How To Dry A Mattress

Brief: How To Dry A Mattress

1. Introduction: Drying a mattress is necessary after accidental liquid spills. Proper drying techniques ensure the mattress remains usable and hygienic.
2. 6 Steps to Dry a Mattress:
   • Absorb the Liquid: Blot with towels or cloths to soak up excess moisture.
   • Use Moisture-Absorbing Substances: Apply baking soda or salt to draw out moisture.
   • Vacuum Up Remaining Liquid: Use a wet/dry vacuum for thorough cleaning.
   • Apply Anti-Mildew Spray: Prevents mold and mildew growth.
   • Ensure Maximum Air Circulation: Use fans, open windows, or air conditioners for airflow.
   • Kill Bacteria: Dry in sunlight or use UV light for disinfection.
3. Drying Time: Typically takes 12-24 hours, depending on conditions and methods used.
4. Additional Tips:
   • Flip Mattress During Drying: Ensures even drying.
   • Avoid High Heat: Such as blow dryers, which can damage mattress materials.
   • Ideal Drying Location: Well-ventilated, sunny areas are best.
5. Post-Drying Care: Once dry, use a mattress protector for future spills. Avoid steam cleaning as it can damage fabrics.
6. Conclusion: Drying a mattress involves absorbing liquids, using air circulation, and taking preventive measures against mold. Proper drying and care extend the mattress’s life.
7. FAQs:
   • Fastest drying method? Use a fan in a ventilated area.
   • Can you put a mattress in the sun? Yes, but avoid direct, intense sunlight.
   • Safety of fans and hair dryers? Avoid placing fans directly on the mattress and do not use hair dryers due to heat damage risk.
   • Use of wet-dry vacuums? Not recommended, as it may unevenly dry and damage the mattress fabric.

Sometimes life throws a curveball at you that you don’t expect, and before you know it, you have to dry your mattress from liquid right in the middle of the night. Whether your mattress is soaking wet or just damp, there’s an easy way to deal with this issue. Drying a mattress is done by following six steps: absorb all liquids, apply sorbents, vacuum up, and use maximum air circulation.

How To Dry A Mattress: 6 Proven Steps To Follow

It can be a struggle to dry a mattress if you don’t have the correct tools. However, with the following six steps, you’ll be able to dry your bed in no time at all successfully.

Absorb The Liquid

The first step to drying a mattress from liquid involves absorbing excess liquid, and it is done by applying to blot and pressing tissues to the affected area. If you have a clean cloth, you can also wipe the room with it. Blotting your mattress may require patience since it may not absorb too much liquid at once, so take your time with this step. 

Pressing tissues are best because they absorb moisture from mattresses better than paper towels as well. Never use a vacuum on the affected area when it’s wet because doing so can make the problem worse or make things worse by damaging your vacuum cleaner. Also, don’t use a hairdryer on your mattress since it’ll melt the sheets and blankets you have on top of your bed.

Kill The Bacteria

The second step to drying out a mattress from liquid involves killing the bacteria present on the affected area, and this is done by letting it dry in the sun. However, if there are no natural lights you have available, you can make up for them using a UV-light bulb. You can also just use direct sunlight, but it’s better to still allow your mattress to first air dry if any bacteria survive.

Use Moisture Absorbing Substance

A mattress that has been soaked with liquid can still be used as long as you first apply a moisture-absorbing substance such as baking soda or just salt. This absorbent material helps trap the excess water in the affected area while also encouraging air circulation, which allows the drying process to proceed easier. 

If you have any type of natural absorbent material lying around, then that would work well, too, because they also work rather well.

Vacuum Up The Remaining Liquid

After you let your mattress air dry, the next step is to vacuum up what remains of the liquid. Don’t vacuum any water that’s still on the surface since doing so would only worsen things. Instead, use a wet/dry vacuum that is specifically designed to suck up both liquids and solids without getting them mixed.

Just be sure not to set your wet/dry vacuum to its suction max if any water remains thereafter vacuuming it so it can be removed later. You might also consider using a shop vac for this step if you have one handy since they’re better at sucking up heavy liquid than regular vacs.

Prevent Mold Forming

The next step in drying a mattress from liquid involves preventing molding from forming on the affected surface. This is accomplished by applying an anti-mildew spray to it, which helps avoid molding from taking place.

If you don’t have any anti-mildew spray or it’s too dried out to be effective, then you can just use a thick layer of mattresses pads or blankets. However, don’t use mattress padding if it’s made up of fabric because they tend to stick together and trap moisture when they get wet, and that would just make things worse.

Apply Maximum Air Circulation

After you apply a moisture-absorbing substance to the affected area and vacuum up the remaining liquid, the next step in drying your mattress involves using maximum air circulation so that molding from forming doesn’t take place. 

To do this, you can open all of your windows to let air flow freely throughout your home. You can also use fans or air conditioners, which will help dry out your mattress from liquid and prevent molding from forming in the first place.

FAQ