How to clean vomit on mattress

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This article was co-written by James Sears. James Sears is the customer service team leader at Neatly, a collective of cleaning professionals based in Los Angeles and Orange County, California. James is an expert in cleaning and creating an innovative experience by tidying and refreshing the home environment. James is currently a scholarship student at the University of Southern California.

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Vomiting from a stomach flu virus, food poisoning, or other illness is already uncomfortable, but it’s even worse if you throw up in bed. Washing sheets and bed linen is relatively easy, but getting rid of mattress odors and stains can be a challenge. The key is to act quickly, but it’s also important to use cleaning agents such as baking soda, vinegar, and alcohol to remove odors and kill bacteria that may still be on the mattress.

Table of Contents

Clean up the vomit

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Clean up the vomit on the bed. The first step is to clean up the vomit on the surface of the bed. Use a paper plate to scoop all the vomit into a plastic bag and throw it in the trash. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Before cleaning up the vomit, it may be a good idea to put on gloves to prevent contact with bacteria.
You can also use a shovel to scoop up vomit on your bed and empty it into the toilet. Take the shovel out to the yard and use the hose to clean it up.

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Remove the bed sheet for washing. You need to remove the bed sheet before cleaning the mattress. Put the sheets, blankets, mattress pads, and everything on the bed in the washing machine. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Wash linens on the highest machine setting to kill any remaining bacteria.

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Blot dry any remaining liquid on the mattress. When you’re done removing the sheets, use a dry rag to absorb any vomit liquid that may have gotten onto the mattress. Avoid scrubbing stains. Instead, you should blot to remove the liquid without spreading it. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

It’s a good idea to use an old rag to blot the mattress, as you’ll have to throw the rag away afterwards.

Deodorant

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Sprinkle baking soda on the dirty spot. Once you have soaked up the liquid on the mattress, sprinkle baking soda over the dirty area. The baking soda will absorb the remaining liquid and remove any lingering odors. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

If you don’t have baking soda at home, you can use cornstarch instead. However, corn starch does not have the same deodorizing effect as baking soda.

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Leave the baking soda on the mattress overnight. After sprinkling baking soda on the dirty area of the mattress, you need to wait a while for the baking soda to absorb all remaining liquid and deodorize. Let the baking soda sit on the mattress for about 8 hours or overnight, or until the baking soda is completely dry. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

If someone needs to sleep in bed, you can spread a towel over the baking soda and spread a bed sheet on top.

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Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the baking soda. After you’ve left the baking soda on your mattress overnight, use a vacuum cleaner to suck out the baking soda. Remember to empty the vacuum cleaner and wash the trash bin or replace the trash bag with a new one to prevent bacteria from growing in the machine. ^{[6] X Research Source}

Using a vacuum cleaner is the best way to remove all the baking soda.
If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner, you can sweep up baking soda and dump it in the trash.

Clean stains and disinfect

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Mix white vinegar and water in equal proportions. If there are still stains of vomit on the mattress, you may need to use a specialized cleaner. Mix 1 cup (240 ml) of warm water with 1 cup (240 ml) of white vinegar in a spray bottle and shake well to dissolve. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

To increase the cleaning power, you can add a teaspoon (5 ml) of dishwashing liquid. Remember to use dishwashing liquid that is not formulated to moisturize. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

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Spray the mixture onto the stain and blot thoroughly. After making the vinegar mixture, spray it on the stains on the mattress. Do not saturate the mattress; Spray until the stain is just damp. The next step is to use a clean towel to blot the mattress to remove stains. ^{[9] X Research Source}

You should choose a towel with high absorbency to absorb the mattress effectively.

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Repeat this process until the stain is gone. Depending on the stain, one spray of the vinegar solution may not be enough to clean the stain. Spray and blot several times until the stain disappears. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Remember to prepare plenty of clean towels to absorb. Don’t use an absorbent towel over and over again, because if you do, you could cause the stain to spread.

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Leave overnight for the mattress to dry. After you have cleaned the stains on the mattress, it is important to wait for the mattress to dry completely. It may take 5-8 hours for the mattress to dry. You can make the mattress dry faster by turning on a ceiling fan, pointing the fan towards the mattress, or opening a window near the bed. ^{[11] X Research Source}

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Spray alcohol to kill pathogens. Even after you’ve cleaned the mattress, the bacteria in the vomit may still be left behind. When the mattress is dry, you should spray alcohol on the cleaned area to kill pathogens. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Instead of using alcohol, you can dab a little unscented hand sanitizer on the mattress to disinfect.

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Wait for the mattress to dry. After spraying alcohol, you usually wait for the mattress to dry completely. This takes about 6 hours, but you should leave it overnight to make sure the mattress is completely dry. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Do not let children and pets near the mattress until the alcohol has dried.

Advice

When cleaning up vomit, it is best to wear rubber gloves to prevent exposure to pathogens that may be present in the vomit. You should also wear a mask to avoid breathing bacteria into your nose.
The smell of vomit can make many people nauseous. If you are afraid of being affected by the smell of vomit, you can chew mint gum or rub a little peppermint oil under your nose, commonly used to treat colds, to mask the smell.

Things you need

Rubber gloves
Paper plate
Plastic garbage bags
Rag
Baking soda
Vacuum cleaner
1 cup (240 ml) of warm water
1 cup (240 ml) white vinegar
Aerosol
Lots of clean towels
Cleaning alcohol

Steps

Clean up the vomit

Deodorant

Clean stains and disinfect

Advice

Things you need

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