Best Steamers for Bedding and Mattresses

Regardless of what some might say to the contrary, the bed is a holy, comforting place. It’s where you charge your batteries at the end of each day, where you get to feel safe, and where you’re able to disconnect from the world. Like every other safe haven you may have, the bed needs to be cleaned regularly if you want to consistently enjoy a restful night’s sleep. Washing your bed sheets and blankets isn’t enough, as the mattress also needs to be cleaned. Of course, there’s a process called deep cleaning, and today we’re going to explore this topic, as well as provide you with a list of steamers that are excellent for such a purpose. Below, you’ll find our top 5 recommendations for the best steamers specifically for bedding and mattresses. We’ve compared each one and assigned them awards so you can find the ideal one to suit your needs. Whether you value long-lasting quality, affordability, or aesthetics, everything you need to know about steam cleaners will be revealed in our buyer’s guide below!

Top Steamers for Bedding & Mattresses

Benefits of Steam Cleaning a Mattress

Steamers have been used to clean different types of fabric up until now, and they’ve proven to be particularly efficient when cleaning furniture like sofas, armchairs or even carpets. Naturally, they also do a great job when you need to clean your mattress, and some of the benefits that steam cleaners provide include:

• Helping you get rid of bed bugs. People who have had to deal with a bed bug problem can attest that this is an absolute nightmare to have to face. Bed bugs are difficult to get rid of, and some people don’t see them until it’s too late, at which point only a pest company or throwing away the mattress will do the trick. By using the power of hot steam, you can kill bed bugs and the eggs they lay inside the mattress.
• Helping disinfect a mattress. We don’t want to get into gross details like how much skin you shed per year – and how much of that dead skin ends up on your bed – but we can tell you that a steamer helps with such problems and it’s definitely an item that you want to have.
• Removing allergens. People who suffer from allergies know how annoying every little trigger can be, and sleeping on a mattress that’s allergen-free can really help prevent flare-ups.
• Removing stains. There are plenty of stains that can end up on a mattress, starting with coffee and ending with sweat or urine stains from the kids. A steam cleaner can loosen the stains off the surface of the mattress and leave it clean and fresh.

How to Steam Clean a Mattress

For the most part, steam cleaners should come with a set of instructions on how to use the product and get the best results every time. However, there are some steps that come before and after cleaning the mattress that might not be specified, so we’d like to review them real quick:

• The first step before you actually use the steamer is to vacuum your mattress. This will help remove any potential crumbs, dust, debris or whatever else might end up on the mattress, making the steaming process much smoother.
• You can use a steamer on your bedding, but it’s a much better idea to just wash as regularly as possible. You can usually wash your pillows, pillowcases and every other item that goes onto your bed.
• The steamer itself comes with a tank that needs to be filled with water and then connected to a power source so that the water inside starts to heat up. It most likely has a switch that you need to press to turn it on. Most cleaners that are currently available will take about five minutes to heat up, but there are models out there that will heat up in 30 seconds.
• When it’s ready to use, the steamer should be held right above the mattress without touching it. You can use long and slow strokes starting from one side of the bed to another until you’ve covered the entire surface of the mattress.
• When you’ve covered the entire surface of the bed, you need to give the mattress time to dry out. This usually takes about two hours, but this depends on the construction of your bed (especially the cover and comfort layer). You may want to leave the mattress in a well-ventilated room to make sure it dries more efficiently.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing a steamer, nothing is really rocket science. If you want one that’s suitable for cleaning mattresses and bedding, you can use pretty much any steamer that’s good for clothing or fabric, but you need to pay attention to the nozzle and the types of accessories included. Mattress edges, seams and crevices can all be difficult to clean if your steamer doesn’t have a nozzle that can reach complicated areas.

You should also pay attention to the weight of the product (because a handheld steamer should be lightweight and easy to manoeuvre), but also the capacity of the water tank and whether or not you’re supposed to wait when refilling the tank before you can use the steamer again. The rest is just a matter of personal preference. For the best steamer that’s perfect for mattresses and bedding, our recommendation is the McCulloch MC1375 Canister Steam System. McCulloch is a reputable brand amongst steamers and vacuums, and this version is ideal for getting those stubborn stains out, without spending a fortune to freshen up your bedding space like you deserve.

Recent Updates

June 22, 2021: Our Editor’s Choice product, the McCulloch MC1375 Canister Steam System, has been shifted to #1 on our list, and an additional pick added to round out our top 5 list of recommendations: the Bissell SteamShot Steam Cleaner. A FAQ section has also been included below to address common queries among consumers.