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My memory foam mattress stinks!!

5 replies

CuppaTeaJanice · 06/12/2011 09:31

DP has been ill this week. Some sort of chest infection that means every night he retches and coughs in one go, at about 300 decibels, then hoiks up greenies in the sink. Many, many times. It's so pleasant! Hmm

It also seems to make him sweat. A lot. One night in particular his side of the bed was soaking wet. We have a memory foam mattress topper, and being made of sponge, it has soaked it all up. And now it stinks.

It's a strange sort of smell. Not BO as you might expect. It's quite a sickly sweet smell, more like cheap caramel shortbread or condensed milk, but not in a good way. The whole bedroom now smells and it makes me feel pretty nauseous every time I make the mistake of breathing in with my mouth open.

Is there any way I can eliminate the stench? I've tried airing the mattress, spraying it with that Glade Fresh Air stuff, and nothing is working. Do I just have to throw the thing away?

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ShatnersBassoon · 06/12/2011 09:34

How thick is it? Could you try wrestling it in a bath of soapy water? It would take a hell of a lot of wringing I bet, so it might be a two man job.

I don't really know what a mattress topper looks like, so washing it might be a ridiculous suggestion.

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CuppaTeaJanice · 06/12/2011 09:53

It's basically a sheet of memory foam, about 4 inches thick. It doesn't have any sort of fabric cover. And it weighs a ton - DP struggles to pick it up. Don't think it would fot in the bath!!

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moonmother · 06/12/2011 10:40

I use this method every once in a while to 'clean' the mattresses in our house, tho I use tea tree oil instead of lavender as it gives me a headache

Pour a cup of baking soda into a jar and drop in 5-10 drops of an essential oil (I like lavender). Put on the lid and shake up the jar. Let it sit for half an hour or more. Using a kitchen strainer, sprinkle the baking soda mixture all over the mattress and let it sit for 15 minutes or more. Using the upholstery attachment, thoroughly vacuum the mattress. The baking soda will draw up moisture, kill dustmites and neutralize odour.

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valiumredhead · 06/12/2011 13:34

Memory foam mattresses mustn't get wet - so don't wash it!!

Invest in a mattress protector once you have done moon's thing with the hoover.

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CuppaTeaJanice · 06/12/2011 19:04

I've removed the topper temporarily and bought a mattress protector for the mattress underneath, and new duvet and pillows as they smell too. I will try moon's baking soda trick too, thanks.

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