In a world filled with clamour and complexities, bedrooms can provide a safe sanctuary — so don’t ignore them when it comes to planning a spring deep clean.
Whether we live with roommates, a partner or on our own, the bedroom is the one place truly devoted to resting and recharging. A nicely made bed, a nightstand set up just so, and a sheepskin rug right where our feet meet the floor.
But look a little closer, and our peace is pierced — this space needs a deep clean, immediately. Here are the hidden spots in a bedroom that are likely in desperate need of soap, water and awareness.
1. The Headboard
Did you know there could be a dust-filled pathogenic trap located just inches from your head? That small, seemingly inconsequential area between your headboard and the wall could actually be harbouring untold numbers of microbial colonies. So do not ignore your headboard!
Regularly vacuum behind and under the headboard to reduce dust, which fosters microbes’ stomping ground. Use a microfibre cloth and a disinfecting spray cleaner on the headboard itself. If it’s an upholstered headboard, give it a good vacuum and then blast it with a steamer/steam cleaner (or a boiled kettle, in a pinch). The hot steam will instantly kill off any little dust-loving nasties.
Try to get behind there every two to three months, but up the regularity if those dust bunnies are getting too frisky too often.
2. The Mattress
If you can’t remember the last time you got up close and personal with your mattress on a routine bedroom clean, the time is now. Every six months, strip back the sheets and mattress protector (a must!) and deep clean.
Whether you use a steam cleaner or an upholstery cleaning machine, make sure you do both sides to take care of wayward dust mites, dead skin cells and dried sweat (yep). Air drying the mattress afterwards is also super important to prevent potential mold or mildew growth.
Related: Expert Reveals How Often You Should Replace Your Mattress
3. The Ceiling Fan
A dynamo at summertime cooling and circulating heat in the winter, it’s easy to be a fan of a bedroom-ceiling fan. However, its fan club goes beyond the human population — dust, pollen and pet dander are also active members. Before you go removing that sticky dust residue from its blades, make sure you put an old sheet or towel directly under it. We wouldn’t want that gunk to fall onto a newly cleaned floor or, gah, bed.
A long-handled duster moving from the centre outwards will capture the dust most effectively. If there’s more build-up than an expandable duster can handle, go in with a damp cloth or gentle cleaning solution. Aim to get all up in the blades every month, although regular weekly dusting will reduce the need for those monthly deep cleans.
4. The Tops of Wardrobes
Since we’re already looking up, let’s keep that momentum going and take a really good look at the tops of bedroom wardrobes. For such a large space, it’s surprising how it often gets ignored when whipping through the bedroom for a quick weekend clean. But ignore it not; when dust is denied, dust multiples.
Push through the annoyance of grabbing a step ladder or purchasing a duster with a pivoting handle, and take a peek. Once you’ve seen the grubby landscape, the wardrobe will go right back onto your bedroom deep-clean checklist.
5. The Nightstand
Unlike wardrobes, the tops of nightstands likely get included in that weekly bedroom wipe down. But what about the back, the bottom, the sides or inside the drawers or cubbies? When in deep-clean mode, tackle the problem from all sides… literally.
Pull the drawers out and use an appropriate cleaner on each side (wood polish for wood, etc.). As part of the bedroom deep clean, get specific with what goes back into those bedside cubbies. Make sure you have everything you need within arms’ reach, and remove anything that doesn’t belong there.
6. The Carpet/Rug
OK, a regular vacuuming is pretty standard care for a bedroom carpet or decorative rug. But we’re going deep here. After a thorough vacuuming or shaking out, liberally sprinkle the whole carpeted area or rug with a few cups of baking soda. Give it a good 15 minutes to magically absorb up any subtle smells that you may have become unknowingly accustomed to.
Whether it’s a wet (but beloved) dog, a (cranky) shedding cat, or wayward smoke vapours from that New Year’s Eve house party you hosted, hoover up that baking soda and breathe deeply.
Related: Cleaning Products You Should Never Mix Together
7. The Bedding
Yeah, this shouldn’t be included in a list of “hidden spots” but alas, bedding may need more cleaning care than it’s currently getting. Guess how often you should be washing bedsheets (that’s the fitted and flat sheet, along with any pillowcases or shams)? If you guessed anything over one week, this tip is for you!
An unwashed pillowcase alone can house up to three million bacteria after a single week of use. As a reference point, that’s nearly the same amount found inside a square inch of a toilet bowl. So, at a minimum, once a week, on a hot cycle and preferably with one cup of white vinegar added to the rinse cycle to really beat those prolific bacteria.
8. The Pillows
Sweat, sneezes and drool, they all soak into a pillow. So please give that pillow a good soak with suds every three to six months. Whether the pillow fill is cotton, feathers, down, or fibrefill, they likely can handle a cold wash on a gentle cycle.
Make sure you wash two pillows at a time — their weight will keep the washer drum balanced. Much like bedding, add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle to cut down on bacteria buildup.
Latex and memory foam pillows must be hand washed. Submerge them in a lukewarm bath or tub with a splash of gentle detergent and vinegar, and gently squeeze. Repeat with clean water, and air dry on top of a towel, flipping them for even drying.
Related: The Gross Reason You Need To Wash Your Pillows More
9. The Door Handles
E.coli and Staphylococcus are just two strains of bad, bad bacteria shown in scientific studies to be flourishing on doorknobs. Don’t get sick by skipping such a simple step of a bedroom deep clean — disinfecting the doorhandles. In fact, make it part of your weekly routine, and skip a very uncomfortable visit to the ER. Soap and water, a disinfecting spray or a 70 per cent solution of isopropyl alcohol are all effective at eviscerating those knob-clinging nasties.
10. The Curtains
The reason for a bedroom deep clean is to bring it back to a healthy baseline. Ideally, the floors and surfaces are now dust free, the bed is once again hygienic and the air is free from allergens.
If this is the goal, the curtains cannot be overlooked! Their very design is a dust trap — thick, woven material that touches the floor and the ceiling, swiping over both multiple times in 24 hours. Add in the proximity to poorly insulated windows (and the inevitable condensation), and mold is also a likely roommate.
Cleaning them twice a year is must, but make it more if dust and odour are prevalent in your abode. Check tags for washing-machine instructions. Heads up: Dry cleaning or hand steaming may be the only option for their fabric composition. Yes, that could be expensive, but you’re worth it — as is the health of your lungs.
