The Complete Guide to Bedroom Cleaning
Your bedroom is your sanctuary, and ideally it’s the most restful space in your house. A clean, well-maintained bedroom supports a great night’s sleep, while a grimy, dusty bedroom can have the opposite effect. Effective cleaning ensures your bedroom remains a tranquil place for optimum rest. For this reason, you’ll want to make your bedroom a top priority in your cleaning routine. Here, we’ve create a comprehensive guide with everything you need to know to achieve outstanding cleaning results, so you can enjoy having a spotless, pleasant bedroom free from toxins.
1. Washing your pillows
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We wash our linen regularly but often forget about keeping what’s inside our pillow cases clean. Dust mites, sweat, and dead skin cells can build up in our pillows, so do wash your pillows (and doonas) as often as recommended by the manufacturer. Check the product tags for cleaning instructions. You might be able to wash them in your washing machine using laundry detergent. Alternatively, you might need to have them professionally cleaned at your local laundromat or dry cleaner’s.
- Roll up your pillows – If you’re machine washing your pillow and it’s a synthetic pillow, roll them up lengthwise and secure the middle and both ends with rubber bands before putting it in the machine. This will minimise clumping of the fibres. Once you’re down, lay it flat to dry.
- Detergent – A mild liquid detergent could be best for pillows as this minimises residue.
- Wash in pairs – Wash two pillows at a time to keep your washing machine balanced.
- Rinse twice – Run the rinse cycle twice to ensure all the detergent has been rinsed out.
- Dry – If the tag suggests, you can use a dryer, put a few tennis balls tied in a cotton sock in with the pillows to help speed up the drying time while reducing fibre clumping. If it’s a down or feather pillow, use the air cycle or low-heat setting when drying. Polyester pillows should also be dried on low heat as high heat can cause clumping. You’ll want to make sure the pillows are completely dry before using them again as dampness can lead to mould. Laying them flat in sunlight is another effective way to dry your pillows.
Once you’ve washed your pillows and doonas, dry them as recommended by the manufacturer. You might be able to tumble dry these items or hang them out to dry naturally.
2. Washing your sheets
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Our sheets, pillow covers, and blanket or doona covers are the frontline when it comes to accumulating sweat, body oils, and dead skin cells. How often you wash your bedding linen can depend on a variety of factors, but as a general rule, once a week could keep away the dust mites and other allergens. For warmer regions like Singapore, you might need to wash more often. If the sleeper wears pyjamas and isn’t a heavy sweater, you could wash less often. If you shower right before bedtime, this could also mean you don’t need to wash your bedding as often. By using bio-home delicate laundry detergent, you will not need to use softener.
- Check the tag – Different fabrics will need different cleaning processes. Check the tag on your bedding and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to wash and dry your bedding.
- Printed and coloured items – Turn printed and coloured pillowcases and doona covers inside out to protect the colour when washing.
- Cotton and polyester – Hot water is best for bedding made from cotton and polyester.
- Delicates – Delicates like silk might need to be hand washed. If the tag says it can be washed in the machine, use a delicates detergent and avoid using bleach. Other delicates like linen and bamboo can also benefit from mild detergents, and bleach should also be avoided for these.
- Wash separately – Wash your sheets and bedding separately from other laundry, as this will give your sheet more room in the water and allow you to obtain a better clean.
- Pretreat stains – Always pretreat stains with mild detergent for cotton or polyester sheets, and use delicates laundry detergent for special fabrics like linen and silk. To brighten white sheets, add one-quarter cup of lemon juice to the wash water rather than harsh products like bleach, which can damage your sheets.
- Top loaders – For top loaders with centre agitators, form your sheets into rough balls before dropping it into the machine. Agitators can tear and wrinkle your bedding, so this can assist with reducing the risk of damage to your linen.
- Gentle wash cycle and cool water – Wash at low temperatures, ideally cold or lukewarm water, and use the gentle wash cycle. Hot water can lead to shrinkage in your bedding.
Once you’ve washed your pillow cases, doona covers, and bed linen, turn them inside out so the “innards” are exposed to sunlight. This could help with killing bacteria and ensure your linen is thoroughly dried. To reduce the risk of irritation and create a healthier household, use bio-home laundry detergent; it’s hypoallergenic, non-toxic comes in a pleasing phthalate-free fragrance of Hyacinth and Nectarine.
