A guide to cleaning and refreshing your bedding for spring

9honey Living’s The Wash Up: Your 30-day spring cleaning guide is a month-long series aimed at making your annual house clean easier with hacks and expert advice.
The changing seasons bring with a sense of refreshment and new beginnings, especially when that season is spring. 
As we shed our winter layers and step out into the sunshine again, it is the perfect time to roll up our sleeves up and refresh our space for the new season.
One of the first things that needs some attention as the seasons change is our bedding.
READ MORE: All the tips and hacks that make decluttering much less overwhelming
As the weather warms up you’ll likely want to swap out your cozy winter quilt and blanket for some lightweight summer sheets making it the perfect time to give your bedding a clean.
Besides, we spend half our lives in our beds so they deserve some attention.
Here’s how to refresh your bedding for the new season along with a couple of helpful hacks along the way.
Those heavyweight winter quilts, chunky throws, thick blankets and flannelette sheets that kept you warm all winter long will soon be no longer needed, so it’s a good idea to pack them away before you start sweating through the night.
It’s time to strip them from your bed and put them into storage for next season. But before you do so make sure to give them a good wash so they are fresh for next year.
And here’s a clever and affordable hack to save you hassle next time you do a seasonal refresh.
Once washed, store all your winter bedding inside a vacuum-sealed bag. It’s a perfect way to save space in those notoriously cramped linen cupboards and keep your bedding fresh so you won’t need to wash it again when you take it out of storage in six month’s time.
READ MORE: Your ultimate spring cleaning checklist
It’s a hack that Amy Hare, interior design lead at Ikea, swears by for keeping her winter curtains in storage using the store’s $10 Spantad vacuum bags, but it’s a tip that can be used for any soft furnishing and bedding that you need to store for a season.
“Knowing that I’d pre-washed everything before I packed them up for summer and then I could just take them out and hang them up – it was fantastic, and I’ve actually got our Vidga curtain rails, which makes it super easy to change curtains and it took me 20 minutes,” she told 9honey.
While you’ll want to wash the bedding that you are putting into storage, the change of season is the perfect time to give all your bedding a wash and refresh. 
As it’s quite heavy and bulky, it’s likely that your duvet doesn’t see the inside of the washing machine too often but it’s a good idea to wash your quilt at least once or twice a year.
If you have a decent-sized washing machine, you can wash your quilt in your washing machine. It is recommended to wash your quilt on a cold cycle and with a gentle spin.
Make sure you check the washing instructions on your particular quilt as different quilts will have different washing requirements. 
READ MORE: Five most common spring cleaning mistakes and what to do instead
If your washing machine is too small, you can also wash your quilt with some detergent and a little bit of elbow grease in a bathtub by simply submerging the quilt in warm water, letting it soak for a few hours and then using your hands to rub out any dirt or stains.
To dry your quilt hang it out on the line and let the sun do its magic. Hanging it so it lays flat over two or three rows of the washing line will help it dry evenly.
It’s important to ensure the quilt is completely dry before bringing it back inside – depending on the size of the quilt it could take up to 24 hours.
Other options for washing a doona that’s too big for the washing machine is to take it to a laundromat or give it a good airing out in the bright sunshine like Scandinavians do.
While you’re at it, wash your pillows and cushions as well – this step can be easy to forget.
Most pillows can be washed the same way you would wash your quilt in the washing machine on a gentle cycle or by hand.
But be sure to check the guidelines for your specific pillow – some pillows like memory foam and latex pillows are better off hand washed than machine washed, while others are best just aired in the sunshine.
READ MORE: Cleaning products you didn’t know you needed
Once washed and dried, it’s a good idea to give them some time to air out before putting them back inside a pillow case. 
And if it’s been a few seasons since you replaced them, it might be time to consider buying some new pillows. The Sleep Foundation recommends that individuals replace their pillows every one to two years.
Of course, you should wash your sheets, pillowcases and quilt cover as you normally would before remaking the bed ideally every one to two weeks according to microbiologist Emma Harding.
The best way to keep any white sheets or bedding crispy white would be to use the trusty vinegar (half a cup in the fabric softener dispenser or during the rinse cycle) and baking soda (one cup in the drum) combination in your next wash, according to the team at Westinghouse.
Meanwhile, spot treating your sheets with a stain remover can help fade out any yellowness and drying your sheets in the sun can also do wonders for them. The ultraviolet rays have a bleaching effect and can help keep your white sheets whiter for longer.
While the bed is stripped, it’s a good idea to give your mattress some attention too.
Harrison Reid, founder of mattress brand 10:PM Sleep, shared some mattress care tips with 9honey. He recommends giving the mattress a good vacuum, this can help get on top of any dust mites. Using an upholstery attachment on your vacuum can help disturb the surface of the mattress and bring the dust toward the surface.
Then, to remove any odours, sprinkle some bi-carb/baking soda over the mattress and leave it to settle in before vacuuming it back up. 
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
It is also important to rotate your mattress. While new mattress technology means this doesn’t need to be done as frequently, Reid advises spinning it around 180 degrees when the seasons change as a rule of thumb.
Before putting any bedding back on the bed, make sure to air out the mattress – this is important for preventing any moisture from turning into mould and bacteria. Take your mattress outside (if possible) or open your windows and ensure sunlight is hitting the mattress and let the sun’s magic do it’s work.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.