The amount of hidden germs and bugs hiding in your mattress would shock you to no end. But you don’t have to go out and spend a bunch of money on a new one. You can actually have you mattress professionally cleaned for a fraction of the price of buying a new one. If you haven’t had your mattress professionally cleaned but are considering it, there are a few things to know about the process they take to ensure a proper mattress cleaning. Before the procedure begins, take these small steps to ensure everything goes smoothly. Strip the bed of your linens and wash them beforehand so that after they are done cleaning the mattress you can put your bed back together with ease. Stripping the bed will also prepare the mattress for the technician. There are 6 steps to the method in which the technician will take to ensure a proper cleaning.

1. Inspection
The inspection is the first step in mattress cleaning which helps the technician become aware of what kind of condition the mattress is in before the cleaning. The technician will look for things like spots and stains, heavily soiled areas, and rips, tears or any other irregularities in the mattress. After the inspection, you should have a good idea of what the outcome will be for your mattress according to the findings of the inspection.

2. Vacuum
After the inspection, the next step is to perform the dry vacuum. Usually, your technician will use some kind of upholstery tool on their vacuum which gives the mattress a thorough vacuuming. Like carpets, many stains in mattresses can be easily removed with a dry vacuum.

3. Pre-spray Solution
The type and potency of the pre-spray solutions will be carefully chosen by the technician depending on the condition of the mattress. Most professionals try and use a mild cleaning solution that is designed for the type of fabric they will be working with. Your technician will not use anything too harsh because of the risk to your health. Once the cleaning solution has been applied, the embedded soils and dirt will begin to break down and your technician may or may not apply heat or hot water which will speed up the cleaning process. The technician will allow the solution to set for a small window of time to ensure that it has deeply penetrated your fabric. The longer it sits, the greater the possibility of the stains and odors coming out.

4. Scrubbing
After the technician has applied the pre-spray solution, the next step is agitating the solution into the mattress. Your technician will use a coarse brush to agitate or simply put, “shake up the dirt and stains from your mattress.” This step ensures a thorough cleaning for your mattress.

5. Rinsing
The final step in the professional cleaning of a mattress is the rinsing portion. This step happens once the scrubbing has been completed and the pre-spray solution has had enough time to work its magic. Your technician will use a rinse solution usually combines with hot water to help remove not only the pre-spray solution but also the soil and dirt that was broken down during the cleaning process.

6. Drying
The final step will take the longest which is the drying process. If your technician uses fans for the drying process, it can take anywhere from four to six hours. If you don’t use fans, this process will take you much long, somewhere around eight to twelve hours. If you have air-conditioning or heat, you can use them with the combination of fans to make the drying process much faster.

Since you have spent all this time and money cleaning your mattress, you need to take necessary precautions to avoid any more damage to your mattress. Now that you have a freshly cleaned mattress you should invest in a washable mattress cover. Now you can rest assured that you are sleeping on a clean mattress which should make you sleep a little easier at night!