When it comes to our homes, it’s easy to get comfortable with imperfections or what we may call “the lived-in look”. If you’re one of those adults who’s busy with work and other obligations, this is usually acceptable – to a point. While comfort is essential, there’s also safety to consider, especially when you have these things happening:
- Going outside almost daily
- Frequent guests
- Children
- Furry friends
In other words, anytime you or anyone in your home comes in from the outside or tracks in dirt, deep cleaning helps. Although you may know this, realize putting this off only makes things worse. A deep clean bedroom checklist helps you organize so cleaning doesn’t take all day.
Getting Your Cleaning Supplies
While a broom and mop, cleaning cloths, old rags, and a liquid multipurpose cleaner are standard, one thing is usually missing. Planning is everything when it comes to deep cleaning any room. Deep cleaning serves two purposes – spaces look better and make for a healthier existence.
Other products you may want to include are bleach alternatives if you want to prevent white surfaces from looking dingy. Also, laundry detergent or stain remover is good for pre treating and removing stubborn stains. Finally, if you have a vacuum cleaner with a replaceable filter, the filter should be cleaned or replaced.
Assessing What Needs to Be Done
Once you have your cleaning supplies in place, time is the next factor to consider. While many of us would love to dedicate an entire day to a full deep cleaning, sometimes, this isn’t always possible. If you’ve never cleaned your bedroom thoroughly, here are some areas to consider:
- Airing out or flipping mattress
- Shaking or cleaning area rugs
- Removing and cleaning air vents
- Cleaning underneath all furniture
- Shampooing carpet and/or area rugs
- Wiping ceiling fan blades or delicate light fixtures
- Removing unused items in closet and drawers
You may need to stagger your deep cleaning days to once a week for about a month. However, doing these things too far apart only makes this task longer. Procrastination rarely pays off and sometimes we never know when life will get in the way of our good intentions.
Determining If You Need to Disinfect
If you’ve ever come home to a stuffy room, chances are the smell didn’t appear overnight. There may be something in your bedroom or nearby causing the stench. It may be something as minor as a sticky substance stuck on your shoe bottom or leftover food that has spoiled. Then again, your pets may be to blame.
Once you locate the source of the stench, remove it immediately. If your normal cleaning routine includes wiping down surfaces, mopping, or vacuuming, using a disinfectant spray can’t hurt. Yet, if you want to kill all airborne germs or don’t care for store products, customizing a disinfectant is easy.
Making Your Own Disinfectant
Since the pandemic, more people have been cautious about viruses entering their homes. So much so that they add disinfecting to their bedroom cleaning checklist since that’s where they spend the most time. The advantage of this formula is that it’s made with natural ingredients, and you can adjust the aroma strength.
While some people don’t like white vinegar’s distinctive scent, its acidic properties make it a better cleaner than apple cider vinegar. Once it’s diluted, the tart aroma isn’t as strong. You can also use equal parts of diluted baking soda with hot water.
When you’ve chosen a disinfecting base, you can up the ante by adding an essential oil. Compared to store-bought cleaners, the scent is mild but offers germ-fighting powers to your liquid or paste solution. Here are some essential oil options to consider:
- Lemon – has an antibacterial and antiviral agent that helps in disinfecting and eliminating germs
- Tea Tree – not only fights pathogens but has antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, making it ideal for cleaning moist areas
- Lavendar – not only smells great but fights bacteria and germs with its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. It’s also a natural pesticide
- Peppermint – this invigorating scent has antifungal and antibacterial properties, and like lavender, it fights bugs in your home as well
- Eucalyptus – like tea tree oil, this is best for spaces that are prone to dampness. It also has antibacterial and antiviral properties that ensure your bedroom is free from pathogens
Why a Clean Home is Better for Your Health
If you’re someone who says they’re going to clean their room but finish in 15 minutes or less, something’s missing. And if you only do this a few times a month, some areas are being overlooked. Again, the outdoors, pets, and frequent guests have the potential to bring some unwanted elements into your space.
We’ve been discussing the various pollutants that can be eliminated or reduced with deep cleaning. We sometimes believe these hazards will disappear by spraying an aerosol can in the air but it’s not always that simple. Below is a short description of why these are harmful and why you should take immediate action.
- Bacteria – while not all types are bad, those transmitted by air can become toxins that attack human cells. If left untreated, these toxins can make you ill and only a doctor can determine whether it’s treatable
- Fungi(us) – can cause the immune system to weaken and is only treatable with antibiotics
- Germs – a general term that describes bacteria, fungi, microbes, and viruses. These are generally harmless upon initial contact but can change and compromise your immune system as time passes
- Pathogens – another term to describe bacteria, fungi, and viruses but also includes parasites. Like germs, they can be harmless if caught early but depending on the type, can create toxins that destroy human tissue
- Viruses – can impact cell function yet are not treatable with antibiotics. These can only be stopped with antiviral products or medication
Using a Bedroom Deep Cleaning Checklist
Instead of doing everything in a single day, which may take several hours, you can try staggering your tasks every week. This gives you some time to relax in-between while making some progress. If you struggle or get easily distracted, one way to speed things up is to time yourself.
Let’s just say you like to keep your bedroom walls snow-white. Even if you have a large bedroom, this takes about 15 minutes per wall, which is an hour to finish. If you use a wall mop with a diluted liquid bleach alternative, this task can be done in half the time.
Things like washing curtains aren’t something you need to do every day but once a month. The same goes for blinds or window treatments. Look at objects that collect dirt and possible pollutants and combine cleaning tasks as you please.
- Week One – Strip bed and change sheets, mop or vacuum floors, dust all surfaces, and do necessary laundry.
- Week Two – Wipe handles and surfaces, clean all soft furniture, wipe light fixtures, and wash one large item, such as a bedspread or comforter.
- Week Three – Clean mirrors, flip mattress and change sheets, mop or vacuum floors, wash or clean area rug. If you don’t have an area rug, organize drawers and closets.
- Week Four – Tackle anything that’s been overlooked. If you need a dry-cleaning service, drop off the item early and see if it can be ready the same day.
It also doesn’t hurt to outsource this task, as professional house cleaners aren’t solely for the wealthy. Many working adults who are childless often turn to expert cleaners because they lack the resources to do it themselves.
Keeping a Schedule and Sticking to It
While these tasks may seem daunting, we also know it’s one way of preventing bacteria and viruses from entering your home. You can also do certain tasks once or twice a month once the initial deep cleaning is completed. This way, your work-life balance remains intact while winning the fight against things that don’t belong in your personal space.
We Are Here For You
If you don’t have the time or energy to give your bedroom or other space in your home a deep cleaning, don’t fret. Our experienced house cleaners can make any room in your home germ-free and spotless in little time. We only hire honest individuals who aren’t afraid of details or note anything unusual in your home. Call or visit MaidThis Durham today to book a cleaner for your home or vacation rental.
