Mould on Mattresses

Everyone might get mould on a mattress, and it is a common and dangerous thing to have, and it is very unhealthy, so it must be removed immediately. The best way to prevent moulds on a mattress is to take care of the mattress and keep it clean and healthy. And even with that, moulds can still be developed on a mattress. That is why in this article, we have decided to talk about everything there is to know about moulds.

Why a Mattress Would Develop Mould

First off, to know how we can get rid of all the moulds, we need to know why they show up and how to prevent it from happening. The best way to deal with moulds is to not let them grow on a mattress.

Dark Environment

Besides not taking care of a mattress, moulds need a dark and moist environment to grow. Underneath the mattress is one perfect place, and it is always away from direct light or sunlight. If you did not know, sunlight is a great antibacterial [1], and keeping your mattress under the sunlight will keep it more hygienic. 

Moisture

The moisture that moulds need to grow is also provided by the moisture of your body and sweat. Some mattresses and materials do absorb moisture out of your body. Another possible way to give the moulds the moisture they need is through a wet mattress. Make sure you dry a wet mattress. Stains of different liquids are also dangerous, and whenever there is a stain on a mattress, it means there is wetness inside, so removing stains from a mattress is another thing you need to pay attention to. 

A Mattress on a Floor

One way that is very likely to develop mould on a mattress is having mattresses on the floor without any box. Because there is no space between the mattress and the floor, no light can reach underneath the mattress, and the mattress will also absorb the moisture on the floor, no matter the material the floor is made of. Over time, the side of the mattress that is facing the floor becomes a perfect place for fungus and moulds to grow. Australia is surrounded by the ocean, so you definitely need a mattress in a box. Make sure you get the best mattresses in a box in Australia. 

Memory Foam Mattresses and Innerspring Mattresses

There are two types of popular mattresses that are famous for their mould attraction, and they are memory foam and innerspring mattresses. 

In innerspring mattresses, no matter how great the technology used in making the mattresses are, as long as there is a gap between the mattress and the floor where light can't reach, and it is warm, and moisture, moulds going to grow. For these mattresses, make sure you allow for great airflow.

For memory foam mattresses, memory foam is a great material for absorbing moisture and holding it inside itself. It is also great at absorbing the sweat from your body and keeping it absorbed for a very long time, and eventually, taking the moisture at the bottom of the mattress and making an excellent place for the growth of mould and fungus. To prevent this from happening, make sure to keep any wetness away from the mattress. 

With all this said, it is wise to flip your mattress on the other side every once in a while to make sure the other side is also clean. Keep in mind though, some mattresses cannot be flipped. Only two-sided mattresses can be flipped. Memory foam mattresses in Australia are most likely two-sided.

How to Know If There are Moulds on a Mattress

There are several signs to find out if there are spores of mould on a mattress or not. You need to know the signs of mould so you can prevent their progress. Every once in a while, everyone needs to check their mattresses for any mould. Especially underneath it. 

The first obvious sign of mould is small black dots across an area of the mattress. Another sign of it that is slightly less noticeable is the smell of it. Moulds smell like rotten food and have some sort of damp or dank smell. You will be able to smell the moulds before visually noticing any large area of mould on a mattress. The last sign, which is the worst sign and at the worst stage, is causing health problems. If some people have allergies or they suffer from asthma, the moulds are going to show themselves. 

Make sure to always check your mattress before moulds can harm you or your mattress. Turn around your mattress and flip it from time to time to prevent moulds.

How to Remove Moulds From a Mattress

Let us say you did not take good care of your mattress, and the moulds are already there. It is still not too late, and there are some ways of removing moulds off a mattress. There are 3 things that can get rid of moulds for good.

Alcohol and Hydrogen Peroxide

Similar to each other, both alcohol and hydrogen peroxide are strong solutions for cleaning moulds off a mattress. The way to use these two solutions for cleaning moulds is like this:

1. Use a vacuum on both sides of the mattress to get rid of specks of dirt. 
2. Mix either alcohol or hydrogen peroxide with warm water. (About one part of alcohol or hydrogen peroxide and three parts of warm water.)
3. Scrub and rub the moulds with the solution and a clean piece of cloth. Then wash it again with mater.
4. Dry the mattress.
5. Repeat this process until there are no more moulds left on the mattress.

If none of the steps above works, it is best to use a mattress cleaner or leave the mattress to someone professional to clean it.

F.A.Q.

Conclusion

In this article, we talked about everything there was about mould on a mattress. The best thing to do in case of moulds is to protect your mattress from it in the first place and check it every once in a while. The most important area of the mattress to check is underneath it. And if moulds have already come for your mattress, you now know how to clean it.

Thank you so much for reading this article. If you have any further questions about mattresses or moulds, feel free to comment down below.