What do you wipe a cot with?

A wooden cot is wiped with a surface cleaner suitable for wood, and a painted or lacquered cot with a neutral surface cleaner diluted in lukewarm water, using a thoroughly wrung cloth. The rails the baby touches are wiped once more with a clean damp cloth to remove product residue, and the cot is dried.

Can a travel cot be machine washed?

The frame of a travel cot is not machine washed. Only removable fabric and covers can be washed, if the label allows, at the temperature on the label; fabric and mesh that do not come off are cleaned in place with a slightly damp cloth.

Can a cot mattress be washed?

The cot mattress itself is not wetted; its removable cover is washed according to its label. Stains on the mattress are dealt with straight away by pressing with a cloth dampened with cold water, and the mattress is aired until it is completely dry.

Guide · Baby and children's items · October 20, 2026

How to Clean a Cot

A cot is something a baby spends long hours in every day; hand and mouth marks build up on the rails, milk and food stains on the fabric and dust in the corners. Two rules stand out when cleaning a cot: follow the manufacturer's user manual and leave no product residue on the surfaces the baby touches. This guide explains how to clean a wooden cot, a travel cot and the cot mattress and what to watch out for. For pushchairs, see the guide how to clean a pushchair.

First read the manufacturer's instructions

Manual: find out from the manual what the cot is made of, which parts can be removed and whether the fabric can be washed.
Label: follow the washing instructions on the fabric, cover and mattress labels.
If you have no manual: find the manual for your model on the manufacturer's website.
Take the baby out: clean when the baby is not in the cot and use the cot only once it is completely dry.

How to clean a cot: step by step

Take the mattress, bedding, bumpers and toys out of the cot.
Remove the dust in the corners and on the base with the brush nozzle of a vacuum cleaner or a dry cloth.
Wipe the frame with a thoroughly wrung cloth and a product suited to its material.
Wipe the rails that the baby holds and may put in their mouth once more with a clean damp cloth to remove product residue.
Dry the frame with a dry cloth and let it air.
Wash the textiles according to their labels and set the cot up again only once everything is completely dry.

How to clean a wooden cot

Do not leave a wooden cot standing in water or wash it with lots of water; water makes wood swell and spoils the finish. Wipe the frame with a thoroughly wrung cloth dampened with TETİK wood surface cleaner, wipe the rails once more with a clean damp cloth and dry straight away. Test the product on a hidden spot first. On painted and lacquered cots, use a soft cloth dampened with lukewarm water to which START all-purpose surface cleaner has been added in the amount on the label; according to its safety data sheet, our START all-purpose surface cleaner has a pH of 7–8. Do not use abrasives, steel wool or degreaser on wooden and painted surfaces. For details, see the guide how to clean wooden furniture.

How to clean a travel cot

Travel cots have fabric, mesh and a folding frame. Wash removable fabric and covers only if the label allows, at the temperature on the label. Wipe fabric and mesh that do not come off with a cloth or soft brush dampened with lukewarm water to which a small amount of liquid detergent for coloureds has been added, without soaking the fabric; then wipe with a clean damp cloth to remove the detergent. Wipe the plastic and metal frame with a diluted neutral surface cleaner and dry it. Fold the travel cot only after it has dried completely, open, in a well-ventilated place; fabric folded while damp can smell.

How to clean a cot mattress

If the mattress cover is removable, wash it according to its label.
Do not wet the mattress; remove the dust with the upholstery nozzle of a vacuum cleaner.
Deal with milk, food and urine stains straight away by pressing with a cloth dampened with cold water, and let the mattress dry completely in a well-ventilated place.
Make sure the mattress is thoroughly dry before putting it back.
For details: how to clean a mattress.

Bedding, blankets and stains

Wash cot bedding, sheets and blankets at the temperature on the label: detergent for coloureds for coloured items and detergent for whites for whites.
Before applying a stain remover such as İLK BOR Leke Sihirbazı to stains, test the product on a hidden part of the fabric.
For milk and vomit stains: how to remove milk stains, how to remove vomit stains.
Follow the label instructions for bumpers and blankets (how to wash a blanket).

Mechanism, locks and wheels

Do not let water, oil or solvent get into the mechanism of rocking cots, the folding locks of travel cots or the wheel housings. Remove the dust from these parts with a dry brush, then wipe them with a slightly damp cloth and dry them. If a lock or mechanism does not work properly, or you notice loose screws or joints, contact the manufacturer or authorised dealer before using the cot.

What not to do

Leaving a wooden cot in water or washing it with lots of water.
Using bleach, abrasives, degreaser and solvents on the cot.
Leaving product residue on the rails.
Machine-washing fabric and covers without checking the label.
Folding the travel cot while it is damp.
Mixing different cleaning products (can cleaning products be mixed).

For hotels and nurseries

Hotels offer guests cots and travel cots, and nurseries use cots and nap areas every day. Room and classroom cleaning instructions should state that cots are cleaned according to the manufacturer's instructions after every guest or according to plan, that textiles are washed and that the mechanism is checked. START All-Purpose Surface Cleaner is produced in 5 L and TETİK Renkliler Liquid Detergent in 4 kg packs. For the cleaning routine of nurseries see how to clean a nursery, and for hotel rooms how to clean a hotel room; for bulk purchases you can request a quote.

Prepared by: Tetikoğlu Kimya — cleaning chemicals manufacturer since 1997. When using products, always follow the instructions and warnings on the pack.