How to Dry a Mattress

If your mattress was fully or partially submerged in floodwater, you need to throw out the mattress and buy a new one. Even with uncontaminated floodwater, mold will grow in and on your mattress before you could get the mattress dry, which would be a health hazard. However, if your mattress became wet from a leak in your roof or if you had minimal flooding in your home, you can usually dry out your mattress successfully.

White vinegar
Water
Sponge
Spray bottle
Cinder blocks
Large stones (optional)
Fan
Disinfectant spray (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Clean all stains from the surface of your mattress using a sponge and a spray solution of 50 percent white vinegar and 50 percent water. Do not saturate the mattress.
- 2
  Arrange four or more cinder blocks or large stones on the ground outside as a foundation for your mattress.
- 3
  Take your mattress outdoors and place the mattress right-side-up on top of the blocks or stones. Allow the mattress to air dry in the sun. The blocks or stones allow air to circulate underneath the mattress.
- 4
  Place a fan by your mattress and allow air to blow directly on it, if you need to dry the mattress more quickly.
- 5
  Return the completely dry mattress to the bedroom. If your mattress became wet due to flooding, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that you spray the mattress thoroughly using a disinfectant after allowing it to air dry.

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