Spring cleaning can take many forms. Deep cleaning jobs like power washing the windows tend to be top of mind, but focusing your spring cleaning energy on refreshing the bedroom will lead to a big payoff in the end.
After a long winter, the bedroom can feel stale and drab instead of fresh and bright. To help you restore that fresh and bright feeling to your bedroom, we’ve created a seven-point checklist of deep cleaning jobs to revitalize your bedroom.
Refresh the bedding
Even if you’re diligent about regularly washing your sheets, your bed can benefit from a deeper cleaning. Fortunately, it’s as easy as doing a load (OK, a load or two!) of laundry: Spring cleaning is a time to wash all the bedding, including pillows, comforters, bedskirts, throw blankets, decorative pillows, shams and any other textiles on or around your bed. Delicate or very precious items like baby blankets or stuffed animals can be washed by hand.
How to wash a comforter and sheets
Use a good stain-fighting laundry detergent when washing bedding to eliminate buildup from body soils.
How to wash your pillows
Dryer balls help to redistribute and fluff the stuffing in pillows, and speed up drying time.
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Most weighted blankets can be machine-washed; if you have a dark-colored weighted blanket, a darks detergent can help to prevent color loss and fading.
How to hand-wash
Deep clean the mattress and upholstered furniture
Mattresses should be cleaned twice a year to remove allergens, eliminate odors and address any stains that have occurred. Use a vacuum fitted with an upholstery attachment on flat surfaces, and a crevice attachment to remove dirt, dust, hair and allergens from the seams of mattresses and upholstered furniture.
How to clean a mattress
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Dust away dirt and grime
Dust and polish, as appropriate, all hard-surface bedroom furniture and any electronics, like TVs and speakers. Move the furniture —?beds, nightstands, dressers, etc. —?away from the walls in order to sweep, dust and/or vacuum underneath and behind, where dust bunnies gather. When dusting, remember the two golden rules: 1) Work from the top-down and 2) Dust first, vacuum second.
How to clean hard-to-reach places
Using a flexible duster with an extended wand will allow you to quickly clean moldings, window casings, ceiling fans, and the ceiling itself, with ease.
Deep clean the floors
Even bedroom floors that are regularly vacuumed, mopped or swept will benefit from a deeper cleaning in the springtime. Step up your floorcare: If you usually sweep hardwood or laminate flooring, spring cleaning is a good time to mop; if the carpet is regularly vacuumed, use a carpet cleaning machine that gets deeper into the fibers. And don’t forget to clean the flooring under furniture, which is often overlooked during regular cleaning and can be home to dirt, dust bunnies and hairballs.
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Our top pick in a review of mops, the O-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin Mop combines a hands-free wringing bucket with lightweight, triangular mop head that’s perfect for both mopping and spot-scrubbing on any surface.
How to clean your carpet and rugs
Thanks to the Hoover CleanSlate Pet’s 7-inch vacuum head and compact design, you won’t have to sacrifice performance for portability.
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Named the best upright carpet cleaner overall, the Hoover SmartWash+ is built around simplicity, thanks to its automatic carpet spraying system.
Wash the windows — and the window treatments
Window washing is a staple of spring cleaning that plays an important role in brightening up the bedroom. Literally, let that sun shine in! In addition to cleaning the glass, take down window treatments like curtains, sheers, blinds and shades that gather dust, hair and other environmental debris over time. Launder, vacuum or dust window treatments as appropriate to the material and style. When the window treatments are down, turn your attention to cleaning the window casings where dirt and dust build up.
How to actually clean your windows, according to experts
A squeegee will leave your windows sparkling clean, unlike cloths that can leave behind lint.
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Clean window coverings like curtains and blinds without taking them down by pressing your vacuum cleaner into service. Specialty attachments like Dyson's soft dusting brush will gently remove dirt, dust, dust mites and other allergens without damaging the delicate window treatments.
Eliminate odors and allergens
Odors can take root over the long winter months when windows aren’t opened very often, making spring cleaning a time to address any smells that are making the bedroom feel less than fresh. And, if you use a humidifier or a dehumidifier in the bedroom, spring cleaning is a good time to give those small appliances a deep clean to ensure they’re operating at peak performance.
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Closets can suffer from musty smells caused by excess moisture. DampRid makes hanging moisture absorbers as a solution to this particular problem.
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Small scrub brushes allow you to reach the tight areas or corners of a water tank, where bacteria tends to form.
Declutter and organize
In addition to tackling heavy duty cleaning jobs, spring is also a good time to address bedroom clutter; the goal should be to find a home for everything, with a keen eye to only storing items that belong in a bedroom. If the snowshoes you bought last year are still on the floor of your bedroom, now is the time to find a better home for them. To inform your decluttering efforts, we’ve rounded up our guides to organizing everything in your bedroom, from the bedside table to the closet.
20 products under $20 that help organize your bedroom
A decorative vanity tray is a quick, easy and stylish way to make a jumbled collection of eyeglasses, lip balms, hand creams and other personal effects on your dresser or bedside table look neat.
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If you’re a person who tends to have a big stack of books on your bedside table,?a wall-mounted floating bookshelf will be a life- and space-saver for you.
