Your Home May Not Be as Clean as You Think!
You take a lot of pride in your home and keeping it clean and healthy… but how clean is it really? You might take your cleaning methods to the hilt in the spring or go on a power-cleaning spree in the winter to keep from going stir-crazy, but there are a lot of places you’ve probably never thought about.
With that said, can you imagine how nasty these areas might be? Make sure to add these areas to your list the next time you’re gearing up for a day of cleaning!
- Toaster: how often have you cleaned the crumbs out of the bottom? Not only is this pretty gross, but it can also become a fire hazard depending on how much is hiding out in there!
- Dish Rack: true, you’re putting clean dishes here, but you should still disinfect your drying-rack every once in a while.
- Dishwasher: you’re probably catching the theme, here — a lot of things that are the dirtiest involve cleaning! But there’s always soap and hot, running water, so how filthy is your dishwasher? Trust, it can get pretty gross in there. By running some vinegar through your dishwasher, followed by a cycle of baking soda, your appliance will be filth-free.
- Laundry Machine: unless you wash with bleach on the regular, your washing machine is probably a pretty dirty place. Every 6 months simply run a warm cycle and add 5 cups of white vinegar.
- Under Range Hood: while this is a particularly unpleasant area filled with an even more unpleasant type of grease, if you pop the filter out and get at it with ultra-hot water and baking soda, it’ll be clean quicker than you think.
- Fridge Parts: even if you can’t see it, refrigerators are a haven for black mold or other hidden germs. Pay close attention to the rubber sealant on the doors, as well as shelves and bins.
- Laundry Baskets: remember, dirty, filthy clothes go in here! How often do you fold and carry your laundry in the same basket you brought it to your washer with? Make sure you disinfect your baskets between each load.
- Appliances: between, behind, under… you know these dust bunnies are no joke. They can also become a fire hazard.
- Top of Cabinets/Fridge: when is the last time you climbed up there? Rest assured that any dust bunnies you haven’t found beneath appliances will be up there.
- Ceiling Fan: if dusty and full of debris or dirt, you’re essentially blowing all that around your house. There’s a trick with a pillow case that makes cleaning the blades super simple.
- Pillows: speaking of those, you’ve probably washed your pillow cases with the sheets, but what about the actual pillow? Dirty pillows are detrimental for those who already suffer from respiratory health issues. All you need to do is throw them in the washer and follow the instructions on the tag for drying.
- Coffee Maker: of all the appliances in your kitchen, drip coffee makers are probably teeming with the most bacteria — simply because few understand how to clean it. Just brew some vinegar through it every so often. That’s it!
- Makeup Brushes: oh, girls (and guys!), please, please remember that each time you use dirty brushes, you’re spreading bacteria all over your face! You don’t need expensive cleaners to keep your brushes clean, either. Once a week you can wash them all with mild dishsoap or baby shampoo, and leave them out to dry.
- Exercise/Bath Mats: for the former, there’s a lot of foot fungus, sweat, skin, and dirt hanging out in all the grooves and surfaces. You can hose mats down with detergent and water, or if you’re low on time just spray the surface with water and tea tree oil and wipe down. For bath mats, remember that it’s holding all that water from your previous showers, which can result in mold or mildew. Most bath mats can just get tossed in the washer.
- Shower Curtain/Rod: it’s good to replace the shower curtain every so often, and that’s the perfect time to wipe down the curtain rod, too. All that soap and sud buildup along the bottom of the curtain can get pretty nasty.
- Garbage Bins: it goes without saying that the surface and insides of your garbage can are going to get gross. A wipe down with disinfectant or bleach every week will clear that right up.
Don’t forget about other places to disinfect during your routines, like door knobs, toilet seats and handles, faucets, light switches, remote controls (and other electronics), and your cleaning supplies themselves. It sounds like a lot, but many of these areas in your home only need a little bit of your attention, in frequently.