Are you guilty of forgetting to clean this bedroom item? Experts say we should be cleaning it weekly

Are you missing this key item when doing your weekly chores? Doing so could leave your bedroom at risk of unwanted bacterial growth

Spring bedroom with lime green fabric headboard striped bedding with flora cushions and bedside table with vase of fresh flowers showing forgotten bedroom item you should be cleaning weekly
(Image credit: Future | Dan Duchars)

When cleaning your bedroom each week, there's no doubt you know every crook and crevice to tackle, however, according to research there's one very important bedroom item you may be forgetting to clean. 

Furniture experts at Hammonds Furniture have discovered that searches for 'how to clean a headboard' have increased over 136% in the last three months, meaning most people are at a loss when it comes to taking on this cleaning task.

Whether you're a pro at cleaning your house and always ensure you clean your house often as experts advise or try to clean your room as fast as possible the headboard should always be on your to-list according to experts. 

Headboards: the forgotten bedroom item you should be cleaning weekly

Headboards are a great way to make your bedroom look more expensive on a budget, but they do need to be maintained, especially if they're velvet or leather. 

Cleaning your headboard shouldn't be left to your spring clean checklist, the unsuspecting item can be a magnet for dust and dirt and therefore should be cleaned more regular than most often do.

"Dust, dead skin cells and pet dander settle on and get caught in the fibres of the upholstery, which encourages mites and aggravates allergies, " warns Sarah Dempsey, a cleaning expert at MyJobQuote who was speaking to the team at Hammonds Furniture.

blue velvet headboard with red cushions and green lamp next to it

(Image credit: Future)

It's not just dust, dead skin and pet dander particles that add to the dirt on your headboard, leaning your head against the fabric will also add grease and sweat.

"As we sleep and sit up in the bed, our heads and bodies tend to rub against the headboard. Natural oils from your skin and hair can leave yellow staining and a greasy residue," explains Sarah. 

Think of when you might have had to remove yellow stains from your pillows, it's the same cause that is likely to discolour your headboard and yet you might not clean it with the same urgency.

spring bedroom with dragonfly patterned upholstered headboard

(Image credit: Future | Maxwell Attenborough)

So whilst you might be a pro at knowing how to deep clean your house, the chances are your headboard has been neglected one way or another.

Knowing the best way to effectively clean your headboard can make a huge difference to both your health and your home.

Similar to cleaning a mattress, vacuuming will be your best option if you have an upholstered headboard to remove traces of dirt and dust from the surface. 

For velvet headboards, you can follow the same steps as advised for how to clean a velvet sofa.

The key to restoring cleanliness is keeping up with the task regularly to allow for a much easier clean every week. 

We're not saying it has to be one of the daily habits to keep your house clean and tidy just that it's something to be aware of when tending to your regular bedroom cleaning chores. 


Emily Smith
Digital lifestyle writer

Emily joined woman&home as a staff writer after finishing her MA in Magazine Journalism from City University in 2023. After writing various health and news content, she now specialises in lifestyle and home writing where she covers all things cleaning, interiors and homeowning.