Tips for Fall Cleaning Your Bedroom

Spring cleaning is a common thing, but what about fall cleaning? Giving your house a good deep clean before you’re going to be cooped up indoors more often than you have been recently is a great idea. When making your checklist of cleaning tasks, don’t overlook the bedroom.

It may seem like a no-brainer to wash your comforter, blanket, quilt, duvet and duvet cover, or whatever else you use as a heavier bedding layer on your bed at frequent intervals, but sometimes they get overlooked. It may be that your washing machine isn’t big enough to hold your bedding. Or it may be that it’s dry clean only, and you don’t have a backup blanket to use in the interim. Put aside the excuses and get that sucker clean! While it may not come in direct contact with your skin through the night, it is in direct contact with the air in your home, so therefore it is the most susceptible to dirt and allergens.

You should be washing your pillows at least twice a year. The easiest way to do this is in the washing machine. Use the gentle cycle, and the low setting on your dryer. One way to fluff up your pillows even more is add a tennis ball to the dryer while drying. Be sure to check the tag on your pillows, though, as it might give different instructions on how to clean. Memory foam pillows should never be put in the washing machine, but most of the covers can be machine washed.

Most mattress protectors and memory foam mattress encasements can be machine washed. This can be done more frequently than just during fall cleaning, but it’s a great way to remember to do it when you’re doing a house-wide cleaning. Again, it’s always best to check the tag on your mattress protector or encasement just to make sure there aren’t any special instructions from the manufacturer.

Window treatments are often overlooked during a normal cleaning schedule, so be sure to include them in the fall cleaning checklist, especially if you’ve had your windows open throughout the summer. Blinds and indoor shutters should be wiped down to remove any dust, dirt, and grime. Curtains and sheers should be washed, either professionally or in your washing machine. I like to also steam my curtains with a handheld steamer to get out any wrinkles that may be left over, but also to add another way to disinfect the fabric.

If you have a ceiling fan, it probably won’t be used as much as the temperature starts to drop. With the stand-still fan, you may notice all the dust that has collected on the blades from constant use through the summer. A quick way to clean your ceiling fan blades is to use an old pillowcase (or one you don’t mind getting dirty). You can spray your favorite cleaning solution on the blade of the fan first, or you can use the pillowcase just to catch the dirt. Make sure the blade is fully covered by the pillowcase as you start you cleaning as to prevent any of the dust from falling on you or anything else.

What are some of your cleaning tips for making sure your bedroom is sparkling clean?