No matter the size, cleaning your home definitely requires a system. Most people have a system for laundry, towels, bathrooms, sheets etc. Some of us have cleaning services that come on a regular basis, some have kids that have chores, others do it all themselves.
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Either way, there is a lot to do in terms of cleaning and it takes up a lot of time. The rest of the cleaning usually involves daily tidying, vacuuming, cleaning windows, mopping floors and dusting. Most, but not all have a cleaning schedule for that. But what about the not so obvious things that get overlooked and/or forgotten about? There are 12 things in your home that you may be forgetting to clean.
There can’t be a system for everything and you can’t possibly clean everything all the time or that could turn into a full-time job for most… or wait, it kind of already is. But some of these not so obvious things could be a breeding ground for germs and could even be reasons why you or your kids are getting sick.
1. Your Loofah
Think about it. Your loofah lives in the warm, wet space inside your shower. Every time you clean your skin, dead skin cells are brushing off you and landing in the weaves of the loofah. Bacteria love dead skin. If the loofah never fully dries, which most don’t, then the organisms just multiply over and over again. If you currently use loofahs as part of your shower routine, it may be time to rethink and use something more cleanly. After all, that is the purpose of a shower sponge, right?
2. Fans and Light Fixtures
Regardless of whether or not you clean your home or someone else does, chances are this is one of the things that you forget to clean in your home. I can almost guarantee cleaning services are not cleaning the fan blades. If they are, send them my way. The reason is in most cases it can become a liability. I am guilty of this myself and every time I finally get to cleaning the fan blades, the amount of dust is pretty disgusting. I tell myself that I will never go that long again.
At the very least it’s a good idea to clean them before the turn of the season when you start using them again. It is bad enough when the dust sits on the blades, but when you then start using the fan? Yeah, imagine the fun in that! This is something that doesn’t take long to do and there are plenty of fan blade cleaning tools out there to clean them that make your life very easy.
3. Light Switches and Door Knobs
This may seem silly to you but it is so necessary to clean light switches and door knobs. Think about it for a second, those are two things where everyone’s hands land multiple times a day. I usually don’t even think about it when I open the door or turn on and off a light, but it hit me one day when I noticed, chocolate (yes, chocolate) all over the light switch in the bathroom. It is the bathroom closest to our kitchen so whenever my kids are excused from the table, they go wash up. That light switch was full of chocolate hand prints. It then hit me, that is something I can see, but germs you cannot. Obviously if there is food, then there must be germs from dirty hands always touching the light switch.
Door knobs are an obvious culprit but I’m sure most people do not wash their door knobs. If you are anything like me, you can add this to the lists of things in your home that you may be forgetting to clean.
4. Your Toothbrush Holder
I have never understood the toothbrush holder market and for the life of me cannot find a toothbrush holder that makes sense. They are always dirty! Toothbrush holders should be cleaned and wiped down often, which most people are probably not doing. The best way to clean your toothbrush holder is with an antibacterial mouthwash.
I personally use a soap dish for my oral B toothbrush tips. It is easy to clean and fits nicely into the groves. If you just can’t get it together to clean the toothbrush holder almost every time you use it, then make sure you are not overusing your toothbrush. It is a good idea to get a new toothbrush every three months or so. A dirty toothbrush may also be the reason your kids are getting sick! If your kids get sick, once they are through with the illness, it’s a good time to swap out the old and get them a fresh new toothbrush.
5. Rugs and Doormats
Doormats obviously get dirty and show dirt and if you are anything like me, you wait until you see black mud or dirt when you finally decide it’s time to wash your doormats. If you decide its time to wash your doormats because there is dirt showing it’s probably too late. Think about all the other things brought in from the outside other than dirt! If you have babies crawling around, it may be a good idea to wash those doormats frequently. The thought of it makes me ill and yet it is on the list of things in your home that people are forgetting to clean. Rugs aren’t as obvious so they often times get overlooked but they too should cleaned regularly, especially if it is a shaggy rug. Although they are super cozy, you have no idea what’s hiding in those types of rugs.
6. Bath Toys
Does your tub look like mine and is filled with bath toys? You know those fun ones that you squeeze and water comes out? My kids love these toys. They especially love squirting each other in the face. Has black water ever come out of these? Yeah, again I made this mistake and bought these and will probably never buy them again. I cannot maintain regular disposal of bath toys. You can get more bath fun out of the bath color tablets and bath bombs. Ditch the water toys and opt for something that is easy to clean because chances are these are items that fall on the list of things in your home that you are forgetting to clean.
7. AC Heating Vents
It is one thing to make sure you are regularly cleaning the dust off the vents in your home but it is another to have the air ducts cleaned. We all know that air is circulating through our homes and out of the vents, so dirty vents could flare up your dust allergies and make you uncomfortable. Even more than the vent covers the air ducts should be cleaned on a regular basis. It is recommended (depending on where you live) that the air ducts should be cleaned every three to five years. There are many benefits to this especially if you have allergies or asthma.
8. Under your Couch Cushions
Not only can you probably find some coins and/or treasures (as my kids like to call them), or things you may have been missing for a while, but the amount of food and/or crumbs that sit in between cushions and underneath is astonishing. I don’t even allow food in our family room and still the amount of crumbs hidden in the cracks surprises me every time. I always feel better when I vacuum my couch cushions and clean out that nastiness that sits under your favorite spot.
9. Your Washing Machine
This is another one. If you really think about it, this is where you put all your dirty clothes. Yes, I know you wash them with soap and bleach and mostly hot water but washing machines can be breeding grounds for salmonella and other bacteria and germs. It’s always a good idea to run an empty load with hot water and about a cup of distilled white vinegar once a month or so to clean out and sanitize your washer. That way, you are washing your clothes in a clean appliance. What a concept!
10. Kids Stuffed Animals
No, I am not talking about one of the hundred stuffed animals that sits on your child’s bed, I am talking about the ones that they bring with them, everywhere. Each of my kids have a bear and matching blanket that they bring everywhere. These things have been all over with us and the kids favorite spot to put them when they are not using them is the floor. When they are with them, they are right snug next to their face and mouth and all nestled in. Gross right? There are times where I can even physically see dirt on the blankets. It’s a good idea to wash these at least weekly to rid them of germs and anything else that has collected on them.
11. Nose Syringe Bulb
The use alone for this lovely item speaks for itself. We used these a lot with our kids, that is until the NoseFrida came out. We got ours from the hospital and we used them a lot. In fact, I really like them, until I started thinking about cleaning it out. Sure, I would squeeze everything out and wipe the end of it when I was done with it, but have you ever cut it open and seen the fun inside. This is a baby item and yet this very item is something that is in your home that people are forgetting to clean. Save yourself the gag reflex and boil those nose syringes often to avoid seeing what could be lurking inside or skip them altogether and just purchase the NoseFrida.
12. Electronic Devices
Electronic devices are one of the dirtiest items in your home. Your cell phone is everywhere you are and more. Your hands are touching everything around you and being that most people are on their phones a majority of the day, your hands carry germs that transfer right to your phone. The fact that most people are not washing their hands before touching their phone each time, makes your cell phone one of the dirtiest items in your home. This goes with any handheld devices, including iPads, tablets, laptops and more. Oh and this seems to be the most favorite things that babies like to put in their mouths. That concludes the list of things you may be forgetting to clean in your home.
For a list of items to help you stay “clean”, see the list below!
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