House Love by Patric Richardson

Author:Patric Richardson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2023-10-26T00:00:00+00:00

Time to Clean Up

Keeping in mind that elusive hotel room standard, tending to your bedroom—even if that means just making your bed every morning—should be a priority. Not only does it start your day off right with a small accomplishment, but for many it also leads to less stress, more calm, and better sleep, says Sarah Vanbuskirk (“The Mental Health Benefits of Making Your Bed,” Verywell Mind, January 29, 2021). And if making your bed does all that, who knows what cleaning your whole bedroom might do? Let’s get started.

To clean your bedroom, like so many other rooms, start at the ceiling, wiping away any cobwebs with a wool duster. Next, turn off your lights and brush off fixtures, including cloth shades, with a horsehair brush. (As always, be sure your lights are off when dusting.) Lastly, check that light bulbs are working and replace as needed.

Next, strip the bed to wash the sheets and pillowcases. If it’s been more than two weeks, consider washing the duvet cover or comforter as well. Drying the sheets with wool balls sprinkled with an essential oil like lavender or peppermint will make crawling back into bed all the sweeter.

While the bed is bare, take two minutes with your hand vacuum or an attachment to vacuum your mattress—plus any upholstery. (Also, if you find any stains, treat the spots with a horsehair brush, a little laundry soap, and warm water.)

Before remaking your bed, plump any decorative pillows plus cushions on other bedroom furniture. If you find stains, spot treat or, if covers are removable, remove and wash once a month or so. When they’re still damp, right out of the wash, replace them on the cushions and pillows, and stand to dry. Machine-drying may cause shrinkage and make zipping back onto the cushions difficult.

Before dusting your dresser and any side tables, remove all the items that don’t belong—yesterday’s coffee mug, a bottle of hair gel, a newspaper, and pens, for example—and return them to where they belong. Now spray a clean terrycloth towel with your 50/50 vinegar-water solution and wipe down your headboard and footboard, side tables, dresser, any glass-fronted art, and windows. If you’ve got a TV in your bedroom, be sure to wipe the screen and the remotes.

If you’ve got a small area rug, roll it up and shake it out in your garbage can or outdoors. If you have a large area rug, simply vacuum. (To actually clean your small or large rug, see “Called on the Carpet.”)

Before returning the rugs to a laminate floor, sweep the floor with a stiff corn or straw broom. If the floor is hardwood, use a horsehair broom. If your sealed hardwood floor—it must be sealed—could use more than a quick sweep and you’ve got a steam cleaner, use that multitasker. Again, caution: Don’t use a steam cleaner on an unsealed wood floor or an engineered floor; a steam cleaner can damage both types.

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