Can We Use Rubbing Alcohol to Clean a Mattress?

Since the pandemic started, sanitation has been a top concern for everyone. Over the past few years, the revenues from hygiene products like disinfectant wipes have skyrocketed. Cleaning your counters with commercial or homemade disinfectant wipes differs from cleaning porous objects, notably your mattress.  

As a matter of fact, dust mites and other microbes thrive on dead skin cells and other plant molecules that mattresses store in large quantities.

Although it sounds quite disgusting, it does not always follow that you should douse your mattress with chemicals or risk becoming ill from it. 

Would rubbing alcohol help, though? Let’s find out below!

1. Is Rubbing Alcohol Deemed a Disinfectant? 

Yes, it is, but it also helps to clarify what is meant by “disinfectant.” Plus, it varies depending on what you are attempting to disinfect. Disinfectants utilize chemicals to eliminate germs and viruses on hard surfaces, not soft objects like mattresses and bed sheets. 

Certain hygiene products with disinfectant properties will lessen the number of bacteria on soft surfaces, though perhaps not to the same extent as on non-porous ones. In common use, people associate disinfection with bacterial and dead skin cells load reduction and sanitary improvements. 

Rubbing alcohol can be used to clean a mattress in that way, but bear the difference in mind. The CDC advises using a highly diluted rubbing alcohol solution for cleaning anything, including hands, surfaces, and mattresses. Surprisingly, higher doses are less effective.

2. Can You Spray Rubbing Alcohol on Your Bed? 

Given that you won’t be able to use disinfectant wipes, of course, the CDC advises washing and drying your bed sheets. Not to mention, it is considerably simpler and more efficient.

The ideal method for washing bed sheets is in heated water with hot drying because of their porous structure. The mattress itself is a concern. 

A disinfectant may be used to clean a mattress of many kinds, but even before you sprinkle that pricey pillow top, be sure the disinfectant does not change the colors. Always adhere to the instructions on the label about the time of soaking needed and whether any dilution is needed.

Although rubbing alcohol will help reduce germ and dead skin cells counts, its usefulness is debatable because you would need to bathe the area and give it time to stay moist.

The period differs depending on the organisms you are attempting to destroy. This notion is really unworkable because it would take a lot of alcohol to clean a mattress.

3. When Should a Bed Be Disinfected? 

One should clean a mattress at least twice a year. Yet, cleaning and disinfecting are two distinct things, and you should decide whether disinfection is required. Your first line of defense against germs is to avoid having soiled mattresses in the first instance.

Hotels often wash the bed sheets well, so do not worry if you are traveling and concerned about their cleanliness. Well, you can spritz them with rubbing alcohol if you are at a dirty motel and the linens appear sketchy. As with all hygiene products, it must first be tested in a discreet area.

Bottom Line

We often disregard cleaning our mattresses and maybe consider spraying them with rubbing alcohol for a fast result. However, we suppose you will reconsider your idea after reading the above!