My son, bless him, has been sick this week. Actually, he's been suffering with allergies since I moved him into his own room. I started to wonder if there isn't something in his new room that is causing him problems. My inner Martha Stewart/ Senator McCarthy kicked in and I started to investigate, throwing suspicion everywhere. Maybe the mattress needed replacing? Maybe he was allergic to the pillows? Maybe the entire house was infested with deadly black mold?
According to Martha, in a child's bedroom, you should wash all bedding materials, including blankets and mattress pads every week, eliminate fabric wall hangings, wash stuffed toys regularly, install dustable blinds instead of drapes, and minimize upholstered furniture. MS Homekeeping Handbook, p. 301.
Hmmm. This is a problem. My son's upholstered bed is covered in an adorable bedspread, but I can't recall the last time either was cleaned. On the bed sits a large feather duvet that (according to Martha) is teeming with dust mites. On the floor, he has several baskets of stuffed animals, some of which were mine as a child. I last washed his teddy bear when it accidentally fell into the toilet two years ago. On the walls there are drapes that were last cleaned on the first of Never.
I'm ashamed. I've flagrantly broken every rule. No wonder the poor kid wakes up with a stuffy nose. :motheroftheyear:
So I spent today taking down drapes, removing and cleaning every bit of bedding material and upholstery I could, and washing Barry the Teddy Bear and all his furry friends. The room is clean of all offending items. I've quelled any radical dust-takeover at my house. Although I'm having someone come and check about the mold.
Just to be safe.
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