Short answer
Inspect it first, then clean every side. The EPA advises checking secondhand beds for signs of bed bugs before bringing them home. Look at the seams, tags and underside, smell for musty or urine odor, then have it cleaned top, sides and underside: HEPA vacuuming, enzyme treatment for organic stains and odor, dry vapor steam and UV-C. Add a washable organic protector.
Book your mattress cleaning
Regular price $249, Fall 2026 promotion price $199first mattress, any size · Fall 2026 promotion
HEPA vacuuming, enzyme treatment for organic odor, dry vapor steam and UV-C. We recommend cleaning twice a year.
Used mattresses come from relatives, guest rooms, marketplace listings and furnished moves. You don't know the history, so you clean all of it.
Step 1: Inspect before it comes inside
The EPA advises: "Check secondhand furniture, beds and couches for any signs of bed bug infestation before bringing them home" (EPA). Check seams, piping, tags and the underside in good light. Also smell it: musty means moisture (musty smell); sharp ammonia means urine (urine guide); stale smoke means residue (smoke smell).
Step 2: Clean every side
A used mattress needs more than a top-surface clean, because you don't know what the underside has touched. Our full cleaning plus underside treatment covers:
- HEPA vacuuming of the top, sides, seams and bottom.
- Enzyme treatment on organic stains and odor.
- Low-moisture dry vapor steam.
- UV-C light treatment and a moisture check before we leave.
The first mattress is $199 Fall 2026 special (regularly $249), and underside treatment is +$50–$75.
Step 3: Protect it
Put a washable organic protector on before the first night (organic protectors), and clean it twice a year from then on.
For whether a given used mattress is worth sanitizing in the first place, see can a used mattress be sanitized?. Bringing a box spring too? See box springs.
How we clean what you can't see
This section is our view. Every Sleep Sanitation visit starts with a nose-and-eyes inspection to find where the odor actually lives, then HEPA vacuuming, enzyme treatment on organic odor, low-moisture dry vapor steam from our Italian-made Vapor Clean machines, UV-C light treatment and a moisture check before we leave. Underside treatment, for the side that faces the floor or frame, is +$50–$75 per mattress. The first mattress is $199 Fall 2026 special (regularly $249), any size. We recommend cleaning every mattress twice a year so odor never gets a head start. Not sure what your bed needs? Take the 60-second mattress quiz, or schedule your cleaning. Call or text (402) 512-5658, or email info@sleepsanitation.com.
For cribs: hand-me-down crib mattresses.
Changelog
- 24 October 2026: First published. Sources accessed on this date.
Sources
Last reviewed October 24, 2026. Manufacturer specifications and care instructions change; check the current version for your exact model. This page is general information, not medical advice. How we source and check pages: editorial standards.