HOW TO HIRE · CLEANING

How to hire a mattress cleaner in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No register applies to mattress cleaners. Check insurance for the mattress, the products used and the scope before booking.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a mattress cleaner in five steps

  1. Strip the bedBefore the cleaner arrives.
  2. Say the sizeSingle to super-king.
  3. Mention stainsSo the right treatment comes.
  4. Plan the nightAir the room while it dries.
  5. Several mattresses?One visit spreads the minimum.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

Nothing licenses mattress cleaners in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, so mattress cleaning can be offered by anyone; trader status, insurance and references carry the weight.

Ask for a business name, an invoice for the mattress cleaning and the name of the insurer.

Cleaning chemicals and COSHH

HSE's COSHH rules on hazardous substances apply to self-employed people who bring hazardous products onto other premises, apart from monitoring and health surveillance. Strong degreasers, descalers and biocides used for mattress cleaning fall within them.

Ask which products the mattress cleaning uses, and whether they are safe on your surfaces. hse.gov.uk →

Your rights

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires mattress cleaning to be done with reasonable care and skill; a mattress left damp or marked can be put right at the cleaner's cost.

Get an invoice naming the mattress cleaning method and products.

Public liability insurance

No register requires it, but public liability insurance is what pays if mattress cleaning damages a floor, a fabric or a fitting. Your right to reasonable care and skill in the mattress cleaning comes from the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Before the mattress cleaning, ask the mattress cleaner for the insurer and the cover level.

VAT

Mattress cleaning is standard-rated at 20%. A mattress cleaning business taking more than £90,000 a year must register, charge the 20% on each mattress and any anti-allergen add-on, and show it separately.

Ask for the VAT number when you book and check the 20% is listed under the per-mattress price. gov.uk →

“Which mattress cleaning method do you use?”

A good answer: Extraction or low-moisture, explained.

“How long will the mattress take to dry?”

A good answer: A few hours.

“Can you treat urine stains?”

A good answer: Yes, with the right product.

“Is an anti-allergen treatment included?”

A good answer: Priced as an add-on.

“Both sides or one?”

A good answer: Stated and priced.

“Are you insured if the mattress is damaged?”

A good answer: Public liability, insurer named.

Getting the quote right

  • Price per mattress
  • Stain and odour treatment
  • Anti-allergen add-on
  • Both sides or one
  • Who actually attends with the extraction kit, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
  • The VAT number, and 20% VAT shown separately from the per-mattress prices

Walk away if

  • Soaks the mattress
  • No drying advice
  • No insurance
  • Price changes on arrival
LOW
£30
TYPICAL
£55
HIGH
£95

What a mattress cleaner costs: £30–£95 per mattress

Mattress cleaning is priced per mattress by size and treatment. Mattress Cleaning price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Mattress cleaners near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. VacuumHigh-filtration vacuum.
  2. Pre-treatStains treated.
  3. CleanExtraction or low-moisture.
  4. DeodoriseOdours neutralised.
  5. DryLeft to dry.

High-filtration vacuum
Traps fine dust and allergens.
Low-moisture clean
A method that uses little water.
Anti-allergen treatment
Reduces dust-mite allergens.
Enzyme cleaner
Breaks down organic stains such as urine.
Mattress protector
A cover that keeps a mattress clean.
Drying time
How long before the bed can be used.

AFTER

When the job is done

Let it dry fullyBefore the bed is made.
Air the roomWindow open if possible.
Keep the invoiceProducts noted.
Review it honestlyYour review of the mattress cleaning is tied to a real booking. Under four stars, you can send the problem with the mattress cleaning to the mattress cleaner first and we follow it up; then the review goes live.

STEP 1Tell the mattress cleaner, in writingPut the problem with the mattress cleaning in a message or email, with photos and the date. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 reads reasonable care and skill into every contract like this one, so you can require the mattress cleaner to redo the faulty part within a reasonable time at no cost to you, or give a price reduction.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right stepBelow four stars, Locufy offers to pass the problem with the mattress cleaning to the mattress cleaner before your review is published, and follows it up with both of you.
STEP 3Trading Standards, through the helplinesTrading Standards is reached through a helpline, not directly: Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland can log a complaint about the mattress cleaner and pass it on.
STEP 4Small claims, if money is owedTo get money back for the mattress cleaning, the small claims limits are £10,000 in England and Wales, £5,000 in Scotland (simple procedure) and £5,000 in Northern Ireland; court fees start at £35 in England and Wales and £23 in Scotland.

Hiring a mattress cleaner: questions people ask

No. No licence or register applies.

HSE's COSHH rules apply to hazardous products a self-employed cleaner brings in.

Ask about public liability insurance.

£30–£95 per mattress, about £55 for most. See the mattress cleaning price guide for the breakdown, then put your town in the search above to compare cleaners.

Usually, with an enzyme treatment.

About 30 to 45 minutes per mattress, then drying.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in cleaning

How to hire: Upholstery CleaningHow to hire: Carpet CleaningHow to hire: Deep CleaningHow to hire: Rug CleaningHow to hire: Curtain CleaningHow to hire: Spring CleaningHow to hire: House CleaningHow to hire: End of Tenancy CleaningAll 701 hiring guides →

Mattress cleaners near you

Mattress cleaners in LondonMattress cleaners in ManchesterMattress cleaners in BirminghamMattress cleaners in GlasgowMattress cleaners in BelfastAll mattress cleaners on Locufy →Do it yourself: cleaning a mattress →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. HSE — does COSHH apply to the self-employed?
  2. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 55 — repeat performance
  4. Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue (England)
  5. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  6. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register