Cleaning and maintaining a box spring bed - What you should pay attention to

After the purchase of a box spring bed, it is important for the long-term maintenance of the bed's quality to focus on cleaning and care. By following these tips and advice, your box spring bed will remain in good condition for a long time.

If you ensure good air circulation and regularly remove dust, you will maintain better sleep quality. Below, you will find more information in our guide for a perfect sleeping climate in your home.

Cleaning Instructions

Cleaning and maintaining a box spring bed is considered relatively easy. However, you should definitely pay attention to the following points in order to maintain the sleeping comfort after washing and to increase the lifespan: 

1. Ensure adequate air circulation

Typically, a person loses half a liter of fluid in the form of sweat during sleep, which primarily remains in the room without ventilation. This moisture gets trapped in the mattress, the topper, and generally throughout the entire bed and the blanket.

Therefore, after getting up, you must ensure adequate ventilation and regular air exchange. The advantage is that high-quality American box spring beds do quite a bit of the cleaning themselves.

The design of the bed is such that the mattresses of the box spring bed, the mattress protectors, or the covers are ideally ventilated. Therefore, choosing this option is worthwhile. This happens already while you are sleeping, as you often turn, flip, or change your sleeping position.

It is optimal to remove the duvet and ideally the pillows as well after sleeping. This allows you to air the bed ideally. 

2. Regularly air out the bedroom

For good ventilation, it is advisable to air out the entire bedroom thoroughly twice a day. This ensures a good indoor climate, which also guarantees the conditions for good sleep in the environment and prevents mold in the room.

You should regularly shake out the cushions and the zippered blankets in the fresh air. 

3. Remove dust from fabric covers 

Textile items are very comfortable and cozy for sleeping, but they tend to accumulate more dust and dirt. Here, you can easily remove the dirt using a vacuum cleaner on the lowest setting or a brush.

Humans shed skin flakes during sleep, which mites and other tiny organisms feed on. A woman's hair can be effectively removed from the headboard of the bed with a vacuum cleaner. This has the advantage of vacuuming up the mites.

This can have a positive effect on allergy sufferers and their symptoms. Leather covers are often easier to clean and less affected by bacteria on one side because you can easily wipe them down thanks to active hygiene.

On the other hand, materials made from faux leather or similar are not to everyone's taste in terms of comfort. They tend to cool down at night. Therefore, a faux leather cover is better suited for people who tend to sweat at night.

When you are not using the bed, a bedspread on the bedding is ideal for protecting it from dust.

Remove stains

For stains on individual layers of the mattresses or the designer bed, you can simply wipe over them with a damp cloth with soap or a sponge. Often, this is enough to remove them effectively. For lime deposits on the bed, you can use distilled water.

For more stubborn stains, washable covers of the box spring mattress can also be washed in the washing machine. If you use upholstery cleaner foam, you should test at an inconspicuous spot to see if the cleaning agent or care products cause discoloration.

Because this problem occurs with many upholstered pieces and also some covers, there are special upholstery cleaners available for purchase for box spring beds.

Tip: The cleaner may be mixed with some water, thus increasing the likelihood that the material will not be damaged. This way, you can remove the stain without any issues and continue to ensure the protection of the box spring bed and the blankets.

Can you clean a topper? 

When cleaning the surface of a topper, a vacuum cleaner is the tool of choice. With a little effort, the textile covers are clean again. A mattress pad can usually be treated with cleaning agents. With little pressure or effort, you can already remove stains. Sometimes even a bit of water is sufficient.

Small tip: To avoid lime stains, you should ideally use distilled water.

Can you wash a topper? 

A topper cover can generally be washed like a mattress cover without any problems. However, caution is advised with certain types of fabric. It is best to carefully check if your protective cover is machine washable and read the care instructions before proceeding with box spring bed maintenance.

In most cases, however, you should entrust this responsibility to a professional cleaning service. Many versions shrink in a regular washing machine or simply do not fit in the machine due to their size. 