3. Caring for bed linen
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These easy strategies can allow you to keep your bed linen in good condition for longer.
- Minimising wrinkles – Always take your sheets out of the dryer as soon as the wash or dry cycle is over. If they’ve been dried fold them and smooth out the wrinkles. If lines and wrinkles have set in, put the sheet back in the dryer for another five minutes with a damp towel for added moisture.
- Temperatures for drying – Check the tag for drying instructions, and keep in mind high temperature can damage the fibres in your bedding.
- Ironing – Sheets, pillowcases, and doona covers can be ironed unless the manufacturer recommends against it. Iron them after drying for a fresh, crisp look.
- Make sure sheets are dry – Ensure your sheets and other bedding are completely dry before storing them away. Damp sheets can lead to mildew growth, which can ruin sheets or at least stain them and cause unpleasant odours.
- Store in closets or drawers – Spare sheets and pillowcases should be kept in cool, dry closet or drawers. Line your drawers with acid-free tissue paper to prevent yellowing fabric. It’s best to skip plastic containers as these can trap moisture and encourage mildew.
- Storage – Store clean matching sheets together for easy access when you’re washing your bedding. An easy trick to use is storing folded sheets inside the matching pillowcase, along with the other pillow case. Alternatively, store matching doona or blanket covers, along with the two pillowcases, inside the last fold of the matching flat sheet. Tuck a dryer sheet with the folded sheets to keep them pleasant smelling.
Even well-cared for bedding will break down over time. When there’s staining, fraying hems, and faded colours and patterns, it’s probably time to replace your sheets.
4. Cleaning your mattress
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The mattress, like the rest of your bedding, can accumulate dirt and particles. To clean your mattress, start by stripping away your bedding and washing it.
- Vacuum – Use your vacuum cleaners’ upholstery attachment to clean your mattress, starting at the top and working your way down in overlapping strokes. Vacuum the sides once you’ve completed the top.
- Deodorise – Sprinkle with baking soda and rub with a scrub brush. Leave for 10 minutes and vacuum again. The baking soda draws body oils and other moisture out of the mattress, thereby removing any sources of odour.
- Stain treatment – Treat stains immediately, but if you’re working with stains that have set in, you might want to dry a few different recipes to try removing the stains.
- Flip – Once you’re done, you can slip your mattress and try cleaning the other side by following the same steps if it’s an innerspring or a coil mattress. Pillow-top mattresses won’t need to be flipped and cleaned.
- Protect – It’s hard to get stains out of mattresses, so preventative measures are a good idea. Use a washable mattress cover or mattress pad to protect your mattress. These are machine washable and can protect your mattress from moisture and body oils.
5. Surfaces and other areas
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Beyond your bedding, decluttering and keeping surfaces clean is also essential for a clean bedroom.
- Declutter – Keep clothes and other items off the floor and store them in the correct places, whether it’s a magazine rack, the closet, or drawers.
- Surfaces – Clean your tile or marble flooring, as well as the top of your bedside tables and the top of your dresser. Regularly dust these surfaces and use a quality surface cleaner to keep them clean and free of germs. Opt for natural, plant-based cleaners for an effective yet gentle clean.
- Windows and mirrors – Wipe these down with a window and mirror cleaner for a spotless finish.
- Blinds or curtains – Blinds and curtains can accumulate dirt, so wipe or vacuum these as often as necessary.
From your pillows and mattress to flooring and other surfaces, a clean bedroom requires some attention to detail. Regular, effective cleaning is the best way to ensure your bedroom supports restful sleep, so you’ll be glad you took a few extra steps to create a spotless, healthful space. By using the right cleaning products and cleaning methods, you’ll find it easy to maintain pleasant sleeping quarters.
Bio-home is an industry leader in eco-friendly, 100% plant-based cleaning products for your household. To find out more about how our laundry and floor-cleaning products can help you achieve a safe and non-toxic yet effective clean, explore our website or contact us for more information. Additionally, for a Complete Guide to all things Laundry, click here.