Most people think that only bathrooms and kitchens require deep cleaning once or twice a year. The truth is that every room in your home can benefit from a thorough cleaning - especially your bedroom. All of the fabrics you find in a bedroom (curtains, clothing, bedding) are great places for dust and bugs to hide. And even the cleanest of homes needs a good cleaning at least once a year. The checklist here will have your bedroom clean (really clean) in under 90 minutes. Not bad for once a year!

Prepare yourself with the things on this list before your start cleaning. Nothing will stall your spring cleaning efforts faster than a missing dust cloth or broom.

• Window cleaner
• Paper towels, cloth towels or clean dust rags
• Magic Eraser (optional)

• Furniture polish
• Vacuum cleaner and/or broom

• Floor cleaner and mop (if you have hardwood or tile floors)

I've allowed 75-90 minutes for spring cleaning your bedroom. This time does not include laundering bedding and curtains, which will be a necessary step. My advice is to get those items cleaned earlier in the day, otherwise you may find yourself at bedtime with no blankets on the bed or curtains on the windows!

Before you start, remove all items from the top of your dressers and night tables. If you have extra time before starting, go through your closets and drawers to remove any clothing that you haven't worn in over a year or that is stained or torn.

1. Take down curtains - read labels carefully for cleaning instructions. Most curtains are dry clean only, but you may be able to self launder. At the minimum, put them in your dryer on a very low setting with a fabric softening sheet to remove odors and dust.
2. Working from the ceiling down, use your vacuum cleaner attachment or dusting pole (or even dust rag on the bristle end of your broom) to remove the dust from the ceiling, the top of the door and window moldings and window blinds. Use a downward motion to get the dust as far down the room as possible. (5 minutes)
3. Strip the bed down to the mattress. Using your vacuum cleaner hose attachment, vacuum the mattress well. Flip the mattress if your mattress is two sided and vacuum that side as well. (5 minutes)
4. Using furniture polish and a towel or rag, polish all furniture in the room. (10 minutes)
5. Using window cleaner and towel, clean all windows and mirrors. (10 minutes)
6. Using vacuum cleaner attachment, vacuum all base boards and radiators. Vacuum under the bed and behind all furniture as best as you can reach. (10 minutes)
7. Using towel, dust the shoes in your closet. Using vacuum cleaner attachment, vacuum the floor of your closet. (5 minutes)
8. If floor is carpeted, vacuum entire carpet. If only partly carpeted or not carpeted, vacuum entire floor anyway to remove dust and dirt from floor. (5 minutes)
9. If floor has hardwood or tile, use floor cleaner and mop to clean. (5-10 minutes)
10. Spot check room for marks on walls or dust anywhere - the room should be almost clean! Clean up marks on wall with Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser or damp clean towel. (5 minutes)
11. Make bed with clean bedding. If you have two sets of bedding (one spring, one winter) then take your spring set out of the closet. You may want to give it a few minutes in your dryer on a low setting to freshen. (10 minutes)
12. Put curtains back up if you self laundered or fluff-dried. If they were sent to the dry cleaners, you may want to temporarily put flat sheets up if you need privacy or room darkening. (5 minutes)