15 Things You Probably Didn’t Know You Should Clean More Often
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Beyond cleaning out your fridge, wiping down your counters, and taking out the trash, there are a few little things that you should clean in your home on a regular basis... that you are not. While no one really likes chores, taking the extra couple minutes to reach tough spots or wipe down certain objects can really make a difference.
From your laundry baskets to light switches, don't forget these 15 things you should clean more often!
1. Door Knobs
As one of the most highly-contacted surfaces in your home, disinfecting your doorknobs should be on your regular to-do list. Oils and bacteria can build up quickly on door knobs, so make sure to wipe them down with a disinfectant cleaning spray or cloth!
2. Bed Pillows
Did you know that where you lay your head at night can actually be composed of dead dust mites? Turns out you can wash your pillows in the washing machine (check the label first) to keep the dust mites out and get a good night sleep in.
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3. Washer & Dryer
You would think the place where your clothing goes to get cleaned would be clean itself, but washers and dryers can build up mildew, bacteria, and mold. To make sure your clothes stay fresh, there are many cleaning solutions to rinse through your washer once a month.
4. Bathmats
While bathmats can provide grip and a soft place for your feet to rest in your bathroom - they can also contain mildew and germs. Shake and wash your bathmats regularly, such as whenever you run your load of bath towels in the laundry. Just remember to scrub your tub bathmat on both sides before washing, and let it air dry rather than put it in the dryer.
5. Remote Controls
Kids, guests, pets, floors, tables - just a few of the many things that touch your TV remote controls daily. With all those hands, mouths, and surfaces touching your remote controls, it's important to wipe them down with an alcohol cotton swab or anti-bacterial wipe. There are even deep cleaning methods where you get inside of the remote control for a complete cleaning of the circuit board and buttons.
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6. Phones
Just like remote controls, phones are constantly being touched by multiple people everyday. All you need is a clean cloth and a drop of liquid dish soap to clean off your cell phone screen. For other types of phones like your home phone, wipe down the entire phone with an anti-bacterial wipe or spray at the end of the day or week.
7. Laundry Baskets
Laundry baskets are used to carry around both clean and dirty laundry. Rinsing and wiping down your plastic laundry bins with an anti-bacterial spray or wipe should be on your monthly cleaning list.
8. Trash Can
Your kitchen trash can is one of the smelliest and dirtiest parts of your home if it's not rinsed, cleaned, and disinfected regularly. Clean out your trash cans at least once every two months to keep your kitchen from building up germs.
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9. Keyboards
Your hands can collect a lot of germs throughout the day from touching many items and objects. These germs can easily be transferred onto your computer keyboard the moment you start typing. Shut down your computer and unplug it, tilt your keyboard to shake out loose debris, and then spray and wipe down to disinfect. You can even use compressed air for a more thorough cleaning between the keys.
10. Kitchen Sink
Once a week you should be thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting your kitchen sink. Baking soda, white vinegar, dish soap and some sponges will do the trick!
11. Dishwasher
Debris and deposits can build up in your dishwasher causing your dishes to not be getting as clean as you think. There are many different solutions when it comes to cleaning your dishwasher, but one of the simplest is to detach your bottom dishwasher rack to clear out the drain, fill a dishwasher-safe container with one cup of white vinegar and set it on the top rack and run your dishwasher through a full cycle. Then put a little baking soda along the bottom of your dishwasher and run it through a hot water cycle. You can even add bleach if your dishwasher has a mold problem.
12. Couches
Your couch can be one of the dirtiest pieces of furniture in your home. With that said, your couch should be regularly cleaned to rid of body oils, fur, and any other accumulated dirt or dust. Vacuum all surfaces and cushions, scrub spots or stains with a bristle brush, and wipe down any exposed hard surfaces. Make sure to check your couch cover or fabric tag for special cleaning instructions.
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13. Blankets
Unless your blanket tag says otherwise - you can wash your blankets in the laundry just like you do with your clothes. Depending on your bedding, you should be washing your blankets monthly if you use them on top of your covers, every other week if it's on top of a flat sheet, or weekly if you use your blankets as your only cover.
14. Light Switches
A quick disinfectant spray and wipe down of your light switch is all you need to clean a little surface that can have a lot of dirt. You can even get into all the little crevices of the actual switch by cleaning it with a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol.
15. Shower Curtain
Mold, mildew, and soap scum can easily build up on your shower curtain, making the place where you go to get clean - one of the dirtiest. For fabric curtains, you can run them through the wash like you would your clothes, but for vinyl or plastic curtains you'll need to spray and scrub with a cleaner, wash it in cold, and then air dry. You should be washing your shower curtain regularly and even replacing it every now and then.
This article originally appeared on Porch.com.
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