Don’t neglect your mattress.

All too often, we focus on cleaning the areas and furnishings in our homes which are visible to the naked eye and tend to neglect certain other less obvious areas; bedroom mattresses being a good case in point. That said, failing to clean your mattress on a regular basis can result in a number of unpleasant consequences.

CCM recommends that mattresses should be cleaned professionally every six months for a number of reasons. Sweat and dead skin cells from your body (that naturally come off during the night), provide food for dust mites and create airborne bacteria, which can in turn lead to allergies, respiratory ailments and eczema.

Bed bugs, which are common pests residing in mattresses do not stay confined to the bedroom, but spread throughout the house, proving very difficult to get rid of and often requiring professional extermination.

CCM  uses a targeted approach, with products that are both hypoallergenic as well as environmentally safe, which work by lifting surface stains and at the same time providing a deep clean for the mattress.

While cleaning your mattress twice a year is highly recommended by professionals, here a few tips for those months in between, which help to prolong the life of your mattress and ensure better sleeping conditions:

• Linens should be changed regularly, at least once per week
• The use of fitted sheets helps to keep dust out of the mattress
• Use a spray bottle containing equal parts of water and vinegar to treat surface stains, wipe excess away with a towel
• Baking soda is also often recommended to keep mattresses clean; simply apply baking soda to the mattress, leave for an hour and then vacuum the residue