7 Ways to Clean Behind and Under Beds Without Moving Them – Save Hours Of Backbreaking Work and Refresh Your Space Easily for the New Year

These oft-forgotten spots urgently needs your attention

A white bedroom with a double bed with white bedding, white walls, wooden flooring, a gold lamp with white lampshade, black and white cabinetry, and two large windows with sheer white curtains.
(Image credit: Future / PAUL RAESIDE LTD)

So the new year is almost here, and our attention is officially turning towards refreshing our space for 2026. And, if there's one problem area that's all too often forgotten or overlooked, it's behind and under beds.

It's no surprise, really. After all, they're heavy, cumbersome, and tricky to move.

7 Ways to Clean Behind and Under Beds Without Moving Them

1. Use a Long-Reach Vacuum Attachment

A light wood panelled bedroom with tiled flooring and a double bed with green patchwork quilt, white pillows, a white chair, and a white and black rug.

Using a vacuum is one of the quickest and easiest ways to clean under your bed.

(Image credit: Future / ONE REPRESENTS LTD (DAMIAN RUSSELL))

As Isabella Flores, cleaning expert from Sparkly Maid San Diego, advises, 'Using a vacuum with an extended flat wand or a crevice tool is one of the best ways to clean under beds and furniture,' which are undoubtedly among the dirtiest places in a bedroom.

'There are various vacuum models available that can accommodate low furniture, such as the Shark Upright Vacuum Navigator Lift-Away, and the BISSELL CleanView Swivel Upright Bagless Vacuum, both available at Amazon.

'These have long fittings to help with cleaning dust located deep at the back or along baseboards and edges of furniture, while eliminating dirt around your vacuum path.'

Alternatively, adds Karina Toner, cleaning expert and operations manager at Spekless, this Vacuum Attachment Adapter available at Amazon eliminates the need to bend over when cleaning under your bed.

2. Try an Electrostatic Duster

A white bedroom with a grey carpet, red and white striped chair, blue headboard and bed, white bedding, a yellow blanket, and two red cushions. On either side of the bed are matching wooden bedside tables, and above is a large artwork and exposed wooden beam.

Use slow, sweeping motions.

(Image credit: Future / PAUL RAESIDE LTD)

'Long-handled dusters, such as the OXO Good Grips Microfiber Extendable Duster available at Amazon, trap dust instead of sending it into the air,' says Karina.

'Use slow, sweeping motions to gather buildup and follow with a vacuum for a complete clean,' which is one of the quick things people with clean guest bedrooms always do.

3. Use a Mop

A bedroom with blue walls with panelled orange statement wallpaper, a dark wood four poster bed with white bedding with a matching bedside table with white lamp, patterned curtains, and neutral carpet.

Use a mop for hardwood floors, or wrap a microfiber cloth around the handle to easily remove dust.

(Image credit: Future / SOHO MANAGEMENT LONDON LTD (JAMES MERRELL))

If applicable to your specific bedroom, use a flat microfiber mop or duster with an extended handle to get under low furniture and beds to clean hardwood floors.

'A Swiffer Sweep & Mop Deluxe 2-in-1 Floor Mopping and Sweeping Kit available at Amazon or Rubbermaid HYGEN Quick-Connect Flexible Dusting Wand, also available at Amazon, are both excellent options to get under beds,' says Isabella.

'The microfiber material will trap dust rather than distribute it, and the flooring will remain clean and shiny. To help trap finer particles and lint, lightly spray the mop or pad with a dust-repelling cleaner or all-purpose cleaning solution,' such as the Method All-Purpose Cleaner available at Walmart.

In a pinch, adds Karina, attach a microfiber cloth to a mop handle and glide it under the bed to lift fine dust and lint that vacuums might miss.

Or, says Bree Uebergang, co-founder and cleaning expert at Filthy Clean, 'I've wrapped a microfiber cloth around a ruler plenty of times. It's a bit of a hack, but it works.'

4. Blow Out Hidden Dust With a Handheld Air Blower

A blue bedroom with white cornicing and baseboards, dark wooden flooring, a white rug, white rattan bed, and white bedside table.

An air blower makes it easy to clean unreachable corners, cracks, and crevices.

