The Bedding Is Sticking to My Mattress

Body Fluids, Food and Drinks

• Bodily fluids plus food and drink spills are among the most likely causes of sticky bedding. While a simple wash should remove sweat, you should treat protein stains by soaking or rubbing the sheets together in cold water, with or without detergent, before laundering. This method treats sticky body fluids such as vomit or mucous and food stains such as ice cream and baby food. Wash your sheets in hot water to treat alcohol, fruit juice, soda and coffee spills. Pretreat fabrics with chocolate stains by using detergent.

Bugs and Blood

• Shudder-inducing as it is to consider, bugs are also a cause of sticky bedding. Blood from bug bites can leave small stains on your sheets and mattress. Squashed bugs and bug excrement also create sticky spots. Treat the infestation to prevent future problems, and wash and dry your linens at a high temperature, or have them dry cleaned. Since hot water settings can set-in blood stains, pretreat your sheets with a stain removing product designed to handle blood.

Wax

• Remove candle wax before you wash your linens and as soon as you notice the stain. The University of Illinois Extension suggests the following steps: rub the wax with ice and scrape it off with the back side of a butter knife blade, then sandwich the wax between paper towels, and apply a warm iron to the area, repeating with fresh towels until no further wax comes away from the linens. Use color-safe bleach to treat any stains left from colored waxes. If the wax penetrates to the mattress, use dry cleaning solvent. Stain sticks are also available that specifically target wax stains.

Mattress Cleaning

• Professional cleaning and restoration companies offer mattress cleaning services, but you can clean your own mattress by hand in many cases. You can use dry cleaning fluid to wash your mattress, but this method takes several days to complete. For a faster solution, the Michigan State University Extension recommends dry shampooing. Use a small amount of dampened detergent or upholstery shampoo, and work in small patches, scrubbing the foam into the upholstery. Rinse with a barely damp sponge to avoid getting the interior padding of the mattress wet. Speed the drying process by directing the air from a fan across the mattress. Running your dehumidifier or air conditioner will also help remove moisture. If a sticky label was attached to either your mattress or your linens, treat the area with adhesive remover.

Tips and Warnings

• Vacuum regularly to remove crumbs from your bed that may become sticky if moistened. Add a washable mattress cover to prevent sticky substances from making it onto your mattress. A mattress cover designed for dust mites will also prevent and exclude bed bugs, suggests the Ohio State University Extension, which warns that steam cleaning is not a recommended method for sanitizing mattresses because moisture will be left behind.