Advice on deep cleaning cot mattress please!

caprilicious

Hi,

I bought a second hand cot bed which came with a mattress.
My plan from day one was to chuck out the mattress and purchase a new one, however its an unusual size (58 x 27.5 inch) and I'm finding it very difficult to source a replacement.

The existing mattress is clean and firm, the seller said it had not been used much and it looks like that is the case but there is a smell of cigarette smoke from the mattress from where it was stored.

Is there any way the mattress could be completely sterilised or is it just a no go? Its a foam mattress with a cover, I've washed the cover on a boil wash and there is no smell from it now, its the foam I'm concerned about.

I don't want to jeopardise our little one's health so if its a no go its for the bin!

Thanks in advance,

C

twomaddogs

Hi,

There's a wealth of research about a link between cot death and used mattresses - also about cigarette smoke and cot death. The advice is new baby, new mattress.

I know it's a big cost in a recession and all, but if there's only two things you buy new I'd go for a mattress and car seat just for the safety issues.

Here's some links about used mattress and cot death:
http://www.drmyhill.co.uk/article.cfm?id=198
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/old-mattresses-raise-cot-death-risk-602984.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-145551/Cot-death-mattress-risk.html

Good luck with your new baby!

caprilicious

Thanks for the advice and links twomaddogs

Cost isn't a huge issue as one thing I definitely wouldn't skimp on is baby's safety, I'd only look into getting the mattress cleaned if it could be completely sterilised.
I'm having trouble finding a mattress the same size to replace the existing one, that's the only reason I'm considering using the original one at all.

Das Kitty

A 140cm x 70cm will fit it, you can roll up a sheet or blanket in the end with the gap and put the baby to the foot without the gap.

You really don't want cigarette smoke lingerings in your baby's bed.

I found Mothercare brilliant for advice on this sort of thing.

I'd also advise really cleaning the cot itself even if it looks brand new.

caprilicious

Thanks Das Kitty, I was thinking of going for shorter mattress alright but was worried as a lot of websites recommend that there shouldn't be more than a 1" gap between mattress and cot.

I'll pop into Mothercare when I'm up in Dublin next and see if they can help me with the mattress alright.

The cot has been scrubbed to within an inch of its life with Milton

foxy06

Would also agree with the above posters. Cot mattresses and car seats are the two main things you should buy new. Sure there are others but I wouldn't take the chance with either of those. The idea about the blanket at the end is great.

caprilicious

Thanks all, think I'll just have to keep searching for the mattress/try the blanket at the end.
I was hoping there might be a way of sterilising the mattress like something hospitals/nursing homes might do to clean their mattresses? but the cigarette smoke smell from it would be a huge concern & its putting me off.

Ah well, have til February to source replacement

ebmma

about 'new baby new matress' thing.
Surely it can be used again for a 2nd baby if the matress is not of the foam type?

themysteriouson

caprilicious wrote: »

Thanks all, think I'll just have to keep searching for the mattress/try the blanket at the end.
I was hoping there might be a way of sterilising the mattress like something hospitals/nursing homes might do to clean their mattresses? but the cigarette smoke smell from it would be a huge concern & its putting me off.

Ah well, have til February to source replacement

Give Eurobaby a call I know they can get mattresses cut to size for you. a 140*70 wouldnt be suitable as the gap would be too wide at the bottom. You really should get a new matress everytime you re-use a cotbed as foam mattresses will hold in dust after a period of time which is obviously not safe

neeb

ebmma wrote: »

about 'new baby new matress' thing.
Surely it can be used again for a 2nd baby if the matress is not of the foam type?

Nope, its linked to SIDS.
There are chemicals in the mattress which interact with the fluids from baby 1 and are suspected to contribute to SIDS. Second and third children are more likely to die of SIDS and they think this is why.

You can buy mattresses without the chemicals (Antimony and arsenic) or organic ones.

caprilicious

Thanks for all the advice folks, I found a website that do custom size mattresses so have a replacement one ordered.

Our dogs had a nice warm bed over the Christmas as they inherited the old mattress, though they had more fun shredding it to bits than sleeping on it unfortunately!

I've ordered a bamboo covered sprung mattress with anti allergen cover.
It took about an hour to chose the mattress, I didn't realise there were so many options out there!