How To Clean The Dust Under Your Bed

Did you arrive at this post because you ventured a look under your bed, with horror?

Well, you are not alone because no one is immune from having dust collect under their bed!

I’m afraid that what you can see under your bed is pretty gross stuff.

It’s actually a mixture of dead skin cells, hair, pet dander (if you have one), dead bugs, spider poop, and probably food crumbs.

Hot chocolate and a biscuit in bed, anyone?

The longer you leave the dust under your bed to sit, the more it becomes a breeding ground for dust mites and bacteria.

If you have allergies or compromised immunity, breathing it in can give you health problems.

The great news is that it isn’t hard to get it clean, and you will soon breathe easy again.

If it’s been a long time since you cleaned, I recommend moving the bed if you can. But if you can’t, don’t worry because I have you covered there too.

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How to clean the dust from under your bed

When you clean your bedroom, don’t neglect the area underneath your bed.

If you have carpets, there is likely to be a thick layer of dust there. If you have hard floors, expect to find dust bunnies too.

Smells tend to cling to dust and, of course, dust mites love it. If you have allergies, or you are finding that your bedroom smells when you wake up, it could be time to clean under there!

Step 1 - Remove any items you stored under your bed

My advice is not to store anything under your bed because whatever is down there will collect dust too, and the job becomes so much bigger.

I’m all for saving time dusting!

However, even if you don’t store stuff there, you will always find things there!

My son’s bed is the worst for that. I find old socks, dirty clothes and all sorts.

So, what I do is to grab a broom and pull everything out with that.

My son’s bed has a wooden slatted base. If I turn the mattress over 90 degrees, I can see anything I might have missed.

Step 2 - If you can, move the bed

If you have space, you are going to get the best result if you can move the bed somewhere else.

I might do this once a year because it is a bit of a faff, as there is nowhere for it to go.

Step 3 - For hard floors, use a microfiber cloth

If you have hard floors, you have the option of using a mop or broom.

If you prefer to use a vacuum cleaner, skip to the next step.

Sweep first. If it’s really dirty underneath your bed, sweep it first with a long-handled broom.
Wipe with a dry microfiber cloth. I like to use a microfiber cloth attached to the end of a Swiffer mop. It works brilliantly to pick up all the dust. If it’s very dusty, you might need a couple of cloths to get the job done. If the mop is long enough, you should be able to reach the baseboards.
Repeat with a damp microfiber cloth. Now the dust is gone, put a damp microfiber cloth on the end of your Swiffer mop and clean under the bed again.

If you don’t have a microfiber cloth, a fluffy sock wrapped around the end of a mop works very well too.

A note about Swiffer mops.

I confess, I don’t actually have a Swiffer mop. I have a Flash mop, which is pretty much the same. It has grab holes on the corners to attach floor cloths or the Swiffer dusting sheets. You can buy similar mops on eBay. I talk about Swiffers in this blog because they seem to be the most popular, but other makes are available, of course.

Step 4 - For carpets, use your vacuum

If you have carpets, or you prefer to vacuum instead, here’s how:

Fit the long pole on your vacuum and use a brush-head that can lie flat on the floor.
Move the brush forward and back along the length of the bed.
Fit the crevice nozzle, so you can reach over to dust the baseboards.

The Miele Cat and Dog vacuum is brilliant because the brush head can be angled so that it is completely flat.

The Shark DuoClean vacuum has a bendy pole which is perfect for reaching under furniture and beds.

Step 5 - Vacuum both sides of the mattress

Now the underside of your bed is lovely and clean, it’s a great time to vacuum your mattress.

If you have a slatted bed base, there is most likely dust on the bottom of your mattress.

Remove the bedsheets, then vacuum it on both sides using the upholstery attachment of your vacuum cleaner.

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How to prevent dust under the bed

Dust under your bed doesn’t feel very nice, I know, and if you have dust allergies, you may be sneezing.

Let’s look at how to prevent dust build-up under your bed:

Keep it clear of clutter. Instead of settling on the floor, the dust will settle on your clutter instead, and make cleaning up so much harder. Make it easy for yourself, and you will be more likely to clean under there more often.
Buy the right vacuum. The easiest way to clean under your bed is with a vacuum cleaner. Make sure you have one with a long attachment that allows the brush head to lie flat. I also recommend the Shark Cordless vacuum with the pole that can bend under furniture.
Clean regularly. You can prevent dust from building up under the bed by cleaning under there regularly.
Use a robot vacuum. Set your robot vacuum to clean your bedroom daily. If you don’t obstruct the bed or store items underneath, it will clean under your bed too.

How often to clean under the bed?

I advise cleaning under your bed at least every three months.

If you have dust allergies or a pet that sleeps with you, you will want to clean it more frequently.

It goes without saying that the more often you do it, the easier it will be to keep the area under your bed permanently clean.