Sleep is a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle. And, in most homes, the bedroom is where sleep occurs. While it is true if one is tired enough they can sleep almost anywhere, and it won’t matter if the area is clean or messy, this type of sleep is not as beneficial as sleeping in a bed with clean sheets, an attractive, clean room decorated in soothing colors and a style enjoyed by its occupants. This statement is true for a child’s room as well as an adult’s room. In fact, children often spend several waking hours in their bedroom, so it is particularly important for them to have a clean, attractive room. Of course, as with any other room in the home, a bedroom needs to be kept clean for maximum enjoyment and health. Here follow some tips on how to keep a bedroom clean:
Bed:
How often have you heard, “why make my bed, I’m just going to sleep in it again so who cares?” Studies have shown that bedrooms should appear peaceful and that during the day if beds are unmade people coming in the room, say for an article of clothing from the closet, there is a feeling of disruption. Again, when it is time to sleep an unmade bed just isn’t inviting. A bed should be made soon after waking. Sheets and pillowcases should be changed regularly, and the bedspread, quilt, and blankets washed as needed. If the bed covers are heavy and difficult to wash they can be taken outside and given a good shake in the fresh air and then hung on a clothesline or run through a dryer cycle. This will remove most of the dust and freshen the cover. Mattresses too need occasional attention. Some are designed to be turned. All need to be vacuumed to help remove sluffed-off skin particles.
Closets and dressers:
In most homes, the bedrooms are where clothes are kept in dressers and closets. Both these areas should be kept organized, and surfaces cleaned regularly. Closet floors should be vacuumed weekly and washed or cleaned depending on the type of floor or carpeting. These areas have surfaces that need to be dusted once a week as dust build up in a bedroom is bad for allergies and can hold on to germs causing sickness. A dirty clothes basket/hamper is often kept in the closet and should occasionally be taken outside and aired. It is a good idea to spray a little air freshener in the closet following the weekly cleaning.
Floors:
As with other rooms in the home, floors should be vacuumed weekly. Washing throw rugs, shaking area rugs outside, and washing floors should be done at least once a month. Deep cleaning a carpet should be done every six months or more often if the occupants suffer from allergies. And don’t forget to clean under the bed as dust and germs hide there as well.
Clutter:
Bedrooms, especially children’s bedrooms, are often a place where items are thrown down and just left a while. You should try to have a nightly pick-up time as this way it will only take a few minutes versus the long, and sometimes hotly disputed, messy room clean-up. Provide age-appropriate shelves for books, toys, and special items. A desk is helpful for school-age children. Toy boxes are a “no-no” as toys are thrown in and then dumped out later all over the floor. Use bins to keep toys separated and easy to play with. As items in a bin, such as blocks, Legos, Barbie dolls, or small cars are used the items can be put back in the bin which is then returned to its shelf. Grown-ups too need a nightly pick-up time to keep their bedroom free from clutter.
As with all rooms in the home, bedrooms need a little daily attention with a longer period of time once a week. Having a schedule and enlisting the help of all the household is the best way to keep a bedroom and all rooms comfortably clean, avoiding a huge clean-up job later on. Once family members are used to helping and beginning to enjoy having a clean home, the task of on-going cleaning will, on most days, “just happen.”
