Children's mattress cleaning

What to do straight away if a child's mattress gets wet

• Remove the bedding and gently blot the liquid with a clean, absorbent cloth or paper, without rubbing.
• If needed, lightly dampen the cloth in cool water, but do not soak the mattress.
• Do not use hot water, a hairdryer or a heater: heat may set the stain.
• Do not use chlorine bleach or strong cleaning agents.
• Let the mattress air-dry before the child sleeps on it again.

If the stain is small and fresh, that is often enough. If the stain is older, the smell stays or it keeps happening, see the page on child's urine on a mattress.

What matters with a children's mattress

A children's mattress tends to be thin, with a foam or coconut fibre filling. Neither likes moisture: foam holds it in the core, and coconut fibre is sensitive to moisture and dust. So the surface needs as little liquid as possible, and in a child's cot this is especially important, because damp filling may become a place for mould. The manufacturer Kurlon warns that a coconut fibre mattress placed on the floor may trap moisture, which it is not designed for.

If the mattress has a removable cover, first look at its care label. Often it is enough to wash the cover according to the label, and the mattress needs no cleaning at all. For when a cover is a separate job, see the page on mattress cover cleaning.

In the form, give the child's age, the mattress size, the manufacturer if you know it, and what happened. If the mattress has a mouldy smell, mention that too.

Cleaning is not an allergy treatment

Dust mites live in mattresses, bedding and upholstered furniture, especially at a relative humidity of 50–70%. No verified source confirms that a one-off clean eliminates them or reduces allergy symptoms. The verified recommendations are different: washing bedding at 60 °C or above, protective covers, regular vacuuming and air humidity below 50%. Even then, several measures are needed together. Humidity can be measured with a hygrometer, and the Health Inspectorate (Veselības inspekcija) recommends airing the bedroom every morning for at least 15 minutes.

If your child has a diagnosed allergy, talk to a doctor about it, not to us. More on this topic: dust mites in a mattress and sofa.

What usually comes out and what may stay

If there is mould in a child's mattress, cleaning is not the solution. The Health Inspectorate lists infants and young children among the groups sensitive to mould, so such a mattress usually has to be replaced and the cause of the damp dealt with. More: mould in a mattress.

How much children's mattress cleaning costs

There is no separate price for a children's mattress: we use the single mattress price of from €30 for one side, second side +50%. Smell treatment is extra, from €15. The minimum order is €45: if the total is lower, you pay €45, so it is worth combining one small mattress with something else, for example a children's sofa or a child car seat.

Travel is included in Riga and up to about 15 km outside Riga; further out it is from €10. The price depends on size, fabric, how dirty it is, smell and distance.