Wash your mattress cover correctly with our tips

How often should you wash the mattress cover?

Washing the mattress cover seems like quite a time-consuming task and is therefore often ignored. However, taking good care of your cover is not as hard as you might think. The basic requirement is, of course, that the mattress cover is removable. With Swissflex you are on the safe side, because Swissflex mattresses are fitted with removable, washable covers. Generally, the cover can be removed by means of a circumferential zipper.

While your bed sheets should be changed regularly, it is usually sufficient to wash the mattress cover once a year – even if you use a mattress protector in addition to the bed sheet. After all, these are not completely impenetrable, so that dust and skin particles end up in the mattress cover over time and mites can spread.

If you have severe allergies, it may even be a good idea to clean the mattress cover every three to four months. Important to note: Do not overdo it with the care, because too frequent washing can accelerate the wear of the cover.

Wash the mattress cover with the right detergent and wash cycle

The right detergent and wash cycle for washing your mattress cover depends on the material. So, it is worth taking a look at the wash care label or the product information! Liquid mild detergent leaves no marks on the fabric and dissolves well even at low temperatures. Washing powder, on the other hand, bleaches the fabric more and washes the cover hygienically clean. But: If the care label shows a crossed-out triangle, detergents with bleach or optical brighteners are a no-go. If there are tough stains on the mattress cover, you should remove the toughest dirt before washing. Often mattress covers made of cotton can be washed at higher temperatures. Covers that can be cleaned at up to 60°C are recommended for allergy sufferers, because germs, dust mites and bacteria are reliably destroyed at these temperatures. Mattress covers made of sheep's or lamb's wool as well as synthetics blends should be washed at temperatures between 30°C and 40°C. Be careful not to spin the mattress cover too much in the washing machine. A maximum spin speed of 800 is suitable.

Our tip: If you have a mattress cover with a zipper all the way around, you can wash the two parts of the cover separately. Then, even large covers fit into the standard household washing machine. You will also be rewarded with an optimal cleaning result!

What to do if the cover is stained?

Mattress covers and stains, that's not a good combination. If coffee or tea spills onto the bed in the morning, you should absorb the liquid as quickly as possible with a cloth and then pull off the sheet first. If you are lucky, the stain has not yet penetrated to the mattress cover. Are there still stains on the cover? Then it's best to remove it from the mattress core before you start cleaning. This is because cleaning agents, moisture, and even household remedies, such as baking soda or lemon juice, have no business on the mattress core. 
For coffee stains, lemon juice can help, which you leave on for a while and then wash out of the fabric. Wet blood stains are best treated with cold water at first, then rub sodium bicarbonate onto the stain and let it soak in. After about an hour, wash it out. Before treatment, be sure to read the care instructions and, if in doubt, ask a professional dry cleaner if they can help you.
 

Dry the mattress cover after washing

First, wash the mattress cover, then dry it properly: After you have washed the cover, it is important to let it dry completely. Only a completely dry cover may be wrapped around the mattress again, otherwise there is a risk of mould or mould stains. The most gentle way for the mattress cover is to let it air-dry. Simply hang it on the clothesline or a clothes rack. If the cover is too expansive for this, the 4-chair method is a good option. To do this, set up four chairs in a rectangle and stretch the mattress cover over the backrests. Pro tip: Wash the mattress cover as early as possible in the morning so that it can dry all day. If your mattress cover can be divided into two parts, you can wash them separately so that you always have a dry half ready when you want to go to bed at night. Be careful when drying the cover in a clothes dryer, as it can shrink due to too high temperatures and may then no longer fit around the mattress. So be sure to check the wash care label and, if in doubt, use natural air-drying instead of the machine dryer.

Pull the mattress cover back over the mattress

Wash the mattress cover and let it dry - is there anything missing now? There is a final step in the cleaning process: covering the mattress again with the cover. This is not at all difficult with a mattress cover that has a zipper all the way around. You first place one half of the cover on the slat base and place the mattress core on top. Now place the second half of the cover on top of the mattress. Make sure that the upper and lower parts of the zipper connect with each other. Then you can simply close the zipper. Your fresh mattress is ready!

Taking care of your mattress includes regularly washing your bed sheets, mattress protector and mattress cover. If you follow the washing instructions on the care label, you can hardly go wrong. Afterwards, just remember to allow sufficient drying time! In the end, an all-round fresh bed welcomes you.