Everything gets better with checklists. Rather than spending time with undecisive motions and activities, checklists provide actionable plans you can implement to make pre-spring cleaning more productive. So, spring felt like a long time coming a few months ago. However, crazy snow and freezing temperatures will usher in spring in a few months. Although spring cleaning may have to wait a while, let’s help you with tips to help you get ready for spring cleaning.
Take out the trash
Cleaning can be challenging with you buried in stuff. Hence, the first thing on the checklist is to get rid of what you don’t need. This activity frees space around the home and provides a clear mind free of stress and anxiety. If you can efficiently perform this task, you won’t have much problem seeing the cleaning through to an end.
Take your time to get rid of the things you don’t need. By getting rid of them, you don’t always need to throw them into the trash. If you want, you can donate some items or sell them. However, ditch whatever is left. If there are too many items to dispose of, rent a dumpster or hire a removal service.
Get help with cleaning
There is nothing wrong with asking for help or calling a professional house cleaning service for help with cleaning. If you don’t have the energy or time to clean, ask around for cleaning services and book a time with the cleaning professionals. However, you can ask a friend or family member to help out. Besides, you can try automated cleaning with robotic vacuum cleaners. These cleaners get rid of debris and dirt efficiently.
Do these in no specific order
Yeah, the big idea is to get the job done without paying much attention to the order. Whichever works best for you, do the following:
Polish and wax the floor as needed to give it a bright appearance
Shampoo the carpets, wash the curtains and vacuum the floors
Rearrange the furniture, dust the walls, and clean hangings on your ceilings
Dust the bookshelves, baseboards, ceiling fans, and other surfaces
Clean the vents, dryer vents, air ducts, and replace the HVAC filters
Clean the window by wiping them down
Rearrange the kitchen and wash the dishes
Take out the fridge for a rub down and restock
Wash your bathroom and arrange the closet
Remove the pillow cover and bedsheets and wash them
Finish laundry and take out the trash
Checklist for outside
Inspect the gutters and roof for ice and snow damages. Also, check for loose shingles or noticeable issues with the tiles. Plus, remove debris, leaves, and sticks from the roof.
Inspect the doors and windows for leaks, holes, and gaps. Repair and replace the windows and doors where necessary.
Check the sprinkler lines, heads, and valves and fix whatever needs fixing. Also, check pipes and faucets to eliminate cracks resulting from freeze damage. Check sensors on outdoor lighting to identify the need for a replacement.
Service the HVAC unit to improve its efficiency. Clean debris on the unit, change the filters and clean the coils.
Test and install smoke detectors around your house.
Conclusion
Cleaning, either pre-spring or spring cleaning is easier said than done. However, a pre-spring checklist makes cleaning easy and breezy.
Since the moment it is born, almost every living organism embarks on the quest of finding and impressing the opposite sex. This relentless pursuit gives us one of life’s most significant challenges and one of its most profound consolations.
For people, love has been described as almost being like a dance. However, that is untrue.
To be honest, love is more like a chemistry experiment, with thousands of little variables that you continuously or unconsciously must get right.
The dreaded and highly anticipated “mood” must be reached and maintained.
Dirt is a mood killer
Speaking for myself and most people: nothing ruins “the mood” faster than poor hygiene.
Lousy breath, wrinkled and unkempt clothing, dirty fingernails are all deal breakers for many people. Yet, you will not be spared from this rejection if you maintain good personal hygiene, but your living space is in tatters.
Usually, these problems do not occur at the start of the relationship when we are all very eager to impress. Throughout a long relationship, we tend to rest on our laurels and just stop trying. We begin dressing down, welcoming our partner to a messy house, and overall neglecting the atmosphere, if not the person.
There is no greater passion killer than implying: “I already have you, and I take you for granted. Why try to impress you?”.
This Valentine’s Day should signal the start of a different paradigm. We each should strive to welcome our Valentine to a mood-setting, crispy-clean house. Those of us who are brave enough can even attempt to cook something, taking great care not to burn down the house we just spotlessly cleaned.
Smells and bells
A nightmare scenario can occur: you just cleaned your bathroom, and your Valentine is soon to arrive. Yet, a hint of a bad smell lingers. It was covered at first by the citrus-flavored vapors of your cleaning solutions, yet those wear off quickly.
This clinging smell may seem strange, but it is a common problem for many people.
Cleaning your bathroom often involves some disinfectant, bleach-based solutions that promise to kill the accumulated bacteria. Yet, we treat these disinfectants like ordinary soap, and we rinse them away instantly.
Then, we get tricked by their minty or citrus smell into thinking the toilet, the sink, or the floor is clean.
Funky, lingering smells are off-putting, and you can eliminate them by covering bacteria-ridden surfaces with disinfectant and leaving them to soak for about 15 minutes. Give it time to work.
