Caravan cleaning: how to clean a mattress

By Clark Rubber | 17th October, 2019

If you are travelling Australia in a caravan or you just like to get out of the city on the weekends, you will know how important the right caravan mattress is for helping you get a good night’s sleep. But are you cleaning it as often as you need to?

Mattresses are the perfect breeding grounds for harmful bacteria and allergy-causing dust mites, especially if the mattress is subject to dust and sweat. That's why knowing how to clean your mattress is so important.

If your caravan mattress could use a spring clean, follow these four easy steps to make sure it's ready for your next adventure.

Vacuum the mattress

Wet cleaning should be avoided when cleaning a caravan mattress, as it can take a long time to dry and cause new problems such as mould and mildew forming. Regular vacuuming is the best way to clean a mattress of dust, dust mites and many forms of bacteria.

You should aim to vacuum your mattress every month if you use it regularly, taking your time to remove as much dirt as possible. If someone in the caravan has allergies, you should vacuum the mattress every time you change the sheets.

Spot treat stains

After vacuuming, identify any visible stains on the mattress and use an appropriate cleaning agent to spot clean them.

Depending on the type of stain and how stubborn it is, you can use a commercial enzyme-based cleaning product or you may have luck with a home remedy such as a dishwashing soap or hydrogen peroxide solution, baking soda, shaving foam, or lemon juice with salt.

Remove odours

When you have removed as many stains as you can, the next step is to deodorise the mattress. The easiest way to do this is by covering the entire surface with baking soda and leaving it for up to 24 hours, preferably in direct sunlight.

This should leave your caravan mattress smelling fresh, as well as soaking up any liquid used when treating stains. The easiest way to remove the baking soda is by vacuuming again.

Air it out

When your mattress has been cleaned and deodorised, give it some time in the fresh air and sunlight before you put the sheets on, as this helps to eliminate any remaining dust mites and bacteria. Just make sure you act quickly if it starts to rain!

Prevention is always better than the cure, and you can avoid or reduce the severity of stains by fitting your mattress with a washable cover. This should be removed and cleaned once a week with the rest of your bed linen.