An average adult loses around 1.5 litres of moisture and sheds roughly 30,000 dead skin cells per hour during sleep. Over weeks and months, this creates an ideal environment inside your mattress for dust mites, bacteria and mould — none of which you can see, but all of which you sleep in every night.
What's Living in Your Mattress
- Up to 10 million dust mites in a double mattress
- Significant bacterial colonies, including potential skin pathogens
- Mould spores, particularly in older mattresses or humid environments
- Sweat residue, skin oils and dead skin cells
- Pet dander if pets sleep on or near the bed
Cape Town's winter humidity — regularly above 70% from June to August — creates near-ideal conditions for dust mite reproduction and mould growth inside mattress fibres.
The weight test: A mattress can double in weight over 10 years primarily due to the accumulation of dead skin cells, dust mite bodies and their waste products. Regular cleaning prevents this build-up from the start.
How Often Should You Clean Your Mattress?
- Healthy adults: Every 12–18 months
- Allergy or asthma sufferers: Every 6–12 months
- Children's mattresses: Every 6–12 months
- After illness: Always
- After any liquid spill: Immediately
What Professional Mattress Cleaning Does
Professional hot-water extraction cleaning removes the biological matter that has built up in mattress fibres. Pre-treatment breaks down oils and biological residue, hot-water injection reaches deep into the mattress, and powerful extraction removes the loosened material along with most of the moisture. The mattress dries within 4–6 hours with windows open.
Combine Mattress and Carpet Cleaning in One Visit
At Carpet Lab, mattress cleaning is frequently combined with carpet and upholstery cleaning in a single visit — reducing the cost and disruption compared to separate appointments. If you're having carpets cleaned, it's cost-effective to add mattresses at the same time.
Book mattress cleaning in Cape Town — call Meyer on 082 321 8196 or request a free quote.