Your sink is another primary source of funky smells, as it gathers grease, skin cells, hair, and all types of dirt. Bending over a sink that belches nasty smell is enough to ruin the mood with your Valentine.
Be sure to get some powder drain cleaner and pour it down the sink. After about 10 minutes, chase it down with boiling water.
Cleaning as a Valentine’s gift
It is not uncommon for partners to have a copy of each other’s house keys. As a surprise, you could take him/her out for a lovely dinner. As you are out on the town, you can hire a professional cleaning service to come and make the place spotless.
Most cleaners won’t refuse you if you ask them nicely to leave a few heart-shaped decorations lying around. Your Valentine will expect you to take them out, yet they won’t expect to come home to a Valentine’s themed, crispy-clean home.
Also, many maid services offer house cleaning gift cards. It’s practically a vacation away from cleaning – a perfect gift for your loved one.
Queen for a Day
This one doesn’t have as much to do with cleaning as it is just a simple and easy way to have your Valentine feel like a Queen for a day. Might take some planning but that is what makes it a sure hit.
For most people, keeping a clean house not only guards your health but also promotes a more cheerful and upbeat disposition. However, the process of cleaning often involves using store-bought chemicals that can be highly toxic.
Certain commercial solutions will irritate your airways if you have respiratory issues, as you unwittingly breathe in the volatile fumes. While the use of toxic chemicals cannot be fully eliminated, you can use natural, non-toxic alternatives in certain situations. In fact, you can even make your own cleaning solutions using household ingredients.
This alternative is not only easier on your skin and lungs, but it also involves dirt-cheap ingredients that you probably already have lying around.
As a disclaimer, whatever you do, never mix bleach and ammonia. The resulting gas is extremely harmful to the human body, regardless of your health status.
This article will show chemistry has a place outside the lab as we explore some nifty DIY cleaning solutions.
1. Lemon-scented vinegar cleaner
You will need some lemon rind, white vinegar, rosemary springs, and distilled water for this mixture. The ingredients should be mixed then left in a container for about seven days. After, it can be poured into a spray bottle for easy use.
This cleaner is effective against mineral deposit stains left by water; it can remove smears from certain walls; it can freshen your kitchen counters, and rinse your trash receptacle.
It is well-knows that vinegar has excellent cleaning power, but the lemon rind can also boost the solution’s effectiveness. It wasn’t included just for the sake of its refreshing smell.
Disclaimer: The lemon’s leftover citric acid can affect granite surfaces, so avoid using this cleaner on such surfaces.
2. DIY marble cleaning solution
For this cleaner, you will need only two ingredients: distilled water and dishwashing soap. Be sure to use a milder variety of soap.
Mix the two while being careful not to add too much dishwashing liquid, letting it to amalgamate for about 2-3 minutes. Then, using a soft sponge, wash the marble or granite surface. As previously mentioned, do not use lemon or any other type of citrus-based cleaner as it will erode the surface.
3. Stain removal solution
This solution is designed to remove persistent stains out of white clothing. It consists of 3 main ingredients: bleach, powder dishwasher detergent, and some hot water. The quantities may vary depending on how much you wish to produce, yet for a standard batch, you can use a cup of bleach and detergent for every gallon of water.
It is important to remember that it should not be mixed inside an aluminum container. You can use plastic, enamel, or stainless steel.
After the mixture is ready, leave the clothes to soak for about twenty minutes. For every more persistent stain, prolong the soak period for another 10-15 minutes.
4. Grease and grime cleaner
Ah yes, the nemesis of any homeowner: grime. As layers of grease pile on top of each other, they are repeatedly heated and left to set, a very persistent, sticky, and nasty layer of grime forms. It usually clings to stove hoods, stove grills, oven racks, and other surfaces that contact food.
The solution is easy to prepare: you should include a cup of sudsy ammonia for every gallon of lukewarm water. If you do not see results, add a little more ammonia.
Once it is prepared, dip a sponge in the solution and start washing the troubled areas. After, simply rinse the area with water.
Conclusion
As you can see, many of these solutions are very easy to make, and they do work. You do not have to worry about a high price tag or exposure to volatile and irritant chemicals. Try them out for yourself, and you’ll never look back.
Cleaning is definitely a skill, a skill that is definitely in demand as most of the world’s population is locked inside. And make no mistake, there are quicker and more efficient ways of getting things done, instead of scrubbing everything until your hands are raw.
This is a list of cleaning tips and hacks designed to hasten the process without compromising the quality of the final results.
Here are a few ways in which you can work smarter and not harder:
1. Cleaning wax stains
Here’s a problem that used to be much more common a few hundred years ago: cleaning spilled and hardened wax.
While electricity has eliminated most of the need for candles, halogen and LED lights rarely bring out the romantic streak in people. Try as we might, we still need candles.
