Did I just ruin my mattress with bleach?

[Leros]

I had a small stain on my mattress that was not coming out with any fabric cleaners I tried. In a moment of desperation, I put some pure bleach in a spray bottle and sprayed it on the stain. This work so well, I did a light spritzing of the entire bed.

I'm now reading online that this was a pretty bad idea and may have ruined my mattress.

Can anybody offer insight?

 

[BoomerD]

I had a small stain on my mattress that was not coming out with any fabric cleaners I tried. In a moment of desperation, I put some pure bleach in a spray bottle and sprayed it on the stain. This work so well, I did a light spritzing of the entire bed.

I'm now reading online that this was a pretty bad idea and may have ruined my mattress.

Can anybody offer insight?

Lots of synthetic fabrics don't react well to chlorine bleach...

 

[Alone]

Well, if fumes haven't become a problem then there's nothing to worry about. If you're concerned, a diluted form a sodium nitrate should neutralize it (science guys can correct me if that's wrong). Open some windows, spray that bitch, sleep soundly.

 

[Spikesoldier]

your mattress will spontaneously combust and engulf you in flames tonight when you sleep on it.

 

[Leros]

Lots of synthetic fabrics don't react well to chlorine bleach...

Yeah, the fabric is no longer as soft as it used to be. Kinda like the fibers melted a tiny little bit.

 

[Leros]

Well, if fumes haven't become a problem then there's nothing to worry about. If you're concerned, a diluted form a sodium nitrate should neutralize it (science guys can correct me if that's wrong). Open some windows, spray that bitch, sleep soundly.

Right now I'm taking a rag wet with water, trying to clean the surface as much as I can with it, and then going back with a paper towel to suck up as much liquid as I can. Its removing most of the bleachy smell.

 

[Alone]

Well, if you get the smell out and put some pimp sheets on that mattress, then what's the worry?

 

[Leros]

What household chemical can I use to neutralize bleach?

Well the bleach naturally evaporate off my bed? When can I put sheets on my bed without bleaching them?

 

[Ronstang]

What household chemical can I use to neutralize bleach?

Well the bleach naturally evaporate off my bed? When can I put sheets on my bed without bleaching them?

Don't worry about neutralizing the bleach. You are right that it will evaporate and once the bed is dry I would not worry about it affecting the sheets. If you are concerned use one of those mattress covers under your sheets. It will be softer than your mattress so you get an extra benefit.

 

[Leros]

Don't worry about neutralizing the bleach. You are right that it will evaporate and once the bed is dry I would not worry about it affecting the sheets. If you are concerned use one of those mattress covers under your sheets. It will be softer than your mattress so you get an extra benefit.

So all the chemicals in bleach will just evaporate? I don't have to worry about it leaving behind dry chemicals?

 

[Ronstang]

So all the chemicals in bleach will just evaporate? I don't have to worry about it leaving behind dry chemicals?

You shouldn't. Bleach is very reactive. I mix it with water 50/50 to clean decks and outside wood and it is only a few minutes before I don't have to worry about the wet wood having any concentration of bleach.

Once your mattress is dry I would not worry about it. If you are concerned wait until it drys and then re-wet a small area with tap water and press a piece of colored material against the mattress that you do not care if it gets ruined. Then simply wash that piece of cloth, by hand if you like, and dry it. If it is not bleached you don't have a problem. Nothing wrong with proving it to yourself as it is usually preferential than just believing what others have to say.

 

[Rumpltzer]

What household chemical can I use to neutralize bleach?

Well the bleach naturally evaporate off my bed? When can I put sheets on my bed without bleaching them?

I've got this chemical at my house that comes out of the faucets. It works well on bleach.

It might be more convenient for you to just scoop it out of the toilet.


So... people normally don't use mattress covers/pads? My mother always had them on our beds when I lived at home, and I bought them when I moved into the dorms (dorm mattresses were plastic coated).

