The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 doesn’t survive long on porous surfaces like mattresses. On fabrics and other porous materials, the virus typically becomes undetectable within minutes to hours, largely because moisture gets absorbed into the material through capillary action and evaporates quickly. That said, if someone in your household has been sick with COVID-19, giving the mattress a proper cleaning is still a reasonable step, especially since mattresses can harbor bacteria, sweat, and other germs alongside any viral particles.
Why Mattresses Are Lower Risk Than Hard Surfaces
SARS-CoV-2 behaves very differently on soft, absorbent materials compared to hard ones like plastic or stainless steel. On non-porous surfaces, viable virus can persist for days to weeks under laboratory conditions. On porous surfaces like fabric, foam, and bedding, the CDC reports that researchers couldn’t detect viable virus after minutes to hours. The tiny pores in fabric essentially trap and dry out the virus-carrying droplets, deactivating the virus much faster.
This means that simply waiting 24 hours before cleaning the mattress significantly reduces any remaining risk. If you can leave the bedroom unused and well-ventilated for a day before you start, you’re already in good shape.
Strip and Wash All Bedding First
Before you touch the mattress itself, remove all sheets, pillowcases, mattress protectors, and blankets. These are the layers that had the most direct contact with the sick person, and they’re also the easiest to disinfect thoroughly.
Wash everything in hot water at 160°F (71°C) or higher for at least 25 minutes. Most home washing machines with a “hot” or “sanitize” setting will reach this range. If your machine doesn’t get that hot, don’t worry too much. Running the dryer on high heat provides significant germ-killing action on its own. Wash the sick person’s bedding separately from the rest of the household laundry, and wash your hands after handling it.
How to Clean the Mattress Surface
Your approach depends on what type of mattress you have, but the core steps are the same: vacuum, spot-treat, and let it dry completely.
Vacuuming
Use a vacuum with an upholstery attachment to go over the entire mattress surface, including the sides. This removes dust, skin cells, and any dried droplets sitting on the surface. If your vacuum has a HEPA filter, even better.
Disinfecting Spray
Look for a disinfectant spray that’s rated for porous surfaces. The EPA maintains a list of products (called List N) specifically tested against SARS-CoV-2. Products approved for porous or fabric surfaces typically use hydrogen peroxide or quaternary ammonium as their active ingredient. Check the label for language like “for use on soft or porous surfaces” and follow the contact time listed, which is the amount of time the surface needs to stay wet for the product to work.
Lightly mist the mattress rather than soaking it. You want the surface damp, not saturated. Over-wetting a mattress creates a much bigger problem: mold. After the recommended contact time, blot any excess moisture with clean towels.
What Not to Use
Avoid bleach and other harsh chemical cleaners on your mattress. Bleach can damage foam, cause discoloration, and leave behind fumes that linger in a surface you press your face against for eight hours a night. Memory foam and latex are especially sensitive to strong chemicals, which can break down the foam’s structure over time. Stick to products designed for soft surfaces.
Steam Cleaning for a Deeper Disinfection
If you want extra assurance or prefer to avoid chemical sprays, steam cleaning is highly effective. Heat kills SARS-CoV-2 reliably. The World Health Organization found that the original SARS coronavirus (a close relative) became inactive at 132°F. Consumer-grade steam cleaners typically produce steam well above this threshold, often delivering 200°F or higher at the nozzle.
Move the steam cleaner slowly across the mattress surface, spending a few extra seconds on seams and crevices where moisture and particles collect. Don’t rush this step. The goal is sustained heat contact, not just a quick pass. Steam cleaning also has the advantage of killing dust mites and deodorizing the mattress without adding any chemicals.
Drying the Mattress Properly
This step matters more than most people realize. A mattress that stays damp invites mold and mildew growth inside the foam, which is far harder to deal with than the original cleaning problem.
After any wet cleaning, whether from a disinfectant spray or steam cleaner, let the mattress air dry completely before putting sheets back on. Open windows in the room or point a fan directly at the mattress to speed up airflow. On a dry day, this usually takes 4 to 6 hours, but thicker memory foam mattresses can take longer. Press your palm firmly into the surface before making the bed. If it feels even slightly cool or damp, give it more time. Never put a mattress in a dryer or use a heat gun on it, as direct high heat can damage foam materials.
Protecting Yourself During Cleaning
If you’re cleaning soon after someone was actively sick in the bed, basic precautions help. Wear disposable gloves while handling contaminated bedding and cleaning the mattress. A simple face mask reduces your exposure to any particles you disturb while vacuuming or scrubbing. These are the same precautions hospital cleaning staff use after a COVID-positive patient is discharged.
Remove gloves when you’re done and wash your hands immediately. If any disinfectant spray gets on your skin, rinse it off. Open the windows before you start and keep the room ventilated throughout the process, both for fresh air and to help the mattress dry.
Preventing Contamination Next Time
A waterproof, washable mattress protector is the single most useful thing you can add to your bed for future illness. It creates a barrier between the sick person and the mattress foam, and you can pull it off and throw it in the washing machine on a hot cycle. Without one, fluids and droplets soak into the mattress where they’re much harder to clean.
Zippered encasements that cover the entire mattress (top, bottom, and sides) offer the most protection. They’re widely available, machine washable, and cost far less than replacing a contaminated mattress. If someone in your household gets sick again, the cleanup becomes as simple as stripping the bed and running a load of laundry.