Guide to Washing Mattress Pads, Protectors, and Toppers
It is important to keep your mattress pads, protectors, and toppers clean for hygiene, to reduce allergens, and to extend the lifespan of these bedding essentials. Proper care ensures your bedding basics last as long as possible, while letting you drift to sleep in a fresh and comfortable bed. Follow our guide to washing mattress pads and protectors for some quick tips and care instructions to keep your bedding in top shape.
Mattress Pad and Protector Laundering Basics
When washing your mattress pad, always check the product's care label for the most accurate washing instructions. While our general tips may be suitable if you no longer have access to your product’s information, ignoring specific care instructions may void warranties or result in damage to your bedding items.
When laundering mattress protectors or pads, follow these general tips for the best results:
- If the manufacturer’s care instructions are available—either on the website, via care symbols on an attached tag, or with the product’s packaging—follow those steps for the best results.
- Choose a mild detergent to wash your mattress topper or pad.
- Avoid harsh chemicals like bleach or fabric softeners, which can weaken the fibers.
- You may find that an extra rinse cycle helps remove any leftover detergent residue.
While our general tips can be applied to most mattress toppers and pads, protective or comfort layers may require different techniques depending on the material or bedding type.
Can You Machine-Wash Mattress Protectors and Pads?
Yes, you can wash mattress protectors or mattress pads in the washing machine—just follow some basic instructions to protect the bedding against damage.
For waterproof mattress protectors, special care is needed to prevent stripping the waterproof membrane that keeps liquid from seeping through. Use a gentle cycle with cold water and a mild detergent, and hang, air dry, or tumble dry on low heat for the best results.
Non-waterproof mattress protectors can possibly be laundered in warm or hot water and tumble-dried on low or medium heat. Check the label to be sure, as washing the mattress protector on a high temperature setting may damage its fibers or elastic. If you can’t verify the manufacturer-recommended temperature, use the cold-water setting. Set your machine on a "delicates" or "low spin" gentle cycle.
Heavily soiled mattress pads or protectors may require pre-treating before washing—but avoid harsh treatments, and always check the pre-treatment packaging for directions to ensure the product is safe for use on waterproof membranes.
How to Care for Specialty Mattress Toppers
The cleaning method for your mattress topper depends on the material. Most toppers have product care instructions sewn into them, so check the label to verify whether machine washing is safe. Machine washable toppers, like mattress protectors, can often be washed in cold or warm water on a gentle cycle with mild detergent, but skip the bleach and fabric softeners. Dry flat rather than in a dryer to prevent heat damage and flip the mattress topper occasionally to ensure it dries fully.
Wool Toppers
Wool mattress toppers can be washed in the washing machine on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent, and then tumble-dried—but too-frequent washing can damage mattress pads made with wool. Luckily, this natural material is easily freshened between washes by simply hanging it outside on a warm, sunny, breezy day.
Foam Mattress Toppers
Most memory foam mattress toppers need to be spot cleaned, as they’re not designed to be laundered in a washing machine. To clean your memory foam topper, your options include:
- Spot cleaning spills and stains: Mix a solution of mild detergent and water and apply it directly to the spill or stained area. Blot the area with a clean, dry cloth to remove excess moisture. Allow it to air dry completely.
- Refreshing with vinegar: Combine equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, and then mist the surface of your memory foam pad. Blot or press out the moisture with a clean, dry towel, and let the pad air dry fully.
- Sprinkling and vacuuming: To absorb odors or excess moisture, sprinkle baking soda on the surface of the mattress topper and allow it to sit for a few hours. Then, use an upholstery attachment to thoroughly vacuum the surface until all traces of baking soda are gone.
- Airing out the topper: On a sunny day, place the topper outside in a well-ventilated area for several hours to freshen it up and remove any lingering moisture.
Featherbeds
Washing featherbeds and down alternative mattress toppers is similar to washing a down comforter or duvet insert. Usually, the care label will recommend hand washing or cleaning in your machine on a gentle cycle using cold water, and then drying on low heat. Choose a mild detergent and skip the bleach. A second cold-water rinse cycle may help remove any detergent residue and prevent the down and feather clusters from clumping together. Adding tennis balls or wool balls in the dryer helps fluff the down fill to promote fully drying the featherbed, preventing mildew and making it as lofty and comfortable as when it was new. You may also choose to use a professional dry cleaner.
How Often Should You Wash Mattress Pads and Toppers?
How often you wash your mattress pad depends mostly on the type. We recommend washing cotton or fabric mattress protectors and pads once or twice per month—more often for allergy sufferers or if soiled. Memory foam pads, wool toppers, and featherbeds require less frequent washing—every six months or so—but they can be aired out to refresh them between regular washings.
When washing your mattress toppers and protectors, following care labels provides optimal results—but these general tips will help you keep your bedding essentials in top shape. For more advice about bedding care, explore our other Guides.