The aforementioned tips sound great, but as one comment suggested. You never know what is in a used mattress. As professional mattress cleaning, I obviously recommend that you call a pro, in your area. However, I understand that costs can be prohibitive, in the DFW area, a mattress of any size can be cleaned for less than $100.
One thing mentioned above, is the use of a pesticide on a mattress, this a real no no. A pesticide is a poison and no one should have extend exposure to a deliberate toxin. The stuff is designed to kill!
A safer and also economic way the disinfect a mattress, short of a pro, is to use a product called Odoban. It can be found at Home Depot and with the right concentration can kill any virus, bacteria or mildew. The cost is less than $15 a gallon, concentrated.
Simple read the directions and apply with spray bottle. After the proper dwell time and extraction with a small shop vac, it will be sanitized, deodorized and disinfected.
laj52 this problem you have sounds like the one I had 2 years ago and I did on my own find a fix. Anything with tolfanate in it and go to the health food store for walnut hulls, I use the leaves from the tree itself and dry them crush them and use 2teaspoons of the crushed leaves for tea with another tea and sweetener. It took 6 months of once a month using the black walnut leaf tea and daily using the tolfanate . The walnut clears bugs from the system and the tolfnate kills them from the top. Check the cdc website for unidentified parasite syndrome, just don't believe everything you read. It is everywhere and they deny it exists. gbk
I purchased to mattress sets from the second hand store because I just did not have the money for new sets. I checked to make sure there were no stains. I took them home. spray them down with bug spray then vaccumed and let air dry. I then sprinkled baking soda on it and let it sit. I purchased a foam mattress cover and pad. My bed feels like a $2000 mattress. A little time consuming (about 2 days worth), but worth it.
While I do agree witih many of tne comments,I would like to add. In my household, we had a few "wetting" accidents. The mattresses were put in the sun (early), sprayed, and baked. Anything baked in the sun (long enough) is free of most germs. I bought a set of used matresses and I have not had one problem. I baked them, bought a mattress cover, put a pad on top and my company loves to sleep on it! As a mater of fact, it's everybody's favorite bed. Of course I bought it from a nice old lady who kept her house clean. I knew her and her overall cleanliness; now as for a public domain, I would be slightly more careful/cautious. Who would know? PB. 'bama
Thanks for all your helpful advice.Forgot to tell y'all it's my Grams...So I know where it's been.I do believe I'd never buy a used one.In NC none of the 2nd hand stores accept or sell mattress or boxsprings.Thanks y'all..Keeper
Naw. Don't be a wuss. Wash it up with an antibacterial agent. Cover it with an nice cover. If you're really paranoid, stick it in the microwave to kill straggling bacteria.
By Fen Patrick Fen,Thanks for the laugh..do I cut it b-4 the microwave or carefully fold it 1st.? LOL Keeper
Ok - what I did once with a mattress that I was given was spray it thoroughly with spray disinfectant - until it was damp - all over - I did it several times in the most used areas...then I left it out in the sun to bake and dry and kill anything in it. Then when I used it, I put it in a mattress bag, enclosing the whole thing - and I used a mattress pad. No problems...
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Request: Cleaning a Used Mattress Set
Archived on 07/19/2007
I am going to buy a used mattress set from the local Goodwill store. I just wondered what is the best way to "clean" this set when I get it? I plan on putting a mattress cover over the mattress once I clean it. However, I do want to sanitize it as much as I can before I do that.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, Cookiepom
Answers:
RE: Cleaning a Used Mattress Set
Please, if there is any way you could buy a new set, that is what I would do. I have a skin disease that no doctor can tell me what it is. There is something out there that you can get it. Is a little like scabies but I don't know if I will ever get rid of it. So think about this before you buy beds, sofas or anything. You can go to http://lymebusters.proboards39.com
. Just read what we are going through but you could cover the box springs. Ask them what they use to clean them and maybe you could ask them let you see them spray it. Good luck
By laj52
RE: Cleaning a Used Mattress Set
I agree with laj. Buying used mattresses is almost as bad as buying used undergarments. You don't know who had it before you and by how many. Go to some mattress outlet store, ask if there are any stragglers, mismatches, scratch and dent items. I would not suggest buying a used mattress. Quite honestly, I am surprised that Goodwill or Salvation Army even takes used mattresses.
By KLS8800
RE: Cleaning a Used Mattress Set
Instead of buying the Goodwill mattress, could I make a suggestion? Try your local Rent-a-center type place and ask them about purchasing a mattress set. They generally have many brand new sets to sell and they are very inexpensive. I purchased a twin set for a spare room for less than $50 and it was brand new. It may not be the best quality in the world, but it serves the purpose.
Anyway, the store I bought mine from told me that they keep several sets in stock because they are not allowed to re-rent a set (they must be destroyed.) It's worth a try!
By tammy
RE: Cleaning a Used Mattress Set
Our local Salvation Army sells new mattress sets. Do you have a store near you that you could check out? Our bodies tend to "shape" our mattresses, kind of like shoes, not to mention having to worry about who had the mattress last. I can think of all sorts of reasons I wouldn't want a used mattress, the same reasons that make me bring my own pillow to a hotel room and two blankets (one to sleep on top of and one to have over me!). I just wouldn't risk buying a used one. I don't think there will ever be a way to completely sanitize it.
Naw. Don't be a wuss. Wash it up with an antibacterial agent. Cover it with an nice cover. If you're really paranoid, stick it in the microwave to kill straggling bacteria.
By Fen Patrick
RE: Cleaning a Used Mattress Set
In Tarrant/Dallas TX counties, there is a Public Health law that says "any used mattress sets" before they can be sold, they must be sanitized by washing and spraying with a commercial antibacterial cleaning solution.
