Think about how many times you have laid your head on your pillow and how many times you've slept on your mattress. You wash your sheets, blankets and pillow cases, but you can't exactly throw a mattress in the washing machine. How do you get the grime and smell off of your mattress? What about your pillows? Neither are very cheap, so replacing them often may not be in your budget right? You can get the smell and stains out of both your mattress and your pillows to help freshen your room. See below for cleaning tips.

Here's What You'll Need To Clean And Freshen A Mattress:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 5 drops essential oil (any scent you prefer)
• Sifter

Instructions:

1. Mix the baking soda and essential oil in a jar. You can use any scent essential oil you prefer, or no oil at all if you don't want any scent at all. Lavender is a good calming scent, as is chamomile and bergamot.
2. With all of your bedding stripped from your mattress, sprinkle the baking soda/oil mixture using a sifter all over your mattress. 
3. Allow the mixture to sit on your mattress for about an hour. The baking soda will absorb the odors and the essential oil will provide a fresh and calming scent (which may help you sleep).
4. Use a vacuum to vacuum up the baking soda/oil from your mattress.

​Here's What You'll Need To Clean/Freshen A Pillow:

*Be sure to check the laundry tag on your pillow to determine if your pillows are machine washable.

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• Laundry detergent (use the cap to judge amount)
• 1 tbsp. bleach
• 2 tennis balls
• 2 socks

Instructions:

1. Place your pillows into the washing machine using your regular laundry detergent mixed with a 1/2 cup of baking soda and the tablespoon of bleach. Wash in the gentle cycle using warm water. If using a front loading washing machine, you may need to soak your pillows in a wash tub first, as front loading machines do not fill up with enough water to soak your pillows.
2. Once the cycle is finished, place the pillows in the dryer along with 2 tennis balls placed into two separate white socks. The tennis balls will help to fluff your pillows so they don't come out flat.
3. Your pillows can get pretty dingy, so you may want to do this at least two times per year.

Your mattress and pillows should be cleaned just as you clean your bedding. Your mattress and pillows can soak in odors, so cleaning them will help to keep your bedroom fresh.