6 Mistakes You're Making When Cleaning Your Bed

Your Comforter

Mistake: You're Only Washing Your Comforter Once

Because of their size, comforters can be a difficult thing to keep clean. While fluffy and voluminous blankets are nice when you're cozy in bed, they're not always the most washing machine-friendly items. But that shouldn't deter you from cleaning it!

Doing more than one cycle will clear out all the dirt that's trapped in the folds, darts, and the fabric itself. However, that doesn't mean you should be using a ton of soap. Add a little less detergent than normal to prevent the comforter from coming out extra sudsy.

Sheets

Mistake: You're Drying With A Heat Setting That's Too High

While you want to make sure your sheets are dry (who wants to sleep with wet sheets?!), keep your dryer on a lower heat setting. This will both prevent shrinking and keep them from wearing out too fast. You should also remove the sheets from the dryer as soon as they're done to avoid wrinkles.

When you remake your bed, don't forget to place your top sheet wrong side up. Yes, you read that right. It might seem strange but that way, your skin is touching the softer side while you sleep.

Sheets In Need Of An Upgrade?

Pillows

Mistake: You Think A New Pillowcase = A Clean Pillow

Even with pillowcases on, your pillows can catch a lot of dust mites, skin cells, and dandruff. After a while, those things can make your allergies worse *and* weigh your pillow down. Gross. Aim to wash your pillows every six months, especially if they start showing discoloration.

The first thing you'll want to do is remove the cover if there is one, then just chuck your pillows right in the washing machine. Add two pillows at a time to keep the machine balanced. If you're unsure whether they can be machine washed, check their care label. Once they're finished, air dry or add to the dryer on a heatless setting.

Mattress

Mistake: You Don't Vacuum Your Mattress (Or You Vacuum Too Infrequently)

Cleaning your mattress is important considering you spend 1/3 of your life lying on one! Since you can't throw it in the washing machine (wouldn't that be nice?), baking soda is going to be your best friend. Mix in some essential oils for a nice scent if you want!

Clean up any noticeable dirt or stains with a soapy, damp cloth, then sprinkle the baking soda mix over your mattress. Spray a combo of vodka and water overtop, and let everything sit for 20 to 30 minutes before you vacuum it up. Don't forget to rotate your mattress every few months too.

Headboard

Mistake: All You're Doing Is Dusting

For both upholstered and wooden headboards, it can be easy to forget cleaning unless you see dirt. In reality, you should be cleaning every three or four weeks! Even when you're not deep cleaning, you can vacuum/wipe down on a weekly or bi-monthly basis.

Use a damp washcloth with baking soda to clean a cloth headboard (you can just vacuum the baking soda when it's dry), or use a mixture of water with a little bit of soap for your wooden headboard. White toothpaste is also a great option for removing water stains without stripping the wood.

Bed Frame

Mistake: You Totally Forget About Your Bed Frame

We're guilty of this! Rotating your mattress is the perfect opportunity to clean your bed frame. You can use the same soap and water you cleaned your headboard with (or just use a wet washcloth), and wipe down the sides of the frame before you set your mattress back on top.