How do you wash a topper cover? 

You should wash a washable topper, just like all other bedroom textiles such as the duvet, bed covers, pillowcases, and the fitted sheet, at a minimum of 60 degrees. This is the only way to ensure that bacteria, germs, or mites no longer have room to spread during cleaning.

For allergy sufferers, it makes sense to wash the bedding and sheets at least every two weeks. Additionally, purchasing an upholstery nozzle is advisable. However, this is not necessary as frequently for a topper cover.

On the contrary, if it is washed more often than necessary, the support strength of the comfort pad may suffer. Otherwise, the cover might not fit properly on the topper anymore. Every few months, or about 3-4 times a year, is considered sufficient to ensure it lasts as long as possible.

How long does a topper need to air out? 

After purchasing a topper, it is best not to use it immediately, but rather let the smell of the new pad dissipate for 24 to 48 hours. It is also advisable to keep the window open as often as possible. This way, the new product on the beds will quickly acquire a pleasant scent. 

Additionally, certain odor-fighting care products provide quick relief. When it comes to cleaning agents, you should first check if the care instructions approve their use for toppers. Otherwise, you should follow the instructions and opt for other cleaning methods.

In case of dirt, you should first remove dust and dirt using a vacuum cleaner. Afterwards, the topper can be cleaned and aired out.

Can and should one rotate the mattresses of box spring beds?

Yes, you should regularly flip both the mattresses and the protective covers of the bed. Due to the ergonomic shape of the mattresses and the upper topper, the fabric deforms over time. To maintain the comfort of lying, regularly switch the underside.

This also creates the advantage that the various layers of the mattress are well ventilated and any moisture from sweating can dry effectively.

Depending on the firmness, there are differences, but it is considered a good approach to the subject that mattresses should be turned approximately four times a year. By taking such measures, you extend the lifespan and the comfort of lying.

Frequently Asked Questions

In addition to the general question of how the bed system of box spring beds is cleaned and maintained for an ideal night's rest, the following topics are often addressed for further procedures:

Is a box spring bed hygienic?

Yes, if all components are cleaned regularly, a box spring bed is considered very hygienic. A frame made of synthetic or genuine leather is particularly easy to maintain. For cleaning, it is best to purchase leather care products. Cleaning the mattress does not require much effort. Fitted sheets, blankets, and bed covers should be shaken out and washed at regular intervals.

To ensure the bed's air circulation is not impaired, it is important that no protective covers or other pads are placed between the mattresses. Both the topper and any other blankets or covers should only be placed on the top layer.

Otherwise, it may happen that the bed system cannot regulate itself accordingly. The increased moisture and dirt can then potentially lead to a multitude of dust mites and germs.

Moreover, the use of a topper greatly contributes to hygiene in box spring beds, as it effectively absorbs night sweat, even in the warmth of summer. Additionally, you can usually easily remove and wash the cover.

Can mold form under a box spring bed?

Yes, as with any other bed, mold can develop on a box spring bed. However, the risk is low with regular cleaning and vacuuming.

How can I clean under the box spring bed?

Unlike regular beds with slatted frames, cleaning under a box spring bed is somewhat more difficult due to the box base. Generally, it is quite feasible with a damp cloth and a cleaning stick.

In this step, a type of cleaning cloth in large sizes is used, as it makes the greatest contribution to cleaning under the bed. This issue is often referred to as the downside of the position and structure of the box spring bed.

With a little practice, thorough cleaning is no longer a problem in any household. 

How can I remove the new smell from a box spring bed? 

Upon the arrival of the new bed, an unpleasant odor often occurs initially. This should dissipate after a few days. It helps to ventilate the room well and to simply let the bed stand initially. Alternatively, pleasant scent sticks can be distributed around the room.

In a high-quality box spring bed, the unpleasant new smell usually dissipates after about 24 - 48 hours.