Get a home ready for winter

With winter just a couple of months away it's time to start thinking about pulling out the throws, winter blankets and comforters. If yours have been packed away in a cupboard for the past six months perhaps now is the time to refresh and fluff them up.

 

 

 

 

Refresh your duvet inner

If you have invested in a quality duvet you'll want want to keep it looking and feeling good for as long as possible. While the temperature is still hot, freshen up your duvet on the washing line, and let the sun and air naturally clean and deodorise.

If your duvet inner is machine washable, pop into the washing machine - or soak in the bath - every 6 months or so to keep it in good condition. Larger inners may need to be taken to the launderette. Check the care label for washing instructions, but if in doubt go for a small amount of mild laundry detergent and a gentle, cool wash. Hang outside on the washing line to air completely before putting back on the bed.

 

 

 

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It’s amazing to think what you shed on a bed!

Save yourself from cleaning it with a good mattress protector that you can strip off and pop in the washing machine regularly. Failing that… Mattress.

Clean the mattress

Use a good quality vacuum cleaner to clean the mattress every week to remove dust, dead skin and bed bugs (mites). Use your vacuum cleaner to clean the top of the mattress every 3 to 4 months, but do check the manufacturer's instructions before you do, as some advise against this in case the filling is disturbed. In that case, regularly wipe the covering of the mattress with a just-damp cloth and a few drops of tea tree oil.

Avoid stains by using a mattress protector, but if you do get marks, dab them with Vanish carpet cleaner or detergent and make sure the mattress is dry before making up the bed.

 

Snuggle this winter

With the cost of electricity rising through the roof, you will need plenty of fresh, warm blankets about you so that you can snuggle up in front of the TV!

While wool blankets usually need dry cleaning, most synthetic and cotton blankets are machine washable, just be sure to follow instructions on care label. Washable blankets can also be washed in the bath with a small amount of laundry detergent and hung out to dry on a washing line or inside away from direct heat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rest your head

Quality pillows can usually be machine washed on a gentle cycle, using laundry detergent but not fabric softener. Check the care label, first. Tumble dry pillows on a low-heat setting – a couple of tennis balls in the drum with them will prevent the feathers from clumping, but check they are colourfast first. Hang pillows on the washing line for a morning - or afternoon - preferably in a shady spot, to ensure that the filling is totally dry before putting back on your bed.

 

Treat your windows

Unless your curtains are machine washable and can easily be taken down and popped into the washing machine, you need to regularly vacuum to keep them clean and fresh. However, do check the care label first, and wash on a cool cycle before hanging outdoors to dry. I have previously had machine washable curtains that have shrunk in the wash - so be aware that this can happen, despite what the label says!

If hand washing is recommended, you might want to do it in the bath unless they are quite small. Use a gentle fabric detergent without optical brighteners or bleaching agents that might affect the fabric colour, and make sure it’s thoroughly dissolved in the water before adding the curtains. Adopt a gentle squeezing technique rather than a firm rub and rinse thoroughly. Follow the care label or go for a fairly slow spin – the curtains need to be heavy enough with water to smooth themselves out when hung up to dry.

Heavy, lined curtains will normally have to be cleaned on the rail or taken down and sent in for dry cleaning.