How to Fumigate a Mattress

How to Fumigate a Mattress
Written By
Mary Lougee
Mary Lougee
Published: Jun 8, 2010
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
2 minute read

A routine cleaning every 3 months of a mattress including vacuuming, steaming and killing pests will keep bedding free of allergens and pests.

Things You Will Need

  • Vacuum cleaner with attachments
  • Hand held steam cleaner
  • Borax
  • Water
  • Bucket
  • Spray bottle
  1. Remove all bedding from the mattress and wash them in hot water immediately.

  2. Vacuum the mattress with a vacuum cleaner using the crevice attachment. Start at one corner of the mattress and work in a two-foot section across to the other side. Continue vacuuming until the entire mattress is clean. Flip the mattress over and clean the other side in the same manner. Clean around all four sides with the vacuum.

  3. Use a steam cleaner to clean deep into the mattress fibers. Steam the entire mattress on both sides and on the edges by cleaning edge to edge in two-foot sections.

  4. Mix ½ cup of Borax in a gallon of water in a bucket. Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray the mattress on both sides and the edges until the entire mattress is damp.

  5. Take the mattress outside and lean it against the house or a garage wall in the sun. Let the mattress dry completely.

  6. Replace the mattress on the bed and make the bed with fresh bedding.

The Drip Cap

  • Dust, dust mites, bed bugs and debris like dead skin cells can collect on a mattress.
  • A routine cleaning every 3 months of a mattress including vacuuming, steaming and killing pests will keep bedding free of allergens and pests.
  • Flip the mattress over and clean the other side in the same manner.
  • Use a steam cleaner to clean deep into the mattress fibers.

Photo Credits

le pied image by Richard villalon from Fotolia.com

le pied image by Richard villalon from Fotolia.com

Mary Lougee

Mary Lougee has been writing for over 10 years. She holds a Bachelor's Degree with a major in Management and a double minor in accounting and computer science. She loves writing about careers for busy families as well as family oriented…

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