Studies show that the average American spends more than 7 hours a day in their bedrooms. When thinking of spring cleaning this room, most people think of simply removing clutter and changing bed linens from the winter, heavier comforter to a lighter duvet for the warmer nights. We are going to break down spring cleaning the bedroom in these 5 easy steps.
Let’s detail our spring cleaning into the areas that are most overlooked until we get to this “every now and then” cleaning ritual. Spring Cleaning is mainly about removing the dust built up since last Spring. The bedroom is a soft place for us to land at night after a long day – right? Well, with that comes a lot of soft surfaces! Take a moment and think about all the areas in your bedroom that have soft surfaces and imagine how much dust they have collected since last Spring? Soft areas, such as the ones we are going to cover, hold onto dust and cause severe allergies during the Spring season. Most of us think spring allergies are just based on outdoor allergens; however, indoor allergens are trapped in soft surfaces of our homes and it’s time to address them.
Curtains and Blinds
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Curtains and blinds keep the sunlight out and give our rooms privacy; however, they are the closest thing to the windows and they hold onto dust and are rarely cleaned. If you have allergies it’s quite important to dust thoroughly the soft surfaces in your bedroom. If you have an easily removable curtain it’s best to place it in the washer on a delicate wash and then allow it to air dry afterwards. Most curtains however are either custom made or too heavy for a simple washing machine wash. Take the curtains down and take them to your local dry cleaner for professional cleaning. Here’s a helpful, cost-saving hint: check your dry cleaner’s website for coupons on spring discounts first!
Once the curtains are down, let’s address those blinds. If you have the standard wood vertical blind use a microfiber rag and dust them from the top to the bottom on each side. If you notice that it is not doing the job effectively, use your vacuum tool with soft bristles and vacuum the blinds on both sides and then use the microfiber rag to remove any leftover dust.
Comforters, Duvets, Blankets and Mattress Covers
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I’m sure you wash your sheets regularly (at least once a week); however, when was the last time the comforter was taken to the dry cleaner? If everything else in your room is dusty just imagine the dust you are cuddling up with at night as you catch your zzzz’s!
Comforters are another soft surface in your bedroom that need special attention in washing. Most comforters need to be taken to be professionally dry cleaned. (Again – check for coupons with your local dry cleaner!) I know you don’t want to be without your comforter for a night so keep in mind this tip… Most places offer same day services. If you drop your comforter or heavy blanket off in the early morning it’s usually ready by 5pm.
Take any heavy covers and comforters in to be dry cleaned before putting them away in storage so you are not storing last year’s allergens into next Spring.
Mattress covers that are not zipped should be washed along with your sheets every time to keep the dust mites to a minimal amount. Wash the mattress cover on the highest heat setting and we recommend air drying it so it doesn’t shrink (depending on the material).
Mattresses
Now that all the layers are off of your bed that have been holding in dust, let’s tackle the hidden dust keeper…Your mattress!
- Take a mason jar (or any container with a lid).
- Add at least 2 cups of baking soda mixed with Tea Tree Oil or Eucalyptus Oil (about 10 drops for every 2 cups).
- Then shake the contents together and use a sifter to sprinkle the mixture all over the mattress.
- Let the baking soda mixture set on the mattress for as long as possible….(at least 5 hours).
- Then use your vacuum attachment and vacuum the mattress on both sides if possible.
After doing a thorough cleaning of the mattress we recommend, whether you are an allergy sufferer or not, to use a zippered mattress cover to minimize dust mites.
Lamp Shades
Lamp shades require dusting; however, they can be very delicate so follow these steps carefully so you don’t damage the shade. If your lamp shade has ridges or is made of a harder material that doesn’t seem to bend inwards when you gently wipe it go ahead and use a vacuum attachment. Most vacuums come with attachments that have soft bristle brushes for removing dust and dirt from areas that are delicate. If your lamp shade is a softer material, you can use a dry microfiber rag and gently wipe the shade in and up and down motion all the way around until all the dust is gone.
Carpet
We vacuum our carpets often but sometimes it’s best to call in the professionals who have the equipment to remove dust, dirt and grime that the average vacuum can’t get. If you are not cleaning your vacuum roller spool on a regular basis you may be re-depositing germs into your carpet after each use. Carpet fibers get about as much wear as the mattress; however, they aren’t covered by comforters and sheets so it’s best to have them cleaned at least once a year by a professional. I recommend to Keep It Local and call Austin Steam It who services a lot of our clients make-ready properties.
I hope these simple tips for spring cleaning your bedroom will jump start you in the right direction. Do you have any tips that I didn’t list here that you have found work well for spring cleaning your bedroom? Please leave them in the comments section below. By taking the time to do some deep cleaning now of this important room in your home, you can rest easy knowing that you have removed a lot of the dirt, grime, and allergens. Now doesn’t that make it easy to get a good night’s sleep?
Sleep Tight!