How to clean a bed? Really? Is that even important? Why would you waste your time cleaning a bed? Well, if you think about it, we spend a ton of time in bed or at least we dream of spending more time in bed.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, we spend a third of our lives sleeping. So if we spend that much time in bed, we should definitely make sure that the bed is clean.
Of course, if you accepted your resolution for the year or if you try to start your day off with a made bed, then you probably would agree that the bed should be clean too.
It just feels better when you get in and out of a fresh bed with clean sheets. It gives you a positive end and start to your day.
With any cleaning process, it can be overwhelming thinking about all of the different parts of the bed and the struggle in where do you even start the process?
There are so many layers to just a bed, and then the space around the bed should be dirt and dust-free too.
Hopefully, this process seems easier with these 6 ways. With each process, you will know how to clean your bed like a professional and you will definitely get the rest that you need and deserve.
Table of Contents
1. Beneath The Bed
In order to ensure that the bedding and the mattress stay clean, you need to start with a little dust and dirt removal around and beneath the bed.
If you have hardwood floors under your bed, this can be very easy. You can just Swiffer Dry under the bed with a few quick swipes every other week.
If you have carpet under your bed and you really don’t want to have to move the bed to clean, I suggest getting a cordless vacuum. The Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum is the unbeatable updated version of the original cordless vac by Shark.
The new feature is that it now eliminates the hair wrap because of the fins. Yes, that is amazing!
Anywho, back to the dust, so with this vacuum or the Swiffer you are going to remove all dirt under your bed! Check!
2. Headboards, Baseboards, & Nightstands
For all of these areas, you are basically just trying to make sure that they are kept dust-free. This way your bedding doesn’t attract any additional dirt.
As for these pieces, you really just need a Swiffer duster. For your headboards, baseboards, and nightstands, take a duster along all sides of each piece of furniture and around your baseboards.
The Swiffer Duster Super Extender is great for reaching behind your bed to get to the baseboard without having to do any heavy lifting.
These dusters are simply amazing and can be used all throughout your home.
3. Bed Skirt, Sheets, & Covers
Oh, bedding! There are definitely a lot of layers that are involved in this part of the cleaning process.
The Bed Skirt
First, let’s talk about the bedskirt.
If your bed frame is designed to include a bed skirt, then you have to get this version of a bed skirt.
It is great and it doesn’t require you to have to wedge your bed skirt under your mattress anymore. It just stretches like a headband around your bed.
Just think about all of those times you have struggled throwing the mattress up and sticking the skirt under it.
Okay, maybe you can’t imagine this ridiculous scene, but I know it so well. I am actually laughing thinking about how many times I have been taken out by the bed just trying to put the bed skirt back on!
Wash this lovely bed skirt every 3-4 weeks.
The Sheets
Oh sheet the sheets! I just couldn’t help myself – anyways, the sheets should be washed weekly.
If you really want to stretch it to ten days and then to 14. Well, no one will judge, but on day 15 people will be just plain disgusted!
So when you wash the sheets, make sure that you use warm water and not hot. Hot is going to shrink even the most expensive sheet set. See more laundry tips here.
Comforters, Quilts, Duvet Covers, & Duvets
Okay, so there are varying degrees of cleaning involved here.
So the short of it is that you really need to wash these pieces at least once a month, except the duvet itself if you actually put a cover on it.
If your duvet is covered, then all you need to do is wash that cover with your sheets each week. Yes, easier said than done but remember, you do spend most of your life – okay a third of your life in bed.
Now for the duvet that has been inside the cover, wash that at least every other month. Make sure that you purchase a washable duvet because most of them requiring dry cleaning.
This is a fabulous washable duvet and it is budget-friendly.
So the justification for spending so much time doing the bedding, you spend more time here than you do perhaps in your She Shed, which you do deserve too!
4. The Mattress Cover
Ideally, you should wash this mattress cover weekly, but the reality is that just isn’t possible all of the time.
So every other week will work just fine. With this waterproof allergy-friendly pick, your mattress will be protected and you will have a restful sleep each night as well.
Make sure to wash this in warm water, and I always put it through the spin cycle twice. When I stick it in the dryer, I use a few tennis balls to ensure that it dries evenly.
5. The Pillows
Pillows! Who doesn’t just love a good pillow and a clean pillow for that matter.
Pillows are definitely something that gets a lot of love, so the professionals would suggest to wash them at least three to four times a year.
When you wash these pillows, just do two at a time. Also, be sure to run these through the spin cycle twice and throw in tennis balls to make sure that they come out nice and fluffy.
For throw pillows, you will probably have to take the covers off and wash those separately. Be sure to read each label because some of them are just spot clean only.
For the pillow inside of the throw pillow cover, use a disinfectant spray or try Tide’s Antibacterial Fabric Spray. It is wonderful and I highly recommend it for your couch too.
6. The Mattress
A mattress can really make a difference in a good night’s sleep, but I am not going to go on and on about that right now.
I will tell you that cleaning a mattress is a fairly quick process. Plus, you really need to do this once every six months.
You literally just have to vacuum it a few times. First, tear off the seventeen layers of bedding, run your vacuum over the entire mattress, every last side and angle.
Then, sprinkle some baking soda all over your mattress. Let it sit there for about an hour, and then vacuum the entire mattress once more.
For spot cleaning, just use Dawn Antibacterial Soap and a cleaning cloth to get any stains out.
Now, remember, no one will ever see these stains, so the main part here is that you are just disinfecting these areas.
If you remove it great but don’t go crazy scrubbing a stain that is just about to be covered by the seventeen layers of bedding.
After you have vacuumed it for the second time, I would go ahead and spray it with the Tide Antibacterial Spray, and let that sit until it is completely dry before you cover it.
Voila
Your bed is just so clean and so fresh. It smells and looks wonderful.
Now that you know the steps and you have this process down, you can rest easy and enjoy your bed.
After all, you spend so much time there, you deserve this to be the cleanest place in your home.
& Remember
Start with the Bed,
Juliet
