Is your home as clean as a whistle? I know mine isn’t, which is why I’ll be upping my cleaning game from now on! After all, there’s no excuse not to have a clean home with this wealth of information from industry professionals and experts. Read on.
Wash your bedding weekly
The topic can be controversial, but Hayley Leitch from Channel 5’s Dirty Home Rescue highly recommends washing your bed linen every week. The reason? We shed a lot of dead skin each day, which dust mites love to feast on. If you don’t wash your sheets often, you’re inviting these pests to multiply, potentially leading to allergies and skin issues. To kill dust mites and bacteria, Leitch suggests washing sheets at 60 degrees Celsius.
Clean bath towels weekly
Dirty bath towels can spread germs. Laura Mountford, a cleaning expert, advises changing your towels every three to four days and washing them weekly. To save energy, it’s fine to wash towels at a low temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. To ensure towels are sanitized, add a laundry cleanser to your usual detergent. Despite common beliefs, drying towels on a rail doesn’t make them any cleaner. For brighter and softer towels, Mountford recommends using white vinegar as a fabric softener.
Sanitize toothbrushes weekly
Toothbrushes can hold millions of bacteria, so it’s not enough to just rinse them after use. Clean them thoroughly once a week by soaking them in a solution made with a denture tablet and water overnight. Don’t forget to clean your toothbrush holder regularly to prevent mould and bacteria growth, and wipe down electric toothbrush chargers with a damp cloth with a few drops of dish soap.
Deep clean bins monthly
Bins can be a breeding ground for germs and can become very smelly if not cleaned. Give your bins a good wash every month, suggests Vaida Drungilaite, owner of VIP Cleanings. Clean your empty bins with hot water, a sponge, and dish soap. After washing, turn the bin upside down to drain and dry it with a microfiber towel. To keep it smelling fresh, regularly use a probiotic spray on the outside.
Fridges need monthly cleaning
A dirty fridge is not just off-putting but also a health hazard, as it could be full of bacteria. Laura Mountford urges you to wipe down the fridge weekly with a food-safe disinfectant, and do a thorough cleaning monthly by taking out and washing all the shelves and drawers. For continuous freshness, leave a jar of baking soda inside, changing it every three months.
Clean the toilet every other day
With harmful bacteria and germs, the toilet needs to be cleaned frequently—three times a week, according to Georgia Ward, a cleaning expert. Begin by dusting all external surfaces, which makes sanitizing easier. Spray with an antibacterial product, wait five minutes, then wipe from top to bottom with a microfiber cloth. Use bleach or toilet cleaner for the bowl, and for a more thorough cleaning, consider leaving it overnight.
Monthly clean for shower heads
Low water pressure could be due to limescale build-up in your shower head. Clean it every month, or every other week if you have a bigger household or live in a hard water area, says Drungilaite. Remove the shower head and apply a limescale remover. Cover it with a paper towel to soak, scrub after minutes, and repeat if necessary. For non-removable shower heads, use the same process and secure a plastic bag over it instead.
Weekly cleans for phone screens
Phone screens often harbour more bacteria than a toilet seat due to constant touching. Regular cleaning is essential to prevent germ build-up. Sarah McAllister, founder of a home-education platform, suggests weekly cleanings for optimal hygiene.Go Clean Co suggests cleaning your light switches and door handles every week using a microfiber cloth misted with rubbing alcohol.
Jeans: occasionally
Although some denim enthusiasts advise against washing jeans, it’s important for hygiene to wash them after every four to five wears. To preserve their color and fit, turn jeans inside out, fasten the buttons and zips, and wash at 30C on a short cycle with a slow spin. Let them air dry, and use a steamer to freshen them up if needed. For spot-cleaning, Levi Strauss & Co recommends using a damp cloth, an old toothbrush, and gentle soap to remove small stains.
Bath toys: monthly
Uncleaned bath toys can harvest bacteria and mould. Clean them monthly by placing them in the dishwasher inside a mesh bag. Opt for toys without holes to prevent mould growth inside.
Keyboards: weekly
Keyboards need weekly cleaning. Unplug and vacuum them with the brush attachment, then wipe with a dry microfiber cloth. Clean screens with a quality lint-free cloth designed for windows and glass, but avoid spraying anything directly on the screen or keyboard. If your laptop is sticky, spray glass cleaner on a cloth instead.
Reusable water bottles: daily
Studies have shown that reusable water bottles can contain more germs than a kitchen sink. Wash them daily with hot, soapy water, and don’t forget the small parts and built-in straws. These areas can harbour bacteria, so use a bristle brush or soak them in hot water with vinegar.
Wooden floors: weekly
To maintain wooden floors, vacuum every two or three days and mop weekly with a mix of one gallon of hot water and a tablespoon of laundry detergent. Keep floors from getting too wet to avoid damage by using a damp, not soaking, mop.
Washing machines: monthly
Cleaning your washing machine every month is essential. Soak the detergent drawer in warm, soapy water, clean with mould remover or antibacterial spray, and check the filter for debris. Run a hot cycle with washing machine cleaner or soda crystals, and keep the door and drawer open after each wash to prevent mould.
Curtains: every 3-6 months
Weekly vacuuming of curtains helps manage dust and allergens. Use a soft-bristle brush attachment, and every few months pass over them with a steam cleaner to remove odours and disinfect without taking them down. For a quick refresh, use fabric spray.
Rugs: monthly
Vacuum rugs weekly on both sides, and do a deep clean monthly with carpet shampoo or non-biological liquid laundry detergent. Gently scrub using a sponge.
Light switches and door handles: weekly
Our hands can carry numerous germs, so door handles should be wiped down every few days in a busy home, or less often in a single-person apartment—similarly for light switches. Clean them with antibacterial wipes or spray, and dry with a disposable cloth, being careful not to let liquids seep into any gaps.
And the kitchen sink: daily
Disinfect sinks daily due to their potential to harbour bacteria, especially when handling raw meat. Clean with hot water and washing-up liquid, then disinfect with a spray or diluted bleach solution. Dry with a clean cloth and flush the drains with tea tree oil or baking soda and hot water for extra cleanliness.
