Meteorological Winter has apparently ended, which means Spring has arrived, although you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise!
At London & Avalon we’re always looking ahead, so even if the temperatures aren’t quite Spring like yet, it’s still a great time of year to begin the “whole-house clean” your home needs after hibernating over winter. Yes, we’re also guilty of ‘overlooking’ the dust in those spots where no one looks anyway, when there’s barely any daylight and the mood lighting hides it.
When there’s a daunting task ahead of you, break it into smaller tasks. Take one room at a time, but always start with your bedroom! That way, you’ve got the reward to enjoy at the end of the day, even if you don’t manage as much as you’d planned to elsewhere.
This is a deep clean, so you’ll need to do more than wash your sheets. You should aim to set up your space for the coming months, so use this as a good excuse for a clear out and re-organisation too.
1. Preparation is key.
Strip the bed, move the furniture away from the walls. Wash your pillows now so they have time to dry for the evening. Open the windows.
2. Gravity is your friend. Start high, finish low.
Dust the corners of the room, the ceiling and light fixtures before moving to the midway point. The top of the headboard gathers more dust that we like to admit! Work your way down to ground level - including dusting picture frames, mirrors, dressers and shelves. Finish the deep clean with a full vacuum of the floors and skirting boards. A top tip is to take a tumble dryer sheet and run it along the skirting board - it’s a great dust repellent and smells fresh too. Whilst the furniture has been moved away from walls, this is a great time to touch up the paintwork and remove scuffs.
3. Tackle the mattress
We don’t like to think about it, but our mattresses are a breeding ground for dust, mites and germs. There’s no avoiding it. Mattress Protectors can obviously help, but better to be safe than sorry. Firstly, vacuum the mattress to lift off the dirt. Flip it, and repeat. Spot clean any stains with an upholstery cleaning spray and blot dry with a cloth. Easy to do and so worth it.
4. Wash and change your bedding
Wash your bed linen as you usually would, but if you’re switching to a lighter weight summer set and putting away your winter set, add a lavender bag or other scent to your winter set in the cupboard. You’ll appreciate it in the Autumn.
Send your winter duvet to the cleaners or wash it yourself if you can. Give it a long airing and a good shake before packing it away in a vacuum bag.
Dig out your summer duvet (we usually opt for a 4.5 or 7 tog but we have all togs and all fills available). If it’s still a bit chilly, you can always keep the blankets piled on until the nights are a little warmer.
For bed linen, we always opt for a percale cotton in the summer. The percale weave allows air to move more freely through the fibres, regardless of the thread count. Have fun with summer colours to keep you cool. Replace the thicker textured bolster and throw cushions with some lightweight linens and silks.
5. Tidy space, tidy mind
Now’s the time to clear out those unwanted clothes ready for the charity shop or the reselling app. It’s also a good time to get your winter coats dry cleaned and packed away somewhere protected from dust.
6. Let the outside in
Moving all your furniture, removing your bedding, dusting and vacuuming will move a lot of dust around in the room before you even start, so let in some fresh air and provide somewhere for some of the dust to go! Keep a window open whilst you’re cleaning and let the outside in. It will remind you why you’re doing this. Bring in some fresh flowers and pop them on your bedside tables or dresser, or go faux with some beautiful eucalyptus.
7. Finally....
Whilst it might take a bit of time, it is so satisfying once you’ve done it. And refreshing your space every now and then will give you a real boost.
We’re here to help with any tips and tricks. We have pillows of all shapes and sizes to accommodate your needs. We have the know-how on which fill is better for which type of sleeper, or bed reader you are. We have countless years of working with the world's best Hoteliers and Interior Designers, so can give you some tips on how to make your perfect Bedscape.
If your mattress has seen better days, we can suggest a cost effective topper to give it a new lease of life, and our amazing COOLMAX technology pillow and mattress protectors will ensure all of your good work will be preserved for a long time to come.
Here’s to those longer Spring days…not long now!