Germs, dirt, and bacteria can live in places in your house you may consider clean. Before letting your family use, touch, and handle the items in these areas, you need to make sure that they are as clean as can be.
So make sure you cover these areas well in your cleaning to-do list.
Kitchen Sink
With daily usage, your kitchen sink can get dirtier than your toilet. Oftentimes, you disinfect your toilets and forget about the bacteria thriving in your kitchen sink from soaking plates and food stuck on pans, pots and dirty dishes. In turn, your sink can become a breeding ground for E. coli and salmonella.
So you should not just rinse your kitchen sink with water. Instead, wash it with a bleach-based cleanser or bleach at least once daily, and rinse. Most importantly, you must replace kitchen rags, sponges, and brushes regularly.
Bathtub
Your bathtub can become a secret home for germs. The warm water makes is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, fungi, and mold. So don’t forget to sanitize the area with a daily cleanser after bathing. To truly disinfect it, you should regularly use a bleach-based cleanser, rinse, and wipe down damp spots.
Doorknobs and Handles
Everyone in your home touches the doorknobs and handles but no one really cleans them. Imagine the number of bacteria or germs you get every time you close or open a door.
To disinfect these areas, you need to pour some liquid cleaner into a slightly damp sponge before using it to wipe the door handles and knobs. Leave the cleaner on for several minutes before using a soft towel to dab it off.
Toothbrush and Toothbrush Holder
Apart from the bacteria from your mouth, bacteria will also cling onto your toothbrush and toothbrush holder because they are left in your bathroom. It is not enough to just rinse them off.
Instead, you need to soak your toothbrush in an antibacterial mouthwash at least once a week. You can also store them in a cup containing hydrogen peroxide after each use. Most importantly, replace your toothbrush regularly. As for the holder, make sure to rinse it with hot water before sanitizing it.
Pillows and Bed Sheets
Your bed is your sanctuary after a long, exhausting day. But this is also among the dirtiest spots in your home if you don’t make sure that it is clean and germ-free.
Regularly changing your pillowcases and bed sheets is a good way for you to have good, healthy sleep. You should hand wash or machine wash your beddings with warm water and mild detergent. Let it dry in the hottest drying setting. But for beddings that are not washable, spray them off with a mixture of water and bleach then allow them to air dry.
Faucets
Mildew and grime can build up in your faucets if you don’t clean them regularly. Imagine how gross it is for you to use that water for brushing your teeth or washing the dishes.
So it is crucial for you to remove the faucet aerator every couple of months. You just have to twist it counter-clockwise. Once removed, soak it in vinegar for no less than 15 minutes. Remove any remaining residue by gently brushing all the parts with a toothbrush.
Above the Kitchen Cabinets
The area between the ceiling and cabinets is often neglected. In fact, only a few people clean this area. If you don’t regularly clean this area, you can find rodent nests, dead plants, long-forgotten food, droppings or dust stuck on it.
A dustpan and a small hand broom can do the trick. By cleaning this area at least twice a month, dust won’t accumulate. Consider doing this task first so that stray dust will land on surfaces you have yet to clean.
Inside your Refrigerator
Long-forgotten leftovers and takeout containers can mingle in a space easily accessed by multiple hands daily. This further means that refrigerators are not just dirty but a serious grime-promoting area in your home as well.
Fill your sink with dishwashing liquid and hot water. Remove the items from each refrigerator shelf before removing the shelf itself. Wash them in the sink, and dry them off using a microfiber cloth before placing them back in the fridge. Then finally wipe the interior and exterior surfaces of your fridge clean.
Just because an area in your home is spotless does not necessarily mean that it does not harbor germs, fungi, and bacteria. Aside from disinfecting your toilets, make sure to also include these dirty spots on your to-do list.
But if you do not have enough time to clean your house regularly, consider hiring a cleaning company to do the job for you. Professional cleaners make use of the best cleaning supplies and equipment.
More importantly, they know which areas in your home need extra cleaning. With professional cleaning services, you are guaranteed a clean, germ-free home.
AUTHOR BIO
Rania Bellos launched Dust Busters Cleaning Services with the help and support of her husband after spending 15 years working in the banking and finance industry in France, Lebanon and the UAE. She welcomes the daily challenges and exciting opportunities provided by the highly competitive residential and commercial cleaning services market.