What Happens When You Spray Rubbing Alcohol on Your Mattress?
In this article, discover all there is to know about what happens when you spray rubbing alcohol on a mattress, the pros and cons of rubbing alcohol when coming in contact with a mattress, and other alternatives available.
Some people have tried spraying rubbing alcohol on their mattresses to remove stains or solve the problem of bed bugs. Although rubbing alcohol disinfects, eliminates odors, and fights germs, it has some advantages and disadvantages when using it on your mattress.
Advantages of Using Rubbing Alcohol on Your Mattress
Although rubbing alcohol might not be strong enough to rid a bedbug infestation, spraying a light mist of rubbing alcohol on your mattress has several advantages, including the following benefits:
Alcohol Kills Dust Mites
Spraying a light mist of rubbing alcohol on your mattress can kill dust mites, which may lead to allergies or asthma in adults and children.
Deodorizes Your Room
Spraying rubbing alcohol on your mattress is beneficial for eliminating trapped foul odors. Repeat this process every six months for a fresh-smelling bed.
Reduces Stains
Rubbing alcohol can be an ideal spot treatment for eliminating stains on your mattress, such as food or beverage spills or urine stains.
Reduces Mold and Mildew
Spraying rubbing alcohol on your mattress reduces mold and mildew because it has a drying effect. However, it is best to use rubbing alcohol in a fine mist because it can be harmful if breathed in, especially for pets and children.
Disadvantages of Using Rubbing Alcohol on Your Mattress
Rubbing alcohol can be effective as a disinfectant for your mattress. However, it is crucial to use rubbing alcohol in a mist or dilute the solution with water to prevent harmful effects on your skin and breathing in the fumes.
When using any product, we must take the good with the bad. Here is a list of other disadvantages of using rubbing alcohol on your mattress:
Alcohol Does Not Eliminate Bedbug Infestations
Although rubbing alcohol can kill bedbugs when sprayed directly on them, they are sneaky critters who can hide well in small spaces where the alcohol cannot reach, such as creases in your mattress, furniture, and wall sockets.
It is impossible to spray all the bedbug’s hidden areas with rubbing alcohol, so they keep returning to your mattress when the lights are off. Plus, bedbugs reproduce at high rates, making it challenging to get rid of them with rubbing alcohol.
Rubbing Alcohol is Flammable
Even though rubbing alcohol dries fast, spraying it on your mattress poses a risk of catching on fire. Studies show airborne vapors are flammable when in confined spaces.
Rubbing Alcohol Can Cause Harmful Side Effects
When using rubbing alcohol to disinfect your mattress, it is essential to dilute it with water and spray it in a mist to prevent breathing in the harmful fumes.
It is also crucial to let the alcohol dry before coming into contact with your skin. Although rubbing alcohol is not harsh on your skin, prolonged contact from laying on a wet mattress may cause adverse effects on your skin.
Can Rubbing Alcohol Kill Bedbugs?
Bedbugs are challenging to eliminate by using rubbing alcohol as your sole extermination method. Although rubbing alcohol kills bedbugs on contact, it cannot kill the bedbugs hiding in crevices, walls, furniture, and floors.
Spraying a mist of rubbing alcohol does work as a bug repellent after you have successfully rid your home of pesky bedbugs by using a proper method of extermination, such as the following suggestions:
- Using store-bought pesticides.
- Hiring a professional exterminator
- Effective do-it-yourself methods, such as extreme heat or freezing.
Does Rubbing Alcohol Harm Your Mattress?
When diluted with water, rubbing alcohol sanitizes your mattress. Rubbing alcohol dries rapidly and does not cause damage when used in moderation. Less is more. Using a small amount of rubbing alcohol is all you need to disinfect your mattress.
After spraying your mattress with rubbing alcohol, wait at least 15 minutes before applying your bedding to ensure the alcohol has dried. Alternatively, rinse the rubbing alcohol off with a warm cloth. However, this method requires a longer drying time.
How To Make Homemade Bug Repellant With Rubbing Alcohol
As stated before, rubbing alcohol is not the most effective way to treat bedbug infestations. But it makes an economical bug repellant to keep mosquitoes, dust mites, and other insects away.
Here are the steps needed to make your homemade bug-repellant from rubbing alcohol:
Step 1 Find a Spray Bottle
You can use an empty spray bottle from home or buy one from your local dollar store.
Step 2 Gather Ingredients
For your homemade bug spray mixture, you will need the following ingredients:
- One cup of water
- One cup of rubbing alcohol
- One and a half tsp of eucalyptus or citronella oil for scent
Step 3 Mix Ingredients
Mix all ingredients in a pot or mixing bowl. Pour them into your spray bottle with a funnel to prevent spills. Shake the mixture vigorously and spray on your mattress, bedding, or carpets to keep pests away, such as dust mites, fleas, mosquitos, black flies, and more.
This bug repellant is the perfect accessory for hotel stays, camping trips, and sleepovers to help disinfect your bedding and promote peaceful, pest-free sleep.
Final Thoughts
We hope you have enjoyed our article about what happens when you spray rubbing alcohol on your mattress. In this article, we have learned that rubbing alcohol is effective for disinfecting. Rubbing alcohol offers several other benefits for users, such as repelling dust mites and other insects and reducing stains, mold, and mildew.
However, we have also learned that even though rubbing alcohol is not harmful to use on mattresses. It is ineffective in eliminating bug infestations. If you are suffering from bedbugs in your home, alternative pest control measures are necessary for ultimate results.
