The last thing you ever want to do is "wet" the mattress including the use of steam cleaning!
Clean the mattress the same way people have been doing from 5993 B.C. up to about 1965 A.D. (about 8,000 years).
First, tote the mattress outdoors, early in the morning when the weather is expected to be sunny all day. Prop it up on one side against a tree, fence, or the house. Now beat the living crap out of both sides (the top and bottom of the mattress) with a baseball bat, tennis racket, 2x4, big stick, 9-iron, or whatever you can get your hands on. If you're sensitive to dust then wear a particle mask.
When beating the mattress, you are actually knocking out the accumulated shed human skin cells, dust mite exoskeletons, dust mite feces, pet dander, and a host of other micro-organisms, whether dead or still alive.
Once you're satisfied that you have beat out all the contaminants, use the sun's natural cleansing ability (UVA and UVB light waves). Allow the mattress to catch as much of the rising sun as possible...one side (topside) in the morning and the other (bottom side) in the afternoon as the sun sets. Check to make sure there are no automatic sprinkler heads fixin' to go off and soak your mattress.
If you happen to be living in an area of heavy pollen, or if the neighborhood cat decides to sunbathe on the topside ...it would be wise to beat both sides again before bringing indoors.
This method has sufficed for centuries but there is one more thing you can, and should do, and it's not Febreze. Get a natural live enzyme cleaner available from a local health food store. If concentrated, mix with water as the label describes for disinfecting surfaces. If the label has different mix ratios for different purposes, use the minimum ratio. You will only need 6-8 ounces (mixed) for a queen-sized mattress. After mixing, pour the contents into a misting (spray/pump type) bottle and VERY LIGHTLY, mist all 6 surfaces (top/bottom, 4 sides). If a misted area is not "dry to the touch" within 5 minutes...you have misted too heavily. Lighten up! The water is only used as a propellant and to evenly distribute the live enzymes. The water begins to evaporate immediately leaving the enzymes to continue the work you have started. Enzymes will eat whatever microbials remain in your mattress and will continue to eat away and thwart whatever microbials attempt to re-colonize within your mattress. Each time you change the bed linens, apply the enzyme cleaner.
If you do have odors in the mattress, I suggest you buy a plastic mattress bag (2 mils thick) from a local box company (check yellow pages). These mattress bags are commonly used by furniture movers and cost less than $5. Sprinkle the mattress with baking soda, seal up the bag, and then vacuum up the baking soda 24 hours later. Vacuum it outdoors if possible.
If you have stains...whatever you use (depending on the cause of the stain) always work from the outside perimeter of the stain towards the center of the stain. This will keep the stain from spreading over an even larger area. For common stain removal tips visit:
http://www.sterilmattress.com/mattress_s…
It's a good idea to vacuum the mattress BUT...provided only that you have a vacuum that is HEPA-rated (not just one that uses HEPA-rated filters). Even the top ranked (according to Consumer Reports) vacuum cleaners equipped with HEPA filters failed an independent 3rd party investigation. Each time they were "powered on" the scientifically calibrated air particle meter shot skywards.
You have asked a great question...seems people have forgotten the healthy benefit of sleeping on hygienic mattresses and pillows. The average mattress hosts approximately 2 million dust mites. Dust mites are not bad themselves but they poop 20 to 30 times each night (they're nocturnal)...so that's an accumulation of 40 to 60 million fecal pellets, in your mattress, night after night, after night. It's these fecal pellets that contain the potent and unhealthy allergen called guanine. Guanine is produced in the dust mite's digestive tract and is then excreted. The fecal pellets are about 15 microns in size but then dry up and become powdery...thus even smaller in size. These particles become airborne each time you fluff your pillow, or roll over in bed (average is 50 to 60 times per night), and are easily inhaled while you sleep. The protein "guanine" breaks down and kills living tissue. When inhaled, the protein attaches to the healthy cells lining your lung walls and suffocates them.
Obviously, your best option is to hire a professional mattress cleaner who has all the right tools and knowledge to clean not just your mattress from the garage...but all of your mattresses and pillows. Unfortunately, there are extremely few persons performing this service in the U.S. If you happen to live in Europe, Australia, the Pacific Rim, or SE Asia...you will find many performing the service.
