Creating a relaxing and comfortable bedroom is often a crucial part of ensuring you get a good night’s sleep. So if you notice that your sleeping quarters are no longer conducive to rest and recuperation, it could be time to freshen them up.
However, you don’t need to call in professional cleaners to breathe new life into a tired bedroom. Just a few subtle changes and additions here and there should be enough to create a fresher, more appealing bedroom.
1. Clean sheets with baking soda
Yes, that’s right, baking soda doesn’t have to be restricted to the kitchen. Add a little baking soda to your washing machine when cleaning sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases. Just 100g or so should be enough to give your bedding a newfound freshness. And if that’s not exciting enough, your sheets will feel great against your skin.
2. Freshen up wardrobes and drawers
Over a period of time, drawers and wardrobes can become a little musty — either as a result of damp clothing being stored or the general humidity levels in a house. Every two or three months, it’s important to empty these storage areas to let them breathe. Open some windows, and leave your wardrobes and drawers open overnight. In the morning, sprinkle a little baking soda around the bottoms of your furniture, and add a little essential oil if you have a favourite you’d like to introduce to the room.
3. Take furnishings and bed coverings for a trip
Most of us clean our sheets and pillowcases regularly, but how many of us give our bedroom cushions, bed coverings and duvets a breath of fresh air every once in awhile? Every time you clean and freshen up your drawers and wardrobes, take these items outside and let them breathe in the fresh air for a couple of hours. You’ll be amazed at how fresh these items smell and feel that night.
4. Create a reed diffuser
While you can buy reed diffusers from home furnishing stores, the best ones are homemade. Take a glass jar or vase, and add around 70ml of safflower oil. Add around 20 drops of your favourite essential oil, and finish off by placing a few bamboo kebab sticks into the liquid. Every morning, just after you wake up, give the liquid a quick stir to ensure the wonderful aroma is lifted into the air.
5. Clean your mattress
Start by removing all sheets and covers from your mattress. Use a suitable attachment to vacuum the entire surface. If possible, take your mattress outside, and beat it to remove skin, dust, mites and anything else that could be lurking on the surface. To sanitize your mattress, create a solution of one part vodka, five parts water and a few drops of your favourite essential oil. Then spray a very fine mist over the entire mattress. Give it at least two hours to breathe and dry before making your bed with fresh sheets.
6. Leave the dirty stuff at the door
Dirty clothes, shoes and general laundry can be the source of some obnoxious aromas, so they should be taken out of your bedroom before you turn in for the night. Leave a laundry hamper just outside your bedroom for convenience, and make sure shoes and slippers stay well away. And whatever you do, never bring food into the bedroom — otherwise you’re inviting smells, bacteria and pests into your safe space.
By following these relatively simple steps, you can ensure your bedroom stays fresh and aromatic at all times.