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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect people to sleep on this mattress?

26 replies

Grumpla · 13/01/2011 23:28

Bought a second-hand bed off eBay, along with a mattress. Paid £30 for both. We are skint at the moment so it seemed a lot cheaper than hiring a van and driving three hours to Ikea or whatever.

Bed frame is up, looks okay, but mattress is a bit whiffy. Not really a definable smell "of" anything, but just smells a little bit stale.

I've used a ton of Shaws anti-odour spray on it and shaken half a bottle of chamomile essential oil over that (no Febreeze in the cupboard, had to improvise).

It now smells strongly of chamomile. Do you think if I just make the bed up (got a nice thick clean mattress pad / topper thingy to go under sheet) it will be okay? Or am I kidding myself?

Loath to spend £70 minimum on a mattress I'm not going to sleep on myself when there are other things we need the money for.

OP posts:
ZillionChocolate · 13/01/2011 23:34

I wouldn't fancy it TBH. I appreciate you do that (sleep on a used mattress) in a hotel but I assume that they replace them before they get whiffy. Maybe look up how to clean it?

BitOfFun · 13/01/2011 23:35

Spare bed? Fine. Let it air well.

charliesmommy · 13/01/2011 23:36

Its probably just because it has been kept in a garage or in storage where there has been no air to it.

The smell will disappear in a day or two.

It will be absolutely fine.

BitOfFun · 13/01/2011 23:36

Spare bed? Fine. Let it air well.

aPixieInMyCaramelLatte · 13/01/2011 23:36

How much would a steam cleaner cost to hire for an hour?

I wouldn't much like to sleep on it but as the saying goes, 'what they don't know, won't hurt them'

Punkatheart · 13/01/2011 23:38

Sorry - but you do have to be careful with second-hand mattresses. There are horrors that could be lurking: bed bugs are one example. Dust mites too. But if it smells - then it could have been from someone incontinent or worse. Is it a guest bed?

Also mattresses have a limited life - I think the recommendation is 10 years. If it smells whiffy after all your efforts - well it is unlikely to get any better....

browneyesblue · 13/01/2011 23:38

Bicarb, a good vacuum and lots of airing. It'll be fine.

Blackeyeddog · 13/01/2011 23:38

Yes it'll be fine, I would.

WimpleOfTheBallet · 13/01/2011 23:39

Get some bicarbonate of soda....sprinkle it all over and leave for a day..then hoover it. Smell gone.

charliesmommy · 13/01/2011 23:41

"But if it smells - then it could have been from someone incontinent or worse."

what would be worse???? I cant think of anything... !!!

There would be staining on the mattress though if it had been soiled.

WimpleOfTheBallet · 14/01/2011 00:10

Not everyone has much choice in these matters.

Original poster
Grumpla · 14/01/2011 00:12

There's no staining, just looked a bit worn. It didn't smell of wee or anything in particular, really. Now it smells of chamomile. A lot.

Bicarb is a great idea, I will try that in the morning.

I already gave it a quick once-over with the flea spray before I brought it into the house. Bed bugs... hmmm... I buy so many second hand clothes, furniture etc I think if I thought about bed bugs I would go mental!

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 14/01/2011 00:17

One word: bedbugs.

tomhardyismydh · 14/01/2011 00:23

does it have brown dotts on it? this is a sign of bed bugs. They can infest your whole house and carpets and clothing. you would have to replace the lot or pay a lot for infestation treatment.

I would take it strait out of my house if it has any brown/black dot staining around the edges or larger brown stains anywhere on it.

clams · 14/01/2011 00:24

Yuck. Throw it and don't invite anyone to stay until you can afford a new one, it makes me feel itchy.

kitbit · 14/01/2011 00:29

I was going to say "it's no worse than a hotel bed" but actually I think it is, although I'm not sure why!

Would definitely be wary of bedbugs though. Check the frame as well, they lurk in the joints.

If it were me I'd buy an inflatable camping bed for a tenner and put it in the frame for the time being for occasional guests. Then replace when you can.

expatinscotland · 14/01/2011 00:35

It's a guest bed.

You don't need to lay your own head.

So just wait till you save up some money.

onmyfeet · 14/01/2011 00:47

Baking soda, as mentioned, is good. Plus, I'd spray some vinegar and water (half and half) over it. If you can air it outside on a sunny day, the sunlight and fresh air will help freshen it up, plus the cold will help kill any dust mites. You can beat it with a broom while it is outside as well, that will help get rid of dust.
When you make up the bed, cover it with some sort of plastic or vinyl mattress cover, and it won't smell or cause allergies.
I once used a steam cleaner to freshen a mattress, I stood it on it's side, lightly steam cleaned it on one side, then let it dry with the window open and a heater on. I cleaned it lightly so the mattress stuffing would get overly wet, as I was worried about mildew if it didn't dry out quickly enough. I put a little bleach in the cleaning solution, then did several times with plain hot water with vinegar. It took days to do both sides, but made a HUGE difference.

I think I'd spray it with rubbing alcohol too, to help disinfect it. Or else do the bleach, but be sure and not use too much and to rinse it, so it won't reek of bleach or rot the fabric.

I wouldn't use any more smelly things like chamomile on it. Many people cannot stand smelly things.
If the bed frame is the sort that isn't just rails, I would probably prefer to go the air mattress route previously suggested.
When you get some money, Febreeze it!

onmyfeet · 14/01/2011 00:49

PS I think it takes one hour outside in the frigid cold to kill dust mites. ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Kill-Dust-Mites&id=1653442

Original poster
Grumpla · 14/01/2011 08:23

It's had an hour on the roof of the van in -3 last week :)

It actually smells tons better this morning, left it in room with fan heater on and window open to dry paint and that seems to have aired it pretty thoroughly.

I have checked it for spots etc. I think I'm going to risk it. We just moved here so in a way the whole house is second-hand...

OP posts:
Original poster
Grumpla · 15/01/2011 08:26

Nah I've bottled it. All your talk of bedbugs made me itch too! Mattress now in garden getting rained on. Old sofabed mattress has been pressed into service instead. At least if that has bedbugs in it they're MY bedbugs :)

OP posts:
TrinityMotherOfRhinos · 15/01/2011 08:31

I think you lot that have said its not on are mean to have made the op bottle it

sometimes we cant always afford to have the best of everything

bicarb, a good hoovering and a good airing
t would have been fine

belgo · 15/01/2011 08:32

Bed bugs are unusual.

Op I would get the mattress in quick, it sounds like you can't afford to waste 30 pounds.

frenchfancy · 15/01/2011 08:45

I would have kept it. Run a vacuum cleaner all over it thoroughly. It is only a spare bed, and bed bugs are pretty rare in the UK; Not everyone can afford to have everything new.

PuppyMonkey · 15/01/2011 08:48

I'd get flea spray on it. Air it properly. It'll be fine.

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