TikTok cleaning hack that could be ruining your sleep: 'More harm than good'

With 19.7 million TikTok views, the #matresscleaning hashtag has become a go-to resource for anyone wanting to clean, refresh and deodorise their mattress. And for good reason.

With the average adult producing between two to four litres of sweat per hour, that's potentially 32 litres of sweat absorbing straight into your mattress every night!

But are these TikTok hacks actually affecting your sleep?

Apartment rental experts from Essential Living have warned that some popular cleaning hacks could potentially be doing more harm than good when it comes to an ideal bedroom situation.

Spritzing your mattress with essential oils?

The unofficial TikTok Queen of Clean @Vanamaro91’s tips include vacuuming your mattress, sprinkling with baking soda and then spraying it with a mixture of two cups water, a cup hydrogen peroxide, five drops of clear dish soap and five drops of essential oils.

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Even though this cleaning hack may appeal, it could actually be keeping you up at night. Why?

“Citrus smelling essential oils like orange and lemon may smell fresh, but their uplifting properties have been proven to keep you awake," the experts say."Another scent to avoid is peppermint, as this oil has been proven to uplift and brighten your senses and actually prevent fatigue, so it could also keep you up at night."

What to do instead?

To keep your bed smelling fresh, the team recommends you change your sheets regularly and add a mattress protector, which can prevent any bad odours gathering.

If you want to keep your room smelling fresh without affecting your sleep, the team recommends you opt for relaxation oils (such as lavender or chamomile) to scent your room (without using them directly on your mattress). Another scent for your room is bergamot oil.

Even though bergamot is a citrus oil, studies show it can induce physiological changes, such as lowering heart rate and blood pressure, the perfect combination for a good night's sleep.

Sprinkling baking soda on your mattress?

Another popular hack is to sprinkle baking soda over your mattress to deodorise it.

As many cleaning influencers jump on this bandwagon, a mum of two from Melbourne has seen 168.3K likes and 7.5k shares from her mattress cleaning hack.

TikToker @mama_mila_ adds essential oils to baking soda, then spreads it all over her mattress before vacuuming it.

But what do the experts say?

"Using baking soda to deodorise your mattress is an old wives' tale," they say. "This cleaning hack can be damaging to your mattress, rather than actually cleaning it."

And, whilst baking soda generally isn’t harmful, those with sensitive skin may experience an allergic reaction or skin irritation.

To prevent your mattress from gathering bad odours, it is recommended that you again invest in a mattress protector. These sheets protect your mattress against dust and moisture, and some are even waterproof.

Simply pop your mattress protector over your mattress, add your fitted sheet and you’re good to go.

Expert take on vacuuming your mattress

Vacuuming your mattress isn’t just a TikTok hack, it's a well known technique to remove dust.

“Vacuuming your mattress is important to keeping it clean and fresh, and can also help prevent bed bugs," experts say.

"However when vacuuming your mattress try to avoid using the vacuum cleaner you’d use on your floor - you could be doing more damage by transferring germs from your floor onto your mattress.

"Instead invest in a hand-held vacuum cleaner for your mattress and refrain from using this vacuum cleaner on anything other than your mattress.”

Steam cleaning your mattress?

Another cleaning trend involves using a steam cleaning device, often used on sofas and carpets, to clean a mattress.

Many video clips show stained and yellowed mattresses transformed into gleaming, white mattresses.

It’s no wonder this trend has been recreated countless times with the caption “TikTok made me do it”.

But what do the experts say?

“We advise against this cleaning hack," they warn.

"We understand that it can be very appealing, however, steaming your mattress could be doing more harm than good.

"Using a steam cleaner might seem like a great idea to disinfect and freshen up your mattress, but the sheer heat and moisture from the steam could damage your mattress more than you realise.

"If you're trying to remove stains from your mattress, we recommend you speak to an expert cleaner who will check what products and methods are best suited for your mattress.”

Four expert tips for keeping your mattress pristine

1. Invest in a mattress protector to provide a barrier against dirt, moisture and sweat.

2. Vacuum your mattress on a regular basis, but use an attachment that hasn’t been used on your floor.

3. Change your bed sheets and protector regularly to keep your mattress smelling fresh.

4. Flip your mattress every six months to prolong the life of your mattress.

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