Kako očistiti madrace i krevete

Dust – and horribly enough the dust mites that are its chief component – is the main reason to clean beds regularly. You cannot eliminate the microscopic creatures that are dust mites however fastidious you are about cleaning. They thrive inside both mattresses and pillows, feeding on the tiny particles of skin you shed each night. However, you can trap them inside the mattress and pillow by using an anti-allergy mattress and pillow protectors.

Sold principally for asthmatics and those with dust allergies, these protectors are made from an exceptionally close-knit synthetic fabric that keeps mites and their debris inside the bed. Unlike vinyl, the fabric is breathable, so you don’t feel you’re lying on a plastic cover. In fact, the only difference you may spot between these and conventional covers is the initial cost.

You may pay up to four times the price of standard pillowslips and mattress covers. Having one, however, doesn’t lessen how often you need to clean the bed underneath.

All beds have a few things in common, so first, look to the basics:

• Metal frames: Dust, then check for rust spots. Brush away any you see with a stiff wire-brush and paint with sealant to prevent it reappearing.

• Wood slats: Dust, periodically checking that screws are tight.

• Divans: Brush away fluff, then vacuum using the upholstery tool. Do not wash the fabric! It is hugely difficult to dry, and you risk damaging what, in the cheapest beds, may be a cardboard casing set on a wood frame.

How to clean mattresses

When you change the sheets, air the mattress. Doing so takes away any stale odours that have collected in the mattress, meaning a fresher night’s sleep for you. Open the bedroom windows to let in as much air as possible. Even in winter, 30 minutes with the vent windows open and the bedroom door closed won’t chill out your home.

Make it a habit to take off the sheets and go do something else before you come back to replace the bedding. It doesn’t have to be a cleaning thing, of course. Slipping off to shower and eat breakfast is ideal. For the ultimate in airing, each summer carry your mattress into the garden to let it sit in hot, dry sunlight for an afternoon.

Jednom mjesečno, kada mijenjate plahtu, skinite plahte, usisajte svoj madrac, a zatim ga okrenite tako da glava sada sjedne na podnožje, a donja strana postane gornja. Okretanje vašeg madraca pomaže mu da se ravnomjerno nosi.

Nove madrace treba okretati tjedno prva dva do tri mjeseca, a nakon tog razdoblja provale mjesečno. Nakon što okrenete madrac, usisajte novu gornju stranu. Za to ćete spavati puno svježije.

Nemojte prevrtati madrace novog stila koji imaju udoban vrh od jastučića iznad opruga.

Korištenje uklonjive navlake za madrac pomaže da vaš madrac bude dulje čisti, čak i ako to znači još jedan komad rublja. Međutim, ako ga odlučite ne imati, a pogotovo ako doručkujete ili pijete kasno noćno piće u krevetu, mogu se dogoditi nesreće s hranom i pićem. Osim toga, madraci mogu podnijeti udar od raznih tjelesnih tekućina koje prodiru kroz plahte.

Kako očistiti futone

Okrenite futone tjedno kako biste sačuvali ravnomjernost nadjeva. Upute za čišćenje pročitajte na naljepnici za njegu. Samo futoni od poliestera mogu se sigurno prati – a trebat će vam i vrlo veliki stroj. Futone punjene pamukom potrebno je kemijsko čišćenje.