I’ve perioded on a really expensive mattress [angry]

[SweatyBetty20]

Bought a new bed about 18 months ago, including a new mattress which was a grand on its own. I’m having hellishly heavy periods at the moment as I am perimenopausal, although think my jab has made things even worse. Went to bed last night with an orange tampax and night time pad, and still leaked massively. I had a mattress protector on, but not a waterproof one as it makes my night sweats worse, and woke up at 5am absolutely flooded. It’s soaked through my underwear, the bed linen, AND the mattress protector, and left a deep red blood stain about 8 inches square in the middle of the mattress.

I kicked the boyfriend into the spare bedroom (he was lovely and vv understanding), tried to blot up as much as I could, and then left a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water on it for a few hours, before then treating it with Fairy liquid. It’s shifted about half, but it’s still really noticeable. Is there anything else I can try? I’m gutted that my mattress is ruined, and that it looks like I’ll have to get another waterproof cover and start sleeping on towels every month too.

Yeah, don't use bleach for blood.

I second Mirena if you've not tried that, even though it didn't work for me. Loads of women have said it's amazing.

Finally, your mattress is not ruined...who will know?! It's still just as good for sleeping on!

I feel for you OP, flooding is the worst These are good - you can put the larger end at front or back depending on how you sleep.
www.honouryourflow.co.uk/mega-pads-for-uk-sizes-14-32-69-c.asp

@Perfectlystill

Get a Mirena. My periods were like this and it changed my life.

This

When I had dreadful post partum bleeding I slept on those disposable puppy training pads. Not too sweaty and saved the mattress. They sometimes have them cheap in places like b&m

Heavy periods are a swine !
I used Wilkos quarter proof mattress protector at home but as I sometimes have to travel for work I as PP said use tena pull ups and / or puppy training pads .

I second Peroxide. Works like a charm on blood stains.

You could try getting one of the small portable upholstery cleaning machines. I’ve got a Bissell and it works great but there are lots to choose from. They are great for getting stains out.

You have my sympathy. Agree with above posters that cold water and salt is your best option on the blood stain.

I have heavy periods (endo) and I combine a reusable cup (did the quiz above) with ModiBodi pants on my worst days, it’s helped avoid previous disasters.

As above. Give a merina a try.

Period pants are brill. Buy a size bigger than you usually wear and wear tampon and nighttime pad too. Any overflow will be absorbed by the pants. Wish I'd discovered them years ago. Am also perimenopausal and unpredictable at night.

The best pad is Lillets Maxi Maternity pads. I have terrible periods and this is the only pad that I can use along with a tampon and not ruin my bed. Cheap on amazon. Try them.

My DS wet the bed until he was 12 and he used to get really sweaty from the mattress protector until we bought a bamboo one. It made a huge difference.

Waterproof Mattress Protector Single Size 90 x 190 cm 100% Bamboo Anti Allergy Naturally Cooling Breathable Mattress Cover for deep Single Bed [ UK Single Size 90 x 190 cm ] https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0762SSGM4/ref=cmswwrcppapiglttfabcFDRW6E73RJTWWBD6MFT8??encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Professional fabric cleaner

Another vote for the hippy chick mattress protector I used them when I had v heavy periods (now had a hysterectomy). They are great, waterproof but feel like cotton on both side so no sweaty feeling. I used to put them underneath my mattress protector so you couldn’t feel them as well.

Definitely period pants plus tampon/pad/cup/whatever you would normally use - the pants are brilliant at keeping in any leakages, even when a pad is completely soaked! I've got some Modibodi ones that are very comfy and also some lace pants from Cheeky Wipes - the latter are a bit more "rustly" than the Modibodi ones but otherwise fine, and you can save money by getting them in a multipack. And get the huge, granny-style ones with absorbent padding up the front and the back, as they'll keep everything in!

I don't know if they have this in the UK but we have rug doctor carpet cleaners to hire from supermarkets. They come with an upholstery tool - a small handheld thing - and you basically go over it like with a vacuum hose and it steams cleaning stuff in and sucks out the water. It worked for me in a similar situation. You have to use some cleaning solution. I always use the tough stains one.

Another vote for hydrogen peroxide. You can buy bottles of it from the pharmacy.

White vinegar and a steam cleaner will work wonders on the stain.

Another vote for salt and cold water

@funeralq lm liking the sound of this. I’m quite a sweaty person already, so lm dreading peri-menopause / menopause!

Your mattress is not ruined. It has a stain, just like the mattresses of millions upon millions of other women. It will only be seen when you wash the mattress protector. You won’t even think about it otherwise.

Salt works like magic on blood.

Hydrogen peroxide. Soak a facecloth in it and blot against the stain. Repeat till faded.

Use multiple mattress pads.

@Paq

No advice on the mattress but please see a GP about your periods. I had similar issues and now take tranexemic acid. It's changed my life.

I was going to suggest this too, as I've heard good things about it.