8 Things You Should Be Cleaning But Aren't
Posted on 25/09/2015
You probably know that home cleaning requires persistency and effort. Without spending that time in ensuring your environment is sanitised, the place will quickly become a mess. It is tiring and demanding, but the reality is that it needs to be done and there is no getting around that.
Even if you think you are thorough in your efforts to house clean properly, chances are some areas and items remain forgotten. Why? Well, this is because while you most certainly never forget to do the house cleaning, some tasks fall in the category ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Here is a reminder of 8 things that you should clean right now, because you have most likely forgotten to.
- House plants - unlike humans, plants cannot clean themselves. And while they may not be entirely spoiled, chances are that the leaves of certain plants are dusty and require some attention. Don’t be too drastic in your cleaning though. Anything more than a simple dusting and gentle wiping with a dry cloth is overkill. Any liquid product may in fact damage the plants and cause them to wilt.
- Remote controls - you have finished living room cleaning and you are now looking forward to watching some TV on your couch. You reach for the remote and… realise you haven’t cleaned it in months. You would shiver in fear if you knew how much germs and bacteria this device could accumulate. Luckily, it’s a simple enough task to sanitise it - brush between the buttons to remove any debris and then wipe the remote with a cloth slightly misted with a mix of water and rubbing alcohol.
- The toothbrush holder - did you just use an old toothbrush to clean the remote? Good, now ask yourself when the last time you cleaned the toothbrush holder was. If the answer is anything between ‘never’ and ‘two weeks ago’, you should definitely sanitise this item. Rinse it with hot water and soap to pick up the grime and other spoils. Finish this by filling the holder with antibacterial mouthwash and waiting for it to do its job before rinsing again.
- The bathroom mat - there is a common misconception that bathroom mats are always clean, since you step on them after taking a cleansing shower. What about stepping on them before going in the shower though? Your feet are likely carrying spoils then and that is why you must regularly clean the mats. This is easy enough - simply toss them in the washing machine and dry them after that before laying them in the bathroom.
- Bathroom exhaust fan - while you are there, take a closer look at your bathroom exhaust fan. You want it to be effective for it needs to draw moisture out. Gently pull the cover down and basically any part that can be unscrewed, disconnected and taken out. It is likely that everything will be caked with dust, if such cleaning service has never been on your mind. Use a damp cloth to take care of the dust and assemble the fan again.
- Vacuum cleaner - the vacuum cleaner is likely one of the most used objects for cleaning in your home. Every week you take it for a walk around your entire home, where it collects dust and other spoils through effective carpet cleaning. From time to time you will have to return the favour and clean the cleaner. Take out the filter and any part that has a connection to collecting dust. Also take care of the rotating brush, if your device has one.
- Air filters and ducts - in order to keep the air environment in your home clean and fresh, you must regularly clean the air filters. Consider this rule of thumb: disposable filters have to be changed every 3 months, while reusable filters should be cleaned at least once every month. Inspect ducts to see if there is any build up of pests, mould and debris. If that is the case, you can schedule specialised cleaning service to take care of the problem.
- Washing machine - after taking care of all these items and areas of your home, you may want to place your sweaty clothes in the washing machine and call it a day. But don’t do that before cleaning the washing machine too! Grime and grease can easily build in the drum. To remedy this, you should fill the washer with hot water, introduce 2 cups of vinegar or bleach and run the longest cycle of the machine. That should do it.
Take heed in cleaning these 8 things in your home if you truly want to call it ‘clean’. That is how you can ensure the environment inside is perfect and that there are no hidden spoils coming in contact with you.