10 Things You Never Thought to Clean (Pt. 1)
Because I first posted this right when I started blogging, I don’t think a lot of you have gotten to see it yet. So I’m re-posting it (and pt. 2) over this next week or so! I’ve added a title image (because when I first started blogging I didn’t know that was a thing) but other than that, it’s the same post! ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ I bet you’re expecting a 2013 round-up, huh? Well, I’ve decided not to do that, because why bring the old in with the new?
Instead, I’ve created a list of 10 things I bet you never thought to clean, so that you can keep your house and family clean and healthy this year! Now, this is not to say that you haven’t been cleaning your house well enough, trust me, most of these I’ve only realized in the last couple of years. Some of them you may have known forever. But they are things that I think a lot of people don’t think to clean! I’m doing this in two parts because I noticed that the post was getting too long.
Sponge
Sponges are disgusting. I mean, think about it. We use them to clean dirty dishes, put them next to the sink, and then the next day, use the DIRTY sponge to “clean” dishes again! Bleh! Personally, if I could use a new sponge everyday I would, but that’s a waste of resources and money. Instead, I throw my sponge in the dishwasher with every load I run in it. The sponge gets sanitized along with the dishes! I’ve also read that you can microwave a sponge if you don’t have a dishwasher or want to do it quickly: just get it wet and microwave it for about a minute. And make sure you change your sponge regularly! I always use my old sponge to clean my bathrooms on Chore Day once a week (but only once it’s been through the dishwasher) and then it gets thrown away and my kitchen gets a new one.
Handles
I’ll give my mom credit for this one, I hadn’t thought of it until a few months ago when she mentioned something to me about my fridge handles looking dingy. Wait, what? Fridge handles get dirty? Of course, it seems so obvious now. We walk around while eating or with dirty hands and open up cabinets/our fridge/etc, so the handles get dirty, too! I would suggest spraying a folded paper towel with your favorite cleaning product/disinfectant and go through your house, wiping down handles. Don’t forget your door knobs, fridge, oven, and cabinet handles (kitchen and bathroom). I usually do it once a week, but of course if somebody in your family is sick, it might need to be done more often!
Under Stove
Until I lived in my own home, I never, ever, knew that the stove part of a stove/oven combo can lift up. The first time I discovered it, I was disgusted by the mess underneath. Now I lift mine up once a month and deep clean underneath. This is really only applicable if your stove has burners/trays that have openings that let food drop below.
Dishwasher
This one is really easy, but still important. Your dishwasher is pretty efficient at cleaning itself, but it can leave microscopic food particles inside itself that mean your dishes aren’t really getting clean. Buying one of these handy things and running it through your dishwasher every month or so will help avoid that.
Hairbrush
If you hair is anything like mine, then you leave a ton behind in the brush every time you do your hair. Even if you don’t leave a lot of hair behind, your brush is still building up gunk from styling products, natural oils, etc. About once a month I usually use a pair of tweezers to get out all the hair out of the bristles (that’s a bit OCD, you can just pull what you can out with your fingers if you’re not crazy like me) and then I soak the hairbrush in a bowl of warm water with a bit of Clorox Clean Up mixed in. Rinse well and your brush will be as good as new!
Share your thoughts…have you thought of these already? Stay tuned for part 2 in the next couple of days!
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