What is the best way to remove a musty smell from a mattress?

Question

Long story, but recently or family cat became ill and died. While ill, it soiled my mattress. After trying some specialty chemical cleaners for pet stains, I decided I would make a last ditch effort to wash the mattress with clean water in my garage before resorting to trashing it....it was an expensive mattress.

After I rinsed out the mattress, I removed all the exess water with a shop vac, but the weather got really humid and it took a few days for the remaining water to dry out. In the meantime, the mattress took on a mildew/musty smell.

Is the mattress a lost cause? or is there a way to eliminate the mildew smell? It is very slight, but obviously any odor in a mattress is undesireable. For what it's worth, the cat stain and odor is no longer present.

The mattress has been airing out in the garage with a fan for the last 6 days, and each day the odor is less...but is there a way to eliminate it?

Answer 1

Try a mixture of bleach and water More water then bleach. ....Seriously if its a colored mattress it will probably turn it white, but thats why you have sheets. If you don't want to go that route. Try vinegar and water. If will smell like an easter egg, until it has completely dry.

Answer 2

this is how we got a musty smell out of a matress we had stored in our basement: I used my Little Green Clean Machine and filled it with a mixture out hot water and about 1 cup of Oxyclean(I put the mixture in a cat litter jug first and shook it on and off for a few minutes to mix it well then put it in the green machine tank). Then I cleaned the mattress with it, and let it dry. I did this 3 times total, then gave it a wash with just water. It worked. Then I sprayed it with frebreeze to give it a nice fresh smell. If you try this, don't do it where its humid, I did it in the basement with a dehumidifier going.

PS...spraying it with febreeze alone will not remove the odor only cover it up...the oxyclean will get rid of the odor

Answer 3

Keep it out there and spray it with some vinegar and put the fan on it.Just mist it a little every day and in about 4 more days the smell will be gone.All the smells and the musk...Remember the fan it pushes the odors out and dries the vinegar.Also the vinegar will stop any bacteria growth....

Answer 4

Once the mattress is dry.. Sprinkle with baking soda and let that sit overnight... Vacuum mattress with your shopvac.. The smell should be gone. If not go to the store Walmart/Target etc... and get yourself a fully enclosing mattress cover.. It will cover up the smell.... Good luck

Answer 5

Put it out in the sun for a few days. If that doesn't take care of it, febreeze it.

If that doesn't work, buy a new mattress.

Answer 6

It just need to be placed out in the sun.

Answer 7

sprinkle heavily with borax, let set for a day, then spray with fabric freshener and brush well. Best to you.

Answer 8

Try Fabreeze. You can get it at walmart

Answer 9

febreeze it