After a long and dreary winter, nothing feels better than the arrival of spring. The air is warmer, the days are longer, and the feeling of sunshine on your skin makes you forget that winter ever happened.
One downside? The realization that your bedroom is dusty, musty, and in desperate need of a deep clean. Spring cleaning your bedroom from top to bottom is the perfect way to transform it into the relaxing sanctuary you've dreamed of, a place you can unwind and leave the stress of the day behind.
Not sure where to start your spring cleaning journey? We're here to help. We've created a seven-step checklist that will make spring cleaning your bedroom a breeze.
Step One: Refresh your bedding
While we always recommend laundering your sheets on a weekly basis, knowing how often to clean the other pieces on your bed can be tricky. Start by removing your sheets from your bed, then take a look at everything that's remaining: pillow shams, blankets, your bedskirt, mattress and pillow protectors, etc.
If they haven't been cleaned in a while, now is a good time. Make sure to examine the care labels before choosing to wash in your home washing machine - do they need to hand washed, dry cleaned, or even just spot cleaned? If your pieces can be machine-washed, wash them in the gentle cycle of your washing machine with a sparing amount of gentle liquid detergent.
We love Leblanc's Linen Wash as a gentle & safe option to clean your sheets and bedding
Next, take a good look at your bedding inserts. How are your sleeping pillows looking? Most pillows need to be replaced every 2 years or so, so check to see if they have lost their shape. If you don't know how old your pillows are, we always recommend doing the Burrito Test by folding them in half and seeing how they spring back. If they bounce back into shape, they're in good condition. If they stay folded, they have lost their effectiveness and will need to be replaced.
Explore all of our sleeping pillows, from ultra-soft to firm support
If your pillows are new or in good shape and you'd like to fluff them up, you can put them in the dryer on the air dry cycle with some wool dryer balls. Wool dryer balls are an eco-friendly alternative to dryer sheets, and tossing them in the dryer with your pillows will make your pillows feel fluffy and fresh.
Our sustainable Wool Dryer Balls are eco-friendly and made in Ontario
As for your duvet, it will rarely (if ever) need to be cleaned as long as you're properly using a duvet cover with it. If you do feel that it's in need of a wash, we recommend seeking out a professional launderer who specializes in down products to do the job.
Step Two: Deep clean your mattress
When you're spending around 1/3 of your life in bed, it's bound to get a little dirty. Even though you regularly wash your sheets, your mattress will still absorb lingering body oils, dead skin cells, dirt, and dust. Taking the extra step of deep cleaning your mattress can help you get a better night's sleep by reducing the allergens, dust mites, and sweat that inevitably builds up over time.
It's recommended to deep clean your mattress twice per year, and we like the rule of thumb of doing it during each time change (just like testing your carbon monoxide detectors).
Start by sprinkling the entire mattress with baking soda and letting it sit for as long as possible (12 hours at minimum). Next, vacuum the entire mattress thoroughly, paying close attention to all seams and crevices. As an additional step, you can spray your mattress with white vinegar and allow to fully dry before re-making the bed. This will remove any lingering odours.
If you don't already use a mattress protector, consider this your incentive to get one. A mattress protector is an essential piece for every bed (in our eyes, it's a non-negotiable).
Mattress protectors prevent your mattress from absorbing dust, dirt, and naturally occurring body oils and debris - which will degrade the quality of the mattress and shorten its lifespan. Protectors also keep you healthier, by providing a barrier between you and dust and/or dust mites. As an added bonus, mattress protectors add an extra layer of comfort to every bed (something we all love!).
Cotton-Terry Mattress Protector
Cotton Mattress Protector
Step Three: Clean your windows & curtains
Nothing makes your bedroom feel brighter and cleaner like washing the windows, and letting the spring sunshine flood the room. Start by removing your curtains or window treatments, and (if possible) wash them on the gentle cycle of your washing machine. Please check the care tag or instructions before doing so, as they may need to be dry cleaned.
Curtains are often susceptible to yellowing or stubborn stains. Make sure you're using a liquid detergent that is effective while still being gentle on fabric.
Next, wash the windows, window casings, and trim with soap and water to remove dust, dirt, and any environmental debris that may have blown in during the winter.
If you were able to wash your curtains, allow them to air dry before hanging them back up in your space. We love pressing our curtains with a steam iron before hanging them back up, to give them a crisp and polished look.
Our favourite iron for sheets and curtains is the Rowenta Steam Force Iron
Step Four: Dust and polish
Dusting is a fundamental spring cleaning step will make your bedroom shine, and also help you sleep better at night. Dust is a major cause of allergies, which can interfere with sleep. When dusting, always start from top to bottom, and move left to right. That way you're not scattering dust over surfaces you've previously cleaned.
Start by dusting the big pieces first: furniture, lamps and lampshades, ceiling fans, door frames, walls and baseboards. Once you've finished dusting any wood pieces, give them a good polish to make them gleam.
Next, move on to the smaller pieces that can be dust magnets: picture frames, jewelry boxes, cords for electronics, etc. If you have any candles or diffusers in your bedroom, make sure to give them a good cleaning - they can easily collect dust and are often overlooked during routine cleaning.
We can't resist eco-friendly natural soy candles with fresh scents for the bedroom
Step Five: Clean your floors
Now that your bed has been stripped, windows and window treatments cleaned, and every surface has been dusted, it's time for the final cleaning step: cleaning the floors. Make sure to pull all of the furniture away from the walls to get rid of any dirt, dust bunnies or hair that can cling to furniture legs or your bed frame.
Even if you regularly clean your floors, they'll still benefit from a deep clean at the start of spring. If you have hardwood floors, give them a good vacuum and mop them. For your rugs or carpets, you can use a carpet or steam cleaner to be extra thorough.
Step Six: Swap in spring bedding
With the warmer weather, many of our customers use spring cleaning as a good excuse to switch in lighter weight bedding options. Now is the time to swap out your warm flannel sheets, cozy blankets, velvet or knitted accents, and heavier duvets.
If you're a hot sleeper, you'll benefit from cool, breathable sheets and bedding like crisp cotton percale, airy linen, and lightweight crinkle gauze.
Explore our new Spring bedding collections
Now is a good time to put away your heavier winter duvet, and replace it with a lighter all-season or summer duvet. To stay organized, we recommend investing in a duvet storage bag. You can store your out-of-season duvet and sheets in it while not in use, to keep them clean and organized all season long.
Duvet Storage Bag
Explore our light & ultra-light duvets for summer sleeping
Step Seven: Finishing steps
You're done! All of your spring cleaning hard work is complete, and your bedroom is looking and feeling fabulous. All you have left to do is make the bed and enjoy relaxing in your calm and clean space.
For a final step, we love to spritz a freshly made bed with a scented linen water. This will make your room smell amazing, and a calm and soothing scent can help you unwind and sleep better (just step into any five star hotel and observe how they utilize scent).
Au Lit Pure Linen Scented Water
Interested in learning more? Read our Between the Sheets blog for more bedding tips and home inspiration.
