At the end of last year, TikTok user Dave Chen made a viral video about vacuuming his mattress, with the video accumulating over 5 million views.
In the video, he said the last time he vacuumed his mattress had been two weeks ago, and people were horrified to discover how much dust was vacuumed up once again just 14 days later.
“This whole layer of dust is from the mattress and nothing else,” Dave said as he rotated his Dyson around to show a thick layer of dust on the inside.
People were pretty appalled in the comments and most of them had one very important point to make.
“Coming from someone who works in the bedding industry. GET A MATTRESS PROTECTOR,” one person (probably) yelled.
“Just use a mattress protector, I use two,” another clean freak said.
“I do wash the sheets and mattress protector once a week, however, if I use a mattress protector I shouldn’t have that amount of dust or mites….I hope,” another said.
But regardless of whether you have a mattress protector or not, how often should we be cleaning our mattresses?
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Here’s how often you should be cleaning your mattress
Rachel Beard, who works as a Sleep Wellness Manager for A.H. Beard’s Sleep Wellness Centre weighed in.
“Mattress vacuuming actually works and is an important part of maintaining a healthy sleep environment. Frequently cleaning your mattress, pillow, sheets and linens is essential to preserving a hygienic sleep sanctuary, and getting the best night’s sleep possible,” she told Yahoo Lifestyle.
“Our mattresses are exposed to several different particles, from pollen to debris, dust and more. Like any item in the home, your mattress needs to be regularly cleaned to ensure it keeps you healthy.”
Rachel said when it comes to maintaining mattress hygiene, washing your bedding (like your mattress protector!) should be a weekly occurrence while doing a deep clean of the mattress should happen on a six-month basis, minimum.
Rachel also said if you have allergies or pets, you’d need to increase the frequency of how often you deep clean your mattress, aiming for every two to three months.
“Be gentle when cleaning, as being too rough or careless with vacuuming could damage the mattress fabric and pull or loosen the stitching,” Rachel said. “While you’re cleaning your mattress, we’d suggest this is also a good opportunity to vacuum under your bed and rotate the mattress.”
She also suggested for even better sleep hygiene people should be vacuuming the bedrooms twice a week to keep the floor free from dirt and dust mites.
But what if I have a mattress protector?
Yes, you still need to deep clean your mattress, even with a protector.
“Frequently cleaning your mattress is important regardless of the type of bedding you use. A good quality mattress protector will help protect your mattress from spills, stains, and other nasties — but it shouldn’t mean you’re off the hook for cleaning your mattress,” Rachel advised.
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“Don’t forget to regularly clean your mattress protector too (as often as you wash your bed linen), giving your mattress time to breathe which is key for good hygiene.”
