Your bedroom is supposed to be your safest retreat from the outside world. After a long day, this is where you rest and recharge to prepare for whatever’s ahead of you. Therefore, you must always keep it clean, neat, and organized.
Regular cleaning is even more crucial these days because of the viral COVID-19 outbreak sweeping the globe, as the virus can live for several days in unsanitized environments.
Maximize your days at home by keeping your personal space tidy and organized. Protect yourself from the illness, allergens, and mental chaos that clutter brings by cleaning up your bedroom.
Here are 7 proven ways to keep your bedroom clean and germ-free.
1. Stick to a regular cleaning routine.
Frequent cleaning and organization are essential to keep germs, viruses, dust mites, and various pests at bay. You do not want to suddenly wake up with insects crawling from outside your airconditioner’s vents or sneeze incessantly for hours due to dust and allergens flying through your indoor atmosphere.
If you are a very busy person who prefers cleaning alone, deep-cleaning your bedroom once a week will ensure that there will be no build-up of germs and unnecessary clutter. Change and wash all beddings and curtains, vacuum the floor and furniture, wipe off dust, disinfect surfaces, and get rid of clutter that hurts the eyes.
2. Ensure that your room has proper ventilation.
Let sunlight and airflow freely inside your bedroom occasionally so that it is not prone to germs and mold infestation. You can do this by opening doors and windows at least once a day so that natural light comes in. This also keeps the air in your bedroom healthy to breathe.
3. Regularly check for dust mites.
Pesky dust mites might be lurking on your mattresses or in cramped spaces in your room. These bugs reproduce quickly, and their waste and eggs could cause individuals to develop severe allergies and even respiratory problems.
Vacuuming uncovered mattresses is a must every time you clean. When it is time for deep-cleaning and washing, ensure that all your pillowcases, beddings, and cloth covers for any chair or furniture are all washed in hot water over 130˚F. This is the ideal temperature to kill off those harmful dust mites.
4. Sanitize your doorknobs often.
Touching door handles will lead you into another space, and that space can very well be your sickbed if you happen to get in contact with harmful organisms from holding onto unsanitized doorknobs or latches.
Disease-causing bacteria like staphylococcus aureus and E. coli are typically found on these common surfaces, and they can result in significant harm if they enter your body through the eyes or mouth or via a scrape or cut.
Wiping your doorknobs and latches clean with a cleaner that contains 60% alcohol will help prevent staphylococcus and other microorganisms from causing harm.
5. If you have a bathroom in your bedroom, don’t forget to clean it regularly, too.
What’s the use of vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing, and sanitizing in your bedroom if the bathroom inside it isn’t cleaned? This space in anyone’s home requires frequent cleaning because it is an ideal breeding ground for germs.
Deep-cleaning once a week with high-quality disinfectant, scrubbing the tiles, and ensuring proper ventilation in the bathroom will keep bacteria, mold, other types of fungus, and viruses at bay. Disinfectants can bring serious health risks if not used properly, so make sure that you are using them as instructed.
Soiled tissues and used hygiene products like pantyliners, tampons, sanitary napkins, and others must be thrown right away. The wastebasket must be emptied daily to prevent the spread of any germs harbored in those items.
6. Do not overstuff your bedroom.
Make sure there is enough space to walk around and breathe in your room. Eliminate any unnecessary stuff that congests the area because crowded nooks are the favorite habitats of pests and germs.
Having less stuff in your bedroom also makes it way easier to clean. You won’t have to move or carry things around when you vacuum or wipe the floors so that you can clean the whole surface area with ease. Look around your bedroom and see how you can declutter it. It might seem like an intimidating task at first, but getting started and actually doing the work can also be therapeutic.
There’s nothing more empowering than being able to let go of things that no longer serve you! A decluttered room helps declutter your mind, too, so get started when you can.
7. Keep your pets clean and healthy.
As much as you love your furry friends, they can also make a huge mess at home. Dogs and cats can carry a host of germs that may make you ill if not taken care of immediately.
If your pets enter your bedroom regularly, bathing them at least twice a week works to keep them clean. Make sure you wash their paws before bringing them inside your home, and clean their litter boxes every day, so that good air circulates the house.
8. Clean up your bedroom and rest easy
Germs, mold, bacteria, and other microorganisms can cause life-threatening illnesses. As the pandemic adds a layer of complication to our daily lives, we should take every step to ensure that we are always in good health and moving through the world with a sound mind.
Striving to clean your bedroom regularly seems like a trivial matter that isn’t supposed to be so high on the priority list when you are saddled with so many other concerns, but being consistent with the process is vital to keeping your body and mind healthy.