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I tried this $50 mattress steam cleaner to improve my sleep hygiene — here’s what happened
Changing your bedsheets regularly is all well and good, but deep cleaning your mattress is equally as important. So, how can you make sure its getting a thorough clean? Enter: mattress steam cleaners.
Sleeping on one of the best mattresses we've tested this year is a significant step to ensuring a comfortable sleep. But keeping your bedroom and mattress clean is key to getting good quality, restorative sleep — and this is where a handheld mattress cleaner can help.
This Sleep Awareness Week, I've been testing cleaning and sleep gadgets to see which ones are really worth investing in for better sleep. Read on for why the Koitat mattress steam cleaner, available for $49.99 at Amazon, gets the green light from us....
What is a mattress steam cleaner?
While you can use a general vacuum-style steam cleaner to steam clean a mattress, a specialized mattress steam cleaner is hand-held and portable, making easier work of targeting all the nooks and crannies of your bed.
A mattress steam cleaner is a device that uses high-temperature (usually around 120 degrees) steam to clean and disinfect mattresses. The steam penetrates the mattress fibers to break down stains and odors, providing an effective way to remove them from your bed. Plus, it kills off bed bugs, bacteria and dust mites as none can withstand the heat.
Prices can range from around $35 to $150 on mattress steam cleaners at Amazon. For more guidance on how to effectively steam clean your mattress head here.
First thoughts on the steamer
Setting up the Koitat mattress steam cleaner is a simple process. Although this multi-purpose steamer comes with 10 different accessories, the flat fabric cleaning extension is best for mattress cleaning.
It connects to the nozzle, easily clicking into place. There's a microfiber sock that fits over the end of the tool to prevent the steam drenching your mattress. You fill the water tank and wait a few minutes for it to heat up. Then you're good to go, running the device over the surface of your mattress.
Plus there's a safety cap and child lock so it can be used safely around your home without little hands tipping out the hot water.
Putting the steamer to the test
I hovered the steamer over the mattress, holding down the button to release the steam and moving it slowly across the mattress surface. However, I made sure not to hold it over a single spot for too long, mindful not to soak the mattress.
Thanks to its light weight, ergonomic design, the Koitat steamer is easy to maneuver over a mattress, covering all seams and crevices. But you must be sure to have a plug socket in range so the cable can reach over the full mattress.
I'm usually reluctant to lather my bed in harsh cleaning chemicals. So, I particularly like how this device naturally, and effectively, cleans your mattress with just steam and pressure. It leaves it feeling fresh without lingering synthetic smells or irritating chemicals.
My mattress is reaching its 10-year life span and has accumulated some stains over that time, which I have struggled to lift by scrubbing. I targeted these stains with the steamer and was super impressed with how they broke down. Although they weren't eliminated completely, the results from one steam session were great.
I used the steamer in the morning and left my bed to air out for the rest of the day with my bedroom window open before redressing my bed. This was important to avoid dampness and prevent mold building beneath my sheets.
After waxing lyrical about the Koitat steamer to my cleaning-obsessed mum, she was keen to try it for herself and put it to work on my whole families' mattresses. Teenage boys are not known to be the cleanest, most hygienic demographic, but it even gave my 17 and 18 year old brothers' mattresses a much-needed refresh.
All in all, this is a great gadget to help you stay on top of your sleep space cleaning. It reducing invisible bacteria and odors lingering in your mattress in a time efficient manner — no scrubbing or chemicals needed.
Are there any drawbacks?
As a handheld tool that can be used to steam your mattress, bathroom, car or sofa, there is plenty of uses for the Koitat steam cleaner. It does everything it promises to and is a handy cleaning device. Plus it comes at an affordable price.
The only drawback is it is not cordless. So, it loses some points for practicality and ease of use as you must have a plug in range and stretching a cord over a mattress is not exactly seamless.
Another safety consideration to take into account is allowing your mattress plenty of time to properly dry. This prevents your moist bed from becoming a breeding ground for mattress mold.
Secondly, steam cleaning a memory foam mattress is a no-go. Foam acts like a sponge, soaking up moisture which makes it difficult to dry out (mold risk alert). Plus the heat and moisture from the steam can significantly damage the structure of memory foam, causing it to lose its shape or become lumpy.
Other ways to keep your mattress clean
While gadgets are great additions to your bedroom cleaning routine, you don’t have to splash out on tech to maintain good sleep hygiene. Here are 3 DIY mattress cleaning methods using items you probably already have in your home…
1. Remove stains with baking soda
There are many ways to clean your mattress at home and one of the key ingredients is baking soda. As a natural deodorizer and mild abrasive, baking soda can be used to lift mattress stains, remove dust and freshen the smell of your bed.
Simply sprinkle baking soda over your mattress, leave to sit for 30 minutes and vacuum. If there are any areas with stains, use a brush or cloth to gently work the soda into that area to lift the stain.
2. Regularly vacuum
We spend a lot of time in bed. This means it is easy (and normal) for debris like dead skin cells to build up. Plus dust mites and allergens love to harbour in mattresses, especially as we head into warmer months.
Therefore, regularly vacuuming your mattress to get rid of these irritants is essential to maintaining good sleep hygiene and sleep quality. Ideally, you should vacuum your mattress at least once a month.
Using your regular vacuum is fine, but you can get smaller, more portable mattress vacuums to make this job easier. These specialized vacuums are complete with UV lights and HEPA filters to better sanitize your mattress surface.
3. Steam with an iron
When it comes to steam cleaning your mattress, a regular iron can work as well as a mattress steam cleaner. We've tested using an iron as a mattress steamer and reckon we've aced the method.
You should fill your iron with water and put it on the highest steam setting. Then, slowly move it 6-8 inches above the surface of the mattress, allowing the steam to penetrate the mattress fabric without burning it.
We also recommend vacuuming before steaming for a thorough clean and using distilled water to prevent any water stains on your mattress.
