Cleaning is always a hot topic among us because no two people are alike. At the start of the pandemic, we learned that some people washed their legs in the shower, and chile, some didn’t. Some people wash their newly bought wash cloths and, again, some don’t. It’s safe to say that there are definitely some differences in what everyone considers neat, clean, and tidy.
However, while it’s fine and dandy that we do things according to our personal preferences, there’s still a general guideline about how often we should do things like wash our blankets, take out our garbage, clean the oven, and disinfect our toilet handles. And some of those ideas are even backed by science!
Whether or not you change your household habits is completely up to you, but it wouldn’t hurt to pick up a few tips in the meantime. From sheets to microwaves, here’s how often you should clean the things in your home—and girl, you may be surprised!
Kitchen Spaces & Appliances
Kitchens are the one space we should be extra passionate about keeping clean because they’re the home of everything we put in our mouths. Food, dishes, water—all things we need to make sure stay clean and uncontaminated for both safety and quality reasons.
Dishes: Wash your dishes at least once a day to avoid bacteria and fungus from growing. If you’re putting them in the dishwasher, it’s OK to simply wait until he dishwasher is full to run it, as long as the dishes are thoroughly rinsed before you put them in.
Refrigerator: Deep clean your refrigerator every three months. That means throwing out old things, pulling out the crisper drawers and washing them, and reorganizing items. If you notice it’s looking messy or there’s a foul smell, clean it out sooner!
Stove & Oven: Clean stove off after each use and clean out your oven every 3 months, or after a major spill that may cause burning, smoking, or a full blown fire hazard.
Floors & Mats: You should thoroughly sweep and mop your kitchen floor once or twice a week. Kitchen mats should also be washed once a week.
Countertops & Tables: Countertops and tables should be wiped cleaned and disinfected after every use.
Cutting Boards: Clean your cutting board after every use, but replace it once a year. If it’s a high quality wood cutting board, you can keep it for up to 5 years.
Microwave: If you use it often, clean it once a week. Not so much? Every two to three weeks should be fine.
Bedrooms & Linens
We’re all guilty of a messy bedroom every now and then. And truth be told, a few clothes on the floor ain’t never hurt nobody! However, “messy” is not the same thing as “dirty”, and if you’re failing to wash your sheets often, leaving food around for too long, or letting dust sit on your TV—you may be creating a hazardous environment for yourself. So, what’s the solution? Get to cleaning, sis!
Bedding: Sheets and pillow cases should be washed once a week. Interestingly enough, heavy blankets and comforters should only be washed 2-3 times a year.
Carpets & Flooring: You should vacuum or sweep bedroom floors once a week, twice during allergy season. Carpets should only be shampooed once a year.
Clothes & Closets: Laundry is up to you, but at least one load a week should only be clothes from your hamper. Bedroom closets should be cleaned and organized 1-2 times a year.
Windows/Blinds: Clean and dust your blinds and window sills once every two weeks to avoid buildup of dust or fungus growth.
Bathroom – Everything In It
Let’s keep it all the way real—bathrooms can be gross. No matter how clean you keep your bathroom, it still has a toilet and shower in it! So it will always be a breading ground for bacteria, collections of dust, lingering hair, and consistently wet floors. However, keeping it fresh, neat, and dry is still very possible.
Showers and Tubs: Clean your showers and tubs at least once a week. This includes shower walls and unclogging drains.
Toilet (and surrounding areas!): Clean in and around your toilet twice a week, every week.
Sink and Faucets: Sinks and faucets in your bathroom need to be wiped down and disinfected once a week. This includes showerheads and faucets.
Floors and Tiles: Mop your bathroom floors and tiles once a week. Be sure to use a different mop, mop bucket, or pad for the bathroom than you do the rest of the house.
Hand Towels: Replace your bathroom hand towels two or three times a week.
The Nooks, Crannies, and Crevices
The nooks, crannies, and crevices refers to the small stuff we have to do around the house but sometimes overlook. Yeah sis, we see that dust collecting at the top of your TV and change isn’t the only thing lurking between those coach cushions. So let’s take a look at some chores you definitely need to perform more often than you currently do.
Dusting: Dust easy-to-reach areas once a month and hard-to-reach areas once every six months.
Cleaning Under: We often forget to clean under the refrigerator, couch, bed, and other easily forgettable places—that’s completely normal. Try to, at the very least, hit all of these places once or twice a month.
Baseboards and Window Sills: Window sills should be cleaned every two weeks, while baseboards should be hit once a month.
Remotes and Small Electronics: Don’t forget to hit your remotes and frequently-used small electronics with an air duster and disinfectant once every month, or after you or a family member is sick.
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