How to air out a mattress – experts explain how this simple trick can help you avoid mould, odours, and allergens

If you're wondering how to air out your mattress, you're in the right place. Although it's a household task that's easy to overlook in the morning rush, bedding experts assure me that it’s definitely something vital (and easy) that we should all be building into our cleaning routines.

After all, when you’ve invested in the best mattress your budget can stretch to, you want to prolong your mattress's lifespan as long as possible.

As such, I've spoke to three household cleaning experts to find out exactly why we need to air out a mattress (apparently it's super important if you don't want your beloved mattress to turn into a glorified sponge for mould - sorry, gross but true), and how to air out a mattress to keep it in tip top shape.

Why you should air out your mattress

First up, I asked the sleep experts why we should all be airing out our mattresses. Here's what they said.

Prevents mould

Apparently, airing out your mattress is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid your mattress getting mouldy.

‘Mattresses absorb moisture from sweat and humidity during sleep, and airing out helps evaporate this moisture, preventing mould and mildew growth,’ explains Luis Toja, a mattress cleaning expert at Fantastic Services.

‘Like it or not, we’re all sweating and breathing while we sleep, and that moisture ends up in your mattress,’ agrees Gemma Bray, housecleaning expert at The Organised Mum. ‘Over time, this can create a damp, musty environment that’s basically an open invitation for smells and bacteria. Giving your mattress a good airing allows all that trapped moisture to evaporate, keeping it fresh and dry.’

And airing out your mattress to prevent mould growth doesn't just have health benefits, it can also reduce how often you need to replace your mattress, saving you big bucks in the long run.

Reduces unpleasant odours

Noticed a musty smell in your bedroom? This might be an indicator your mattress needs airing out. As Gemma mentions above, odours can build up in a room if you’re sweating all night (don’t feel ashamed – most of us sweat at night).

‘By airing out the mattress, you reduce the buildup of bacteria, fungi, and unpleasant odours caused by accumulated sweat, dead skin cells, and dust,’ says Luis. ‘A well-aired mattress emits fewer trapped odors and allergens, contributing to a fresher and healthier indoor air quality in your bedroom.’

Gets rid of dust mites

If you suffer from allergies, you don't just want the best type of mattress for allergies, you also need to take care of your mattress to reduce allergens from forming.

Dust mites are the number one cause of house-born allergies in the UK. They feed on dead skin cells, so airing your mattress and getting rid of their all-you-can-eat buffet will help to get rid of the blighters.

‘Dust mites love warm, humid spots,' explains Gemma, 'regular airing helps to evict those uninvited guests.’ 'Airing out your mattress disrupts these conditions, making it less hospitable for mites and their allergens,’ agrees Luis.

Helps you sleep better

A well-aired mattress might even help you get better sleep. And who doesn’t want that? ‘A clean, dry, and fresh mattress promotes better sleep, as it reduces potential irritants that could disrupt rest,’ says Luis from Fantastic Services.

How to air out your mattress

Personally, I'm now convinced of the benefits of airing out my mattress. So without further ado, let's find out how to do it.

1. Remove the sheets and bedding

You need to get air circulating around your mattress, so maximising the surface area exposed to fresh air is the order of the day here. ‘Start by stripping the bed completely – sheets, protectors, the lot,’ says Gemma Bray.

2. Open your windows

Next, ‘open your bedroom window to allow in fresh air to speed up the process,’ says Luis. Or, if you live in an area that has bad pollution, Heidi Phillips, cleaning and organisation expert at Tergo Cleaning says you can ‘use fans to facilitate air circulation’. One of the best air purifiers can also help speed up the process.

‘If you’ve got the option, you could also prop the mattress up against a wall or stand it on its side so air can reach all those hard-to-access spots,’ adds Gemma.

3. Ideally get some sunlight on your mattress

‘If possible, place the mattress in sunlight,’ says Luis. ‘Sunlight naturally kills bacteria and mites. For heavy mattresses, prop it near a window where it can receive sunlight indirectly.’

‘UV rays are great for killing bacteria and drying out moisture,’ explains Gemma.

4. Consider vacuuming

Although not all our cleaning experts advised vacuuming your mattress, this could help blitz out dust and dust mites.

‘While the mattress is airing out, use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust and debris from its surface,’ says Luis. The Lakeland mattress vacuum even has a UV light to blitz those bugs and germs.

5. Flip your mattress

Once you’ve aired your mattress out, consider flipping or rotating it – if your mattress care instructions advise this.

‘If the mattress is double-sided, flip it to air out both surfaces,' says Luis. 'Rotating the mattress also ensures even wear and additional aeration.'

FAQs

How long should you air out your mattress?

It doesn’t have to take ages to air out your mattress. Air your mattress for 'around 30-60 minutes each morning,’ advises Heidi. But for more thorough airings, Heidi suggests ‘around 4-5 hrs’.

‘Ideally, you should air out your mattress for 2–6 hours when cleaning or refreshing it,’ says Luis from Fantastic Services. ‘Let it air for 2–4 hours, but if you’ve got the time, leave it longer – especially if it’s been a while since its last breather,’ agrees Gemma Bray.

I'd therefore recommend airing your mattress for around 2-3 hours if you’re looking for a happy medium.

How often should you air out your mattress?

Our experts had different answers to how often you should air out your mattress, but the consensus is 'as often as possible'.

‘Ideally, once a month is a good rhythm for most people to air their mattress, but if you live in a humid area or have allergies, you might want to aim for every couple of weeks,’ says Gemma Bray from The Organised Mum.

Ideally, ‘daily' says Heidi from Tergo Cleaning. But as that may not be possible for most of us, Heidi suggests that we aim to do it seasonally, so 'every 3 months.’

‘Air out the mattress weekly when changing the bedding and conduct a deep airing session (2–6 hours) every 3–6 months, especially in humid climates or if someone in the household has allergies,’ says Luis from Fantastic Services.

Every month to three months sounds about right to me – more often if you’re allergy-prone or live somewhere humid.

Is it better to make your bed or let it air out?

Interestingly, our experts agree that leaving your bed unmade in the morning is beneficial. Good news for those of us who aren't neat freaks.

‘It is better to leave your bed unmade for at least 30 minutes after waking up to let the mattress and bedding breathe and release trapped moisture,’ says Luis from Fantastic Services.

Gemma Bray advises starting your morning gently: ‘Don’t rush to make your bed in the morning. I know it feels counterintuitive, but leaving your mattress uncovered for at least 30 minutes lets any overnight moisture escape instead of sealing it in. Think of it as giving your bed a chance to wake up properly before getting dressed for the day.’

Turns out airing a mattress is a lot simpler than I thought!