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!

The best way to clean the dust under your bed is with a vacuum with a long pole and flat brush-head. For hard floors, you can use a Swiffer mop with a dry microfiber cloth attached to the head.

This will get the underside of your low bed pretty clean. However, if you haven't cleaned it in a while, read on to find the quickest way to get it clean now.

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Where does the dust under the bed come from?

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, 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 breath 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.

Related reading:

• How to get dust out of the air naturally
• How to clean dust without spreading it

How to clean the dust from under your low 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!

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 slated 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 for cleaning under your bed.

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

1. Sweep first. If it's really dirty underneath your bed, sweep it first with a long-handled broom.
2. 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.
3. 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 Swiffer 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:

1. Fit the long pole on your vacuum and use a brush-head that can lie flat on the floor.
2. Move the brush forward and back along the length of the bed.
3. 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.

Related reading:

• How to clean a mattress

The best dusters for cleaning under the bed

Here are all the best tools for cleaning under your bed.

1. Swiffer mop with a microfiber cloth. This is my favourite setup for dusting hard floors. You can also use one of Swiffer's disposable dust cloths, but I find microfiber cloths, when used dry, are very effective. Plus, you can throw them in the wash and reuse.
2. Vacuum with a long pole. Any vacuum with a long pole is great for cleaning under the bed. Make sure yours has a brush head that can lie flat. The Miele Cat and Dog vacuum is perfect for this.
3. Robot vacuum. I've never tried a robot vacuum, but they are great for cleaning underneath furniture like beds. Keep your bed free of clutter and unobstructed, and you can unleash your robot vacuum daily!
4. Shark vacuum with bendy pole. I love my Shark DuoClean because the pole can bend so that it is super easy to vacuum underneath furniture or beds. You don't have to bend down.
5. Hair dryer. If you have hard floors, you can simply blow the dust bunnies away with a hair dryer and then vacuum them up.

How to prevent dust build-up under 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:

1. 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, and you will be more likely to clean under there more often.
2. 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.
3. Clean regularly. You can prevent dust from building up under the bed by cleaning under there regularly.
4. 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.

Frequently asked questions

Why is under my bed so dusty?

The area under your bed is dust because you haven't dusted it! Don't worry, it isn't just you. The dust is mainly made up of dead skin. So, you can't avoid creating dust. It only takes a few minutes to clean underneath, and you will breath easier.

Is the dust under my bed dead skin?

The dust under your bed is mainly made of dead skin cells, hair and general dirt and debris that gets pushed or blown underneath. If you have a pet, there is bound to be pet hair and dander there too!

Why does dust accumulate under my bed?

The dust under your bed consists of mainly dead skin cells. So just by using your bed, you will create dust!