Bidding Bed Dirt Goodbye
Your bed is possibly one of the coziest places in your home. It is soft and warm and you never want to leave it in the morning. You lie on top of your mattress peacefully, but if you knew what lurked beneath, you would opt for the floor instead.
It is no surprise that your bed is a breeding ground for bacteria and allergens, think about it; you climb into bed without showering one night and have deposited thousands of micro-organisms into your nest.
You sit on your bed with your clothes that you wore to work or to the store, you allow pets on your blankets, and during the night you rub dirt, sweat, oils, and skin cells into your mattress.
So what can you do to put a stop to bacteria and enjoy a peaceful, clean sleep?
- Wash bed sheets and pillow cases often, more than once a month.
- Be sure to use a detergent able to kill and strip bacterial organisms.
- A sheet set can always be soaked in a alcohol-water solution for a few minutes and promptly rinsed and laundered as usual.
- Newly purchased sheets can be frozen for a week before use to slow bacterial growth. Having a consistent washing regimen can eliminate a large part of the problem of ‘bed dirt’.
Next we have the mattress.
The large, breathable, but dark space is the perfect home for millions of bacteria to thrive and spread.The mattress can be cleaned significantly less than your sheets as it is a larger job and requires more time.
- Begin by vacuuming the mattress, the high powered suction will pull out the dust and dander and expose the fabric for a better clean.
- Next, mix isoproyl alcohol and warm water and spray the mattress, but do not soak. Let sit for a few minutes then wipe with a damp cloth and dry.
- Use baking soda to sprinkle on the mattress, let sit overnight preferably and then vacuum the next day.
For stain removal, identify the stain and take the correct action. For example, you thought your foot stopped bleeding when you stepped on glass and you went to bed. You wake up in the morning to see that it did not. No fear, spray hydrogen peroxide on the stain and let bubble, then light blot and rub with a cloth or towel. Soak it up and repeat the process if the stain has not disappeared.
When cleaning your bed, also vacuum underneath your bed and the surrounding areas, as skin cells also fall around your sleeping area.
So next time you lay down for a much needed sleep, you can sleep knowing that your bed is clean and even more cozy than before.
