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Monthly Clean Home Challenge: Vacuum Mattresses

Welcome back to the Monthly Clean Home Challenge daily task!  I am on a quest to maintain a clean and organized home in less time and the goal is simple; four daily tasks, four weekly tasks and one additional quick task each week day. 

In no particular order, here are the individual tasks I am tackling each day this month:

1. Make cleaning supplies
2. Cycle clean appliances
3. Clean out cars
4. Clean out microwave
5. Wipe down cabinets/appliances
6. Wipe down trim/doors
7. Clean out one drawer
8. Clean out fridge
9. Clean out freezer
10. Vacuum under furniture
11. Vacuum mattresses
12. Clean oven
13. Clean out one closet
14. Wash out garbage can/recycle bin
15. Wash windows
16. Scrub grout
17. Clean out one cabinet
18. File paper piles
19. Purge bathroom toiletries
20. Clean out pantry

Today I am chatting about the extra task:  Vacuum Mattresses


There are 101 gross reasons why we vacuum our mattresses, and honestly, it is something that I didn't know we should be doing until I read it in a cleaning book a few years ago.  


This is another quick task to essentially lift dust and freshen things up a bit.  I actually cheated and did this task yesterday while washing our bed linens.


Each weekend we spend a little extra time tossing our bedding, towels and cleaning rags through the wash.  Yesterday, once the bedding was stripped from the bed, I took the added step of vacuuming all of the mattresses.  The process is as basic and simple as it sounds; using a clean vacuum attachment I just carefully run it over each mattress making sure I get down into all of the crevasses.  The process only takes about a minute per bed, making this another one of those, "Why don't I do this more often?" tasks.


After I am done vacuuming, I sprinkle a very thin layer of baking soda/lavender oil mixture over the mattress.  Doing this sucks out any odors and leaves the bed feeling and smelling fresh.  The baking soda absorbs into the mattress during the couple of hours that the bedding goes through the wash and dry cycle.  Then, I return the bedding to the mattress until next week.  {Vacuum first, very thin layer of baking soda/lavender second, return sheets and bedding to the bed third}.

For the baking soda/lavender combo, I just punched holes into the top of a mason jar lid with a nail and hammer.  That turned the jar into a shaker, which comes in really handy during a few of these household cleaning tasks.


Now that a week of cleaning has gone by, how have you been feeling about the process?  I have been loving hearing from everyone joining in on the challenge with me.  It may still be winter outside, but the inside of our home has never felt more spring-like!