How to Remove a Musty Smell From a Mattress With Vinegar
- 1). Inspect the mattress for mold or possible odor-causing stains.
- 2). Vacuum both sides of the mattress, including areas with grooves. If mold is present, wait to vacuum until you get the mattress outside. This helps prevent the spread of mold spores, which may be irritating to mucus membrances, or even toxic.
- 3). Place the mattress outside in the sun, which will kill most of the surface bacteria and air out musty smells. Turn the mattress so all sides are hit by the sunlight. Two to four hours per side is significant. If you can't set your mattress outside, prop it against the wall and point a space heater at it. Rotate the mattress every couple of hours.
- 4). Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spray a thin layer onto the mattress, covering it entirely. You can use the spray bottle in the house. If you spray while the mattress is outside, the sun will dry the vinegar quickly, so apply a thicker layer of vinegar. You can spray the mattress several times.