3 things to do now to keep your mattress clean and bed bug-free this winter

A close up of a pair of hands wearing rubber gloves holding a spray bottle filled with liquid and a microfiber cloth over the surface of a mattress. A red cross sits in the center of the image, on top of the hands and the spray bottle. In the bottom left, a Tom's Guide Fall Back into Great Sleep graphic

(Image credit: Future)

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This image is a side on shot of the Siena Memory Foam Mattress on a bed frame in a decorated room. Sleep writer Eve Davies sits on the side of the mattress to test edge support. She's sitting comfortably and is able to balance easily. — (Image credit: Future)

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Now is the time to turn your bed into a cozy cocoon, ready to retreat to when the weather turns frightful. But curling up with hot cocoa, blankets and binge watches exposes your mattress to mess from sweating and spills.

However, while speedy, this method leaves your bed vulnerable to mold and pests.

We're exploring how to Fall Back into Great Sleep, including perfecting your sleep environment. Following our easy tips will keep your mattress clean throughout hibernation season, so you can snuggle up in freshness.

Why it's essential to clean your mattress with the season change

Over summer your mattress becomes a sponge, absorbing sweat from all those warm nights (not to mention sun screen and self tan.) By the time fall hits, your bed is probably worse for wear.

A seasonal clean banishes all the grime that built-up in your bed while you were enjoying the summer sun

Summer is also peak bed bug season — they love warmth and travel. If you haven't been paying attention, they might have made a home in your room.

A seasonal clean banishes all the grime that built-up in your bed while you were enjoying the summer sun, ensuring as you move into winter you have a clean foundation to drift off on.

Below we're exploring the three mattress cleaning tasks to tackle right now, plus three easy jobs to keep up over winter. That way when spring cleaning inevitably rolls around, you won't be wondering if your bed is beyond saving.

3 things to do now to keep your mattress clean this winter

Ready for fresher sleep this winter? Get started with these cleaning tasks asap — trust me, you'll be glad of the effort in the long run.

1. Deep clean your mattress

We recommend deep cleaning your mattress a few times a year. That means stripping the mattress, spot treating stains, busting bad odors, cleaning the bed frame and headboard, and finishing with a full bed vacuum.

It's a lot of effort but the most time consuming part is waiting for everything to dry. And you need it to be dry, otherwise you risk mattress mold.

Hydrogen peroxide, salt, bicarbonate of soda, cornflour, a spray bottle and washing up gloves sitting on a bed — (Image credit: Future / Tom's Guide)

By doing your deep clean now you can avoid the worst of the cold, wet weather so your mattress dries in a timely manner. Plus, it's one task to tick off your (no doubt massive) holiday to-do list.

2. Switch to appropriate bedding

While summer bedding is all about light, breathable layers, fall is when most of us layer up to cocoon ourselves in warmth.

During the months in storage, your winter bedding might have gathered dust (and dust mites.) Wash and dry all layers before dressing your bed.

The changeable temperatures of this transition season means you might go to bed cold but wake up sweating, so we recommend breathable materials. Wool is a good choice as it naturally regulates warmth while staying cozy.

3. Move your bed away from any heaters

Before you crank up the heating for fall, take a second to assess your bedroom layout — is your heater close to your bed? While this might seem like a cozy solution, it could be bad news for your mattress.

Two women stand at either end of a Saatva Classic Mattress helping to install it on a white bed frame in our sleep studio. With white glove delivery, you can avoid this task — (Image credit: Future)

Heaters cause sudden changes in temperature, which can create condensation on the wall. "A mattress pressed against this creates the perfect pocket for mold and mildew to form," notes Martin Seeley, mattress expert and CEO of MattressNextDay.

In addition, direct, sustained heat is not good for a mattress. "Foam can harden and crack, latex dries out, and springs lose their tension," warns Seeley.

Easy upkeep to keep your bed fresh over winter

These tasks take a couple of minutes and help maintain your mattress over winter.

1. Clean up clutter

Fall is the season to get reacquainted with your favorite streaming services, but being a homebody can lead to clutter in the bedroom.

Mess makes the perfect hiding place for bed bugs, who are drawn to the warmth and dark afforded by discarded blankets and clothing.

A woman sat on her bed decluttering her bedroom, tidying away boxes and items as well as suitcases — (Image credit: Getty Images)

A quick tidy up — including de-cluttering the space under your bed — removes enticing bed bug hidey-holes.

And if you're traveling for the holidays, follow our tips to avoid bringing bed bugs home with you.

2. Vacuum regularly

We don't typically recommend eating in bed but dark mornings and early evenings do encourage the occasional nighttime snack. And that means crumbs.

The solution is to regularly vacuum your mattress. Even if you don't eat in bed, frequent vacuuming helps prevent dust mites which snack on our skin flakes.

On a similar note, if snuggling up with hot cocoa results in a spill on your mattress, it's best to clean it up immediately. A quick blot saves you from prolonged stain removal down the line.

3. Air your mattress

Airing your mattress is a year-round task but thankfully it's a simple one. To do this, simply pull back your bedding to give the mattress time to breath, allowing trapped moisture to escape.

Two women stand on either side of a mattress on a bed frame in our sleep studio. They are holding a duvet which is only half on the bed &mdash; they might removing it to allow the mattress to air or dressing the bed. — (Image credit: Future)

As you spend the next few months turning your bed into a den, regular airing is the simplest way to keep your mattress fresh — and prevent mold, allergens and bed bugs from ruining your sleep.

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Ruth is an experienced Senior Staff writer at Tom’s Guide, covering all things sleep and mattresses. She writes to help people sleep better, from how-tos to the latest deals to mattress reviews, and has interviewed an array of experts who share her passion. She is also our specialist on memory foam — she’s flown around the world to see memory foam being made — and leads our hotel mattress content. She has a deep interest in the link between sleep and health, and has tried enough mattresses, from Helix to Nectar to Simba, to know the right bed really can make a difference to your wellbeing. Before joining the team at Tom’s Guide, Ruth worked as a sleep and mattress writer for our sister website, TechRadar.

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