I've always used a mattress cover... just because. The cover is washable, and it does wear out from me sleeping on it. Costs like $45 at Costco, and the damage (and stainage) that I put onto the mattress cover is when I'm not putting onto the mattress.

 

[Locut0s]

Well since no one sleeps directly on the mattress itself I don't see a problem unless everything starts coming unravelled.

 

[Leros]

I've got this chemical at my house that comes out of the faucets. It works well on bleach.

It might be more convenient for you to just scoop it out of the toilet.


So... people normally don't use mattress covers/pads? My mother always had them on our beds when I lived at home, and I bought them when I moved into the dorms (dorm mattresses were plastic coated).

I've always used a mattress cover... just because. The cover is washable, and it does wear out from me sleeping on it. Costs like $45 at Costco, and the damage (and stainage) that I put onto the mattress cover is when I'm not putting onto the mattress.

I had a mattress pad but it didn't work well with my pillowtop mattress.

 

[BoomerD]

I had a mattress pad but it didn't work well with my pillowtop mattress.

You must have bought the wrong kind. We use a mattress pad on our pillow top...and have for a couple of decades...If you have a tall mattress, you need a mattress pad that's made to fit tall mattresses.

 

[Rumpltzer]

You must have bought the wrong kind. We use a mattress pad on our pillow top...and have for a couple of decades...If you have a tall mattress, you need a mattress pad that's made to fit tall mattresses.

Yeah, same boat. Mattress has a pillow top, and I've had three different covers (all from Costco) on it. Mattress still looks new despite 7 years of debauchery.

 

[Locut0s]

You must have bought the wrong kind. We use a mattress pad on our pillow top...and have for a couple of decades...If you have a tall mattress, you need a mattress pad that's made to fit tall mattresses.

Huh had to google that. Never used a mattress pad. I just use a mattress cover.

 

[Leros]

You must have bought the wrong kind. We use a mattress pad on our pillow top...and have for a couple of decades...If you have a tall mattress, you need a mattress pad that's made to fit tall mattresses.

The mattress pad I got has a tiny bit of stiffness to it. It feels weird being on top of my plush pillowtop. It would be fine on a less soft mattress.

 

[BoomerD]

Huh had to google that. Never used a mattress pad. I just use a mattress cover.

Isn't that just a sheet?

 

[Locut0s]

Isn't that just a sheet?

Mattress covers have an elastic band/cord sewn into the edges and are usually very crimppled at the corners. Maybe they call these something else in the US?

 

[BoomerD]

Mattress covers have an elastic band/cord sewn into the edges and are usually very crimppled at the corners. Maybe they call these something else in the US?

Dunno...never known anyone who used anything except a mattress pad.

 

[Alone]

Mattress covers have an elastic band/cord sewn into the edges and are usually very crimppled at the corners. Maybe they call these something else in the US?

I'm Canadian also, and we either call those sheet or, preferably, fitted sheets.

Boomer, to put some comparison to it, think of your bed in basic. You'd get two identical sheets, right? The bottom one goes over the mattress and tucks underneath with hospital corners. Well, the fitted sheet, and I guess mattress cover, is essentially a sheet that you tuck in, except it has an elastic perimeter to make it less likely to come off.

 

[Locut0s]

I'm Canadian also, and we either call those sheet or, preferably, fitted sheets.

Hmm ok yes fitted sheets is the term I've heard. To me a sheet is the one that goes over you when you sleep, before the heavier blankets. The fitted sheets, or what I'm calling mattress cover, is what you sleep ON.

 

[Leros]

Hmm ok yes fitted sheets is the term I've heard. To me a sheet is the one that goes over you when you sleep, before the heavier blankets. The fitted sheets, or what I'm calling mattress cover, is what you sleep ON.

The sheet that goes over you is called the straight sheet.

 

[Locut0s]

Here's some pics of what I mean:

This to me is a mattress cover or fitted sheet:

This is a regular sheet: