If you were overwhelmed by my Spring Cleaning break-down, I apologize. I tried to take a really, really big job and break it down to approachable and do-able bites.
If you aren’t up to the full job, what is the minimum you can do to get results that will bring relief?
Focus on the bedroom and the bed. At a minimum, your clean should include washing all your allergy bedding, washing the conventional bedding, and treating the nonwashable items with a denaturing agent to handle the allergens that have collected since your last deep clean. If you have an air purifier or HEPA air cleaner in the bedroom, make sure you turn it on high before you start cleaning.
Strip off the dust mite proof mattress covers, pillow covers, and duvet covers and get them in the washing machine. Make sure your water has been turned up to 140 degrees. If you don’t want to use hot water, just add a little De-Mite to your regular laundry detergent or wash with Allergen Wash. We don’t recommend washing your allergy bedding with any liquid chlorine bleach. The chemicals are just too harsh, and if you have a laminated or coated fabric, the treatment can be damaged. If you think they need a little brightening, use any of the powdered bleaches. The bleaches with sodium percarbonate (anything with “oxy” in the title) can be safely used on your allergy-proof bedding.
While the bed is apart, wipe down the bed rails, head board and foot board.
If you have silk or wool bedding that cannot be washed, take them outside to expose to the sunlight. The ultraviolet light will revive silk and wool. If you have a bedspread that can’t be washed, you can safely put it in the dryer on the fluff or no heat setting and let it tumble for 20 minutes or so to beat out the dust and allergens. Then before you put it back on the bed, spray both sides with ADMS Anti Dust Mite Spray to denature the proteins from the allergens that were left behind. This is a great way to freshen up a bedspread that is too large to wash or is made of nonwashable material. I wish I could take credit for this idea, but it was my mother who came up with this years ago. I believe in giving credit where credit is due!
While you have the bed apart, this is a great time to spray down the dust ruffle. It the dust ruffle is washable, you can toss it in with the allergy proof bedding if you aren’t using hot water. The De-Mite and Allergen Wash are safe for all fabrics and colors and can be used to safely wash your dust ruffle. The same is true for decorate pillow shams if they are made of washable materials.
Once all your allergy proof bedding is clean and dry, re-assemble the bed. Spray down anything you weren’t able to wash with ADMS antiallergen spray and put on the clean sheets. Put your freshened bedspread, quilt or duvet back on the bed as well as the decorative shams.
Keep your air cleaning device turned on high for the next two hours and keep the bedroom door closed. This will allow your cleaner to suck up dust particles that might have become airborne as a result of your cleaning.
This isn’t the same as doing a deep clean to the entire room, but if you have allergies, this is something you need to do at a minimum of once a year.
Til Next Time!
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