8 Easy Steps to a Calm, Clean Bedroom

Cleaning your bedroom without using harmful cleaning products is easy. Here are a few cleaning essentials to get your bedroom clean as a whistle — naturally.

• Microfiber cloth
• Natural laundry detergent
• Dryer balls
• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Natural all-purpose cleaner
• Duster

Start your bedroom-cleaning odyssey with the very basics. First, gather up all the cups of stale water, half-empty cans of La Croix, and late-night snack bowls you’ve accumulated, and take them to the kitchen.

Toss out your bedroom trash, put your dirty clothes in the laundry bin, and hang anything that’s clean. Put any other out-of-place items back in their forever spots. Now you’re ready to get down and dirty!

Dusting the stuff that’s easiest first might seem like the path of least resistance, but it actually means that all the dust from your ceiling fan is going to cover the dresser you just wiped down. Start from the top, and work your way down for the best results. Grab your long-handled duster, and hit the ceiling fan, ceiling and corners, and light fixtures first, then the windows, night stand, dresser, and whatever other furniture you have. Don’t forget to dust your (fake?) plants!

After you’ve dusted, take a damp microfiber cloth and your all-purpose cleaning spray to surfaces that see a lot of use, like night tables, the dresser, and your bookcases or shelves. Wipe off any spills, stains, or sticky spots the duster didn’t take care of, and scrape off hardened candle wax with a blade. Scrub your door handles and the places on your doors you touch the most — these areas are prone to a build-up of dirt and oils that make them look grimy over time. They’re also probably rife with bacteria. Your baseboards are another place that gathers dirt, dust, and dead skin like no one’s business, so give ‘em a little microfiber love before you move on.

Now that all the dust from your ceiling fan and the crumbs from your nightstand and bed sheets are on the floor, it’s time to vacuum them up. Don’t just vacuum the floor you can see — suck out all of the dust and detritus that’s accumulated in the nooks and crannies of your bedroom, too — like the insides of your dresser drawers or nightstand, your windows frames, and between the window and the screen. Dust bunnies love to reproduce in small, dark places like under your bed, dresser, and bookcase, so scoot your furniture out of the way, and give those oft-neglected areas some attention, too. Then, attach the upholstery brush and vacuum your curtains.

Say sayonara to the streaks and smudges that have gathered on your windows, and let the sun shine in unimpeded. Cleaning the glass doesn’t have to be streaky business. Use a microfiber cloth, which is less likely to streak than other types of fabric.

The best way to clean the windows

1. Spray a mixture of 1:10 vinegar:water — or your favorite natural glass cleaner — onto the glass. If it’s particularly dirty, be generous with the spray.
2. Wipe the glass from side to side and top to bottom, cleaning every square inch and scrubbing away stubborn spots.
3. Dry the glass right away with another microfiber cloth, and use it to buff out any streaks.

Follow the same process for your mirrors, and if you’re looking to score some extra points with the cleaning gods, tackle your glass picture frames and light fixtures as well.

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as hopping into a bed with soft, clean sheets. After you’re done cleaning your bedroom, grab your freshly laundered bedding, and make the bed. Pro tip: It’s always a good idea to have a backup set of bed linens for those days when you’re doing a deep clean and your regular set of sheets or comforter aren’t out of the dryer by the time you’re ready to hit the sack.

You only have to go as crazy here as you want to. If your closet is in pretty good shape, just make sure your clothes are hanging properly in the right place and in the right direction. Organize your shoes, and straighten up anything that’s gone topsy-turvy.

If your closet is a disaster in need of an overhaul, fear not. We’ll do this gently:

First, get a couple of boxes or a roll of trash bags, and sort your clothes into three piles: keep, recycle, or donate/sell (here’s how to get your clothes ready to give away.)

Next, put the donate/sell items in one container and the ones you’ll recycle in another. Take them to the donation drop-off or textile recycling facility as soon as you’re done cleaning.

Finally, hang up the items you’re keeping. A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t worn it in at least three months, you probably don’t need it.