips for your mattress to stay free from mold colonies for a long time:

Check temperatures and humidity levels. As moisture is the biggest trigger for spores to germinate, you need to monitor these numbers regularly, even during the day when the season is ripe for mold growth because of high humidity.
Keep your mattress dry. Accidental spills and all sorts of fluids can make those sleeping spores active. So, keep your mattress damp-free and watch out for mold smells and stains.
Spot-clean molds immediately. The best way to deal with molds is to prevent them from spreading. Neglecting it will be more costly health-wise and may even damage your mattress beyond fixing. So, spot-clean as soon as you detect any stains.
Disinfect your mattress regularly. Keep your mattress in top condition by disinfecting it regularly with sunbathing, disinfecting treatments, and keeping it dry.

Use a mattress protector. Waterproof mattress protectors can prevent moisture from reaching your mattress. It also keeps mold spores away.

When it is time to give up on your mattress

Sometimes, no matter your effort, the mold still cannot be removed from your mattress. The mold may have invaded your mattress, infecting the bed frames and surrounding fixtures. If this happens, do not hesitate to call professional cleaners to do the job. You can also opt to replace your mattress.

What is essential is to keep you, your family, and your pets safe from mold breeding in your mattress. Exposure through ingestion, skin absorption, and inhalation can lead to serious health problems. It may start as a persistent stuffy nose, wheezing, and itchy eyes and skin. Those with allergies and asthma may get more severe reactions.

Be careful with black mold as it carries the most toxin. Wear protective clothing, prescribed masks, and eyewear during removal to ensure your safety.

CONCLUSION

Remove the mold from your mattress at once. Your mattress is a very vulnerable piece of furniture because it contains porous materials that quickly absorb moisture. Keep it in check constantly. Prevention is way cheaper than fixing mold damage.

But if mold growth is beyond your control, call your licensed mold removal expert in Brooklyn, NY, immediately.

About the Company

Brooklyn Mold Removal is a company dedicated to providing quality service. We work with industrial hygienists and professional engineers to ensure that we deliver reliable, high-quality results to our clients. We understand that people need help with their environmental safety needs, so we prioritize assisting customers in making informed decisions about their situation.