(Image credit: Future / ANNA STATHAKI)

For tight areas where tools can't reach, you can remove dust using a small electric duster, such as the WOLFBOX MF50 Compressed Air Duster available at Amazon, suggests Karina.

'It blows debris toward the edges, so you can vacuum it up easily,' she explains.

5. Rotate and Clean Stored Items Seasonally

A maximalist bedroom with two red single beds, with bright patterned bedding, a black and white patterned rug, patterned upholstered chair, green patterned wallpaper, wooden closet, and large window with sheer white curtains.

Prevent dirt and dust bunnies by rotating your underbed storage.

(Image credit: Future / ALECIA NEO)

While underbed storage ideas are among the most convenient and space-saving options, when was the last time you cleaned yours?

'Pull out any storage bins or boxes under the bed every few months and dust and wipe them down,' advises Karina. 'This prevents dirt and dust bunnies from building up around fabric or plastic containers.'

For this, we recommend using the Great Value Multipurpose Microfiber Household Cleaning Cloth, available at Walmart.

6. Try a Robot Vacuum for Regular Upkeep

A neutral bedroom space with taupe walls, a grey brown bed with white bedding, assorted cushions, and a wooden bedside table. Behind are white painted baseboards, and the flooring is hardwood.

Robot vacuums get the work done for you, as long as there is enough clearance under your bed.

(Image credit: Future / M+M MANAGEMENT (DAVIDE LOVATTI))

Another tip, from Isabella, if you struggle to reach underneath your bed at all, is to use one of the best robot vacuums to do the job for you.

'The iRobot Roomba i3 EVO and eufy G30+, both available at Amazon, are low-profile models that glide underneath most bed frames and clean automatically. They reduce buildup between deep cleans, especially helpful for allergy-prone households,' as they'll help to combat common allergens.

7. Finish with a Dust-trapping Spray

A white bedroom with a blue bed with a pink and white canopy, white bedding and patterned cushions. At the end of the bed is a distressed blue bench with striped padding and a patterned cushion, and to the left is a white chest of drawers, with a black lamp with patterned lampshade on top.

Dust-trapping spray helps prevent build-up.

(Image credit: Future / Future Publishing Ltd)

Finally, Karina advises, finish with a dust-trapping spray. She says, 'After cleaning, mist the area and baseboards under the bed with a dust-repellent, like Endust Multi-Surface Dusting and Cleaning Spray available at Walmart. It helps slow future dust buildup, and keeps the space fresher for longer.'

You can also make your own homemade cleaning spray to repel dust, which can be used to prevent dust on furniture, too.

What to Shop

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

Meet the Experts

Isabella Flores
Isabella Flores

Isabella is a cleaning expert and professional organizer at Sparkly Maid San Diego. As a senior team member, she helps families create spotless, clutter-free homes, including tackling behind and under beds, using eco-friendly products and trusted cleaning systems.

headshot of Karina Toner, Spekless Cleaning
Karina Toner

With numerous contributions in Homes & Gardens, Real Homes, The Spruce, and many more, Karina has extensive knowledge of both commercial and residential cleaning, and knows better than anyone how to clean behind and under beds without moving them and injuring yourself.

Bree Uebergang
Bree Uebergang

As the co-founder of Filthy Clean, Bree has cleaned hundreds of bedrooms and worked with clients who have a variety of different bed setups.


'If you want to go a step further, check under the bed with a torch to spot what’s left, then wipe with a damp microfiber cloth to trap the fine dust,' recommends Bree. 'It’s especially worth doing if you’ve got allergies.'

After all, dust under your bed is one of the things that may be making your allergies worse at home, so learning how to clean without moving big appliances will serve you well in the long term.

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Ottilie Blackhall
Sleep Editor

Ottilie joined Homes & Gardens in 2024 as the News Writer on Solved, after finishing a Master's in Magazine Journalism at City, University of London. Now, as the Sleep Editor, she spends her days hunting deals and producing content on all things sleep – from mattresses and sheets to protectors and pillows, all of which she tests in her own home. She also has particular expertise in home fragrance, covering everything from candles to reed diffusers.

Previously, she has written for Livingetc and Motorsport Magazine, and also has a Master's degree in English Literature and History of Art from the University of Edinburgh, where she developed a love for inspiring interiors and architecture.