How to Clean a Baby Crib Mattress

Two teddy bears, one tan and one white, sitting in a wooden baby crib with white and blue bedding.

It’s easier than you think to clean your baby’s mattress and bedding. Just make sure to use cleaning products that are safe to use around kids. Sweet dreams!

By Mary Gagliardi

You already know how dirty your baby’s bedding gets. Drool, pee and milk stains are inevitable. Clorox 2™ for Colors Free & Clear Stain Remover makes it easy to keep the mess at bay, and the hypoallergenic* formula is safe to use on fabrics used by kids and pets.† Good for your baby’s garments, and great for your peace of mind.

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What you need

Steps to clean a baby mattress

  1. Remove bedding

    Take the sheets and mattress pad off the bed and set them aside to machine wash. Check out our laundry tips for how to handle accidents here and here.

    A person in jeans and pink shirt removes an embroidered cloth cover off a baby changing pad.

  2. Blot away liquid from spills

    If there’s been a urine accident or a baby bottle spill, use cotton wash cloths to absorb as much moisture that seeped through the bedding as you can. This will be easiest to do if the accident just happened.

    Tip

    If this is a routine cleaning you can skip this step.

    A pair of hands uses a white cloth to wipe a white embroidered baby changing table.

  3. Vacuum the mattress

    Use the upholstery attachment to vacuum loose soils off the mattress.

    Person vacuuming striped crib mattress with upholstery attachment.

  4. Treat any stains

    To remove stains on the mattress with Clorox 2™ for Colors Free & Clear Stain Remover, use the cap to pour the solution directly onto the fabric or apply with a clean towel until the stain is covered. Let sit for 5–10 minutes. Blot the area with a clean, damp towel to remove product residue. Test an inconspicuous area first. Do not use on fabrics that water-spot like suede, leather, or silk or on clothes while wearing. Keep kids and pets away from surface until dry.

    For tough stains on removable crib mattress covers, sheets, or other washable fabrics, pretreat with Clorox 2™ for Colors Free & Clear Stain Remover by applying it directly to the stain and letting it sit for 5–10 minutes before laundering according to the care label directions.

    For larger stains, you can soak the fabric in a solution of Clorox 2™ for Colors Free & Clear Stain Remover and water for up to 60 minutes before washing.

    Hand pouring blue liquid onto a white and gray striped crib mattress

  5. Air dry the mattress

    While the mattress is air drying, that’s a great time to sanitize bleach-safe bedding with Clorox™ Disinfecting Bleach. Sort laundry by color. Add detergent. Fill bleach to max line in dispenser or add measured amount of bleach to wash water. Refer to your product label for dosing instructions. Add items and start wash. Ensure contact with bleach for 10 minutes.

    Baby mattresses with older urine or poopy stains may require repeated treatment with Clorox 2™ for Colors Free & Clear Stain Remover. And for stubborn odors, you can try Clorox FreshGuard™ Laundry Odor Remover, a bleach-free formula that works the first time to deliver fresh laundry, a long-lasting scent and a fresh machine. Lastly, Clorox™ Urine Remover can help with urine stain removal on hard surfaces around the crib frame.

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  • *

    Garments laundered with product as directed.

  • †

    When used as directed