How to Clean a Child’s Bedroom

Cleaning a child's bedroom is a great opportunity to set an example and foster good habits in kids. Living Space

Tackling your child’s room gets easier when you enlist the help of little hands. Read our kid’s bedroom cleaning checklist, including tips on when you should get your child involved in the process. After all, if your child is old enough to make a mess, he or she is old enough to help put it back to rights.

Start by Decluttering

To clean a child’s room, you must first declutter it. Kids as young as 3 can help by tossing toys into open bins, putting books back on low shelves and placing dirty clothes into a laundry basket.

Don’t Forget About Toys

Washable toys can be cleaned with a soft brush and soapy warm water. Disinfect plastic toys by soaking them in a mild bleach-water solution for 10 minutes. Rinse and dry before returning to your child’s toy chest.

Get Out the Lint Brush

Use a lint roller or lint brush to whisk dust off of fabric lampshades. With the lamp off, dust the base and bulb with a soft cloth or dusting wand.

Extra tip: Enlist your grade-schooler to use the lint roller on anything fabric-covered in his or her room. In addition to lampshades, this cleaning technique works on ottomans, soft furniture and even fabric toys.

Clean Bedroom Furniture

First, remove all items from the tops and shelves of dressers, bookshelves and nightstands. Next, give each piece a thorough dusting, top to bottom. Don’t forget the sides and feet. Use a thin cloth moistened with cleaner appropriate to the furniture’s material (wood, glass, plastic) to wipe away fingerprints. For a deeper clean or to maintain fine wood furniture, rub lemon oil or other polish onto the surface of the piece. Use small, even strokes. Wipe and buff with a dry, soft cloth for a final shine.