When it comes to cleaning, many Brits prioritise the kitchen and bathroom. However, considering that we spend a third of our lives (27 years) in bed, our bedrooms get dirtier than what meets the eye…
Read on to discover the most commonly forgotten areas to clean in your bedroom, according to Martin Seeley, the sleep expert at MattressNextDay:
Sleep expert shares bedroom areas you MUST clean this Autumn 🧹🍂
When it comes to cleaning, many Brits prioritise the kitchen and bathroom. However, considering that we spend a third of our lives (27 years) in bed, our bedrooms get dirtier than what meets the eye… Read on to discover the most commonly forgotten areas to clean in your bedroom, according to Martin Seeley, the sleep expert at MattressNextDay:
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Your bedroom carpets
Why this is important: A dirty carpet can impact the airflow of the room, making it harder to fall asleep
Carpets and rugs in the bedroom can become clogged with dust, dirt, and all manner of unpleasant items, particularly if you walk through your room with your shoes. Not only can this make your room smelly and stuffy but research shows that it can impact the airflow of your room. This not only makes it harder for you to fall asleep at night but it can trigger allergy symptoms, or make you more prone to snore.
You should, therefore, hoover your bedroom carpet on a weekly basis and give it a deep carpet clean every Spring and Autumn. You can do this with a carpet cleaning machine, or if you’re on a budget, you can create a homemade mixture of one part distilled white vinegar with three parts of cold water in a spray bottle. You should then spray the solution onto the carpet until it’s very damp before letting it air dry. You can speed this up by using fans or opening your doors and windows.
Your mattress
Why this is important: The average mattress is home to up to 1 million dust mites, making Brits ill without realising
Your mattress is a breeding ground for dust mites, with the average mattress being home to between 100,000 to up to 1 million dust mites. Whilst these can be harmless to some, if you suffer from allergies or asthma, they can trigger mild symptoms such as sneezing, runny noses, and congestion or even bring on more severe, chronic symptoms in the worst-case scenario.
What’s more, regularly cleaning your bed is the best way to prevent bed bugs, which can survive up to a year. Female bed bugs also produce around 200 to 500 eggs over two months, all of which hatch in about a week and, therefore, breed quicker – making it harder to get rid of them altogether.
If you have a fabric mattress (so not a latex or memory foam), you can kill dust mites by mixing one cup of baking soda with a few drops of essential oil of your choice. You can then sprinkle the baking soda on the mattress and let it sit for 15 minutes, before using the hose attachment of your hoover to clean the baking soda.
Your pillows
Why this is important: Not cleaning your pillows every six months can lead to a build-up of fungus
A study found that not washing your pillows or their covers can lead to up to 16 different specifies of fungus building up – triggering allergic reactions or infecting your lungs or other organs. You should, therefore, clean your inner pillows every six months – with the clear change in seasons serving as a reminder.
How to clean your pillow depends on the type:
- Down pillows – These can be placed in the washing machine but should have their recommended temperature guide written on the label. When washing them, make sure to use a mild washing powder and include an extra spin cycle at the end to get rid of as much moisture to prevent the build-up of mould.
- Feather pillows – These can be washed the same as down pillows, however, they should receive a gentle cycle setting due to being made of natural materials. Do, however, check the care label for full instructions.
- Memory foam pillows – Unfortunately, the majority of memory foam pillows can’t be placed in the washing machine so instead they are better off being hand washed in a bathtub with water and a mild detergent.
As for drying your pillow, memory foam pillows need to be airdried, however, most down and feather pillows can be placed in a dryer on an air-dry setting, or the lowest setting. You should, however, add a tennis ball to a sock and place this in the dryer too – as it can beat out any lumps.
Your fake plants
Why this is important: They can trap dust, debris and other airborne particles
While taking care of fake plants is a lot less demanding than real houseplants, they do still require maintenance as they can trap dust, debris, and other airborne particles. Not only do these affect the overall look of your plants, but they can impact your health if not regularly cleaned.
Luckily, they’re super easy to clean. You just need a duster, or a paintbrush if your houseplant is smaller and has a lot of nooks and crannies. When cleaning your fake plant, you should start at the top and work your way down so that you’re not moving the dust onto a faux leaf that you’ve just cleaned. If you’re finding that the dust isn’t moving, you can dampen your cloth or brush which will help it stick.
Your inner duvet
Why this is important: Every night, we sweat at least 200ml of liquid – which seeps through to our duvet
Every night, we sweat at least 200ml of liquid onto your bedding, which naturally seeps through to your duvet. So, whilst you may change your bed sheets regularly, you should also be washing your duvet every six months.
These days, it’s common to have ‘summer’ and ‘winter’ duvets so that you can swap between them. The changeover between the two is the perfect opportunity to pop your ‘winter’ duvet in the washing machine before you put it on your bed. These should be washed at 60 degrees or as high as the care label allows.
Naturally, if your duvet is too large – you should take it to a commercial laundry or laundrette.
Your light switches
Why this is important: The average light switch is dirtier than a toilet seat
Light switches and lamps are commonly forgotten about when it comes to cleaning but it’s these kinds of touchpoints that can harbour the most germs and bacteria. In fact, a study discovered that the average light switch is crawling with 217 bacteria types per square inch; including faecal matter and E.Coli – which is worse than the average toilet seat.
However, cleaning a light switch is super easy. Given that it’s electronic, you should never add the liquid directly onto the plug socket but instead onto a microfiber cloth. For similar reasons, make sure it’s only damp not wet. You should then wipe rigorously to remove any sticky fingerprints, before using a dry cotton tip to get into the nooks and crannies of the actual switch.