A bedstead should be wiped frequently with a damp cloth; if it is of enameled iron it may be washed with soap and water. The springs may
be cleansed with a stiff brush dipped in kerosene oil. Excessive use of water upon the springs is likely to make them rust.
Mattresses.
—Various substances are used in the manufacture of mattresses, but nothing has yet been found that is as satisfactory as curled hair. It is light and clean and elastic, it does not readily absorb odors, and it is easily renovated. Although hair is more costly than other materials, a hair mattress may be used almost indefinitely if it is occasionally made over.
Felt or cotton mattresses are firm, but heavy, difficult to keep clean, and likely to absorb odors. A useful mattress made from straw is sometimes found in country districts. Such a bed is thoroughly hygienic, for the worn straw may be burned and the tick washed and refilled with clean straw; but straw beds are generally hard and lumpy. The least desirable of all mattresses is the old fashioned feather bed, and it should never be used if a better can by any possibility be obtained; but a feather bed should not be arbitrarily taken away from an old person accustomed to its use, unless his welfare is really at stake.
A mattress made in two sections is unnecessary for a single bed; indeed, a mattress made in one
piece is more easily kept in place if the patient is restless. A good quality of blue and white ticking makes a serviceable cover for both mattress and pillows since its color is not likely to run.
Care of the Mattress.
—A mattress should be brushed frequently with a whisk broom, especially around the tufts and edges. If a patient is long confined to bed, a fresh one should occasionally be substituted so that the regular mattress may be removed, well brushed, beaten with a carpet beater, and left exposed to the sun and air for a day or two. A mattress that is badly soiled should be sent to a cleaner and made over; it cannot be cleaned properly at home. It is generally possible to remove blood stains, if they have not soaked through the ticking, by applying a thick cream made from raw starch and cold water. When the starch becomes dry it should be brushed away, and the application should be repeated until the stain has disappeared. For the best results the starch should be applied before the stain is dry.