Spent candles are a nightmare to change, and most people throw out the pretty glass containers just to avoid having to clean them. Instead of taking a fingernail to the dried wax flakes, simply dunk the glass in some hot water. You can also add a little white vinegar as it will restore some of its shine.
The warm water will melt the excess wax, leaving the candleholder clean and ready to act as a centerpiece for your next romantic candlelit dinner.
2. Unclogging shower heads
Life is suffering.
And one of the main causes of that suffering is the loss of showerhead pressure.
While the previous statement may be a little hyperbolic, low showerhead pressure can indeed be a nuisance. The issue is mainly caused by mineral deposits that clog the tiny holes through which the water springs.
Thankfully, the situation is easily fixed: First, be sure to buy a scrubber sponge, and remove as much of the debris as possible. Of course, this will do a good job of cleaning just the exterior.
For the holes’ interior part, get a leak-free plastic bag, some water, and white vinegar.
Now, mix the water and vinegar inside the bag. Remove the showerhead and place it in the bag to soak for about 30 minutes – 1 hour. This method will remove the deposits, so you will only need to wipe away the loosened debris.
Vinegar is excellent for any situation that involves limescale.
3. Cleaning canvas sneakers
Here’s how you can waste money: take your sneakers and make them unusable by washing them in the washing machine. The result will be a collapsed, wrinkled mess with a sole that is starting to detach. Now that we’re covered what not to do, here’s how you can adequately clean your canvas sneakers:
Take out the shoelaces.
Take a soft-bristle brush, wet it, and slightly scrub any excessive dirt. Do this for the entire surface, including the sole, tongue, and edge.
If the stains are very persistent, dip the brush in hydrogen peroxide first.
Add a little mild dish soap to some warm water, then wet some cloth inside the mixture.
Using the cloth, gently clean all of the sneaker’s surfaces.
Repeat the same process; only this time, use a cloth soaked in just water for rinsing.
Finally, stuff your shoes with paper towels to get rid of the excess water. As a bonus, this also helps to prevent them from collapsing into a wrinkled mess.
4. Cleaning red wine stains
“There’s no use crying over spilled milk.” Indeed, that popular saying is true. However, the argument can be made that crying over spilled wine is entirely justified. Milk doesn’t stain nearly as bad.
Regardless of the liquid in question, if you’re drinking it often, it’s only a matter of time until an accident happens.
After the spill, most people panic and start hectically rubbing the stain. Rubbing is a mistake, as it only works further to smear the wine into the carpet or clothing item. Your best option is to get a piece of cloth or multiple paper towels and use a dipping motion to absorb the moisture.
Remember: dip, don’t rub.
If the item in question is a shirt or a pair of pants, take it off and leave it to soak in a mixture of cold water and a laundry stain remover solution. About 20 minutes should be enough for the combination to work its magic.
If the discoloration persists, wash the garment in a mixture of bleach and warm water. It is essential to check that the bleach is designed to be used for fabrics and not just general-purpose bleach.
However, if you spilled wine on your upholstery, drenching it in bleach and detergent is out of the question. To remedy the problem, add some liquid dish soap to some lukewarm water, and then soak a sponge in the mixture. Use that sponge to clean the stain as much as possible.
Then, using a blotting motion, get an absorbent cloth to remove the remaining wine from the stain. Finally, rinse using a sponge and plain water. While you can leave it to dry, it is best to blowdry the spot.
5. Toothpaste to remove marker scribbles from wood
Kids sometimes like to color outside the lines, literally. While your little one is coloring, it’s only a matter of time until the table itself starts to look like an abstract painting. To make matters worse, crayons are out of style, and markers are much more popular.
Thankfully, an unlikely item will remove marker scribbles from wood: toothpaste. This advice is pretty straightforward, with no particular method involved. Simply use toothpaste to remove the stain, then rinse.
6. Remove odors from shoes
Thankfully, North America doesn’t foster a shoes-off inside the house culture. Still, many of us get self-conscious about the smell of our feet and shoes. While regular bathing or fungicide solves the former, the latter can be easily fixed with baking soda.
It seems strange, but pouring baking soda inside your shoe will remove the bad smells. Baking soda is famous for its ability to absorb any odor. That’s why it is often used in kitchen cleaning products.
The only mention is to make sure that the shoe is bone-dry; otherwise, the soda will absorb the moisture forming a messy paste.
Leave the filled shoes overnight, and by morning they will be as fresh as when you bought them. To get rid of the powder, shake it loose and tap on the sole while holding each shoe upside-down.
It’s always a good idea to keep your home clean. However, during a public health crisis, we can’t overemphasize how important it is to not only clean your home—but to clean it correctly.
In the U.S. alone, COVID-19 has infected millions of people and killed hundreds of thousands. Staying at home, maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet, wearing a mask, and frequently washing your hands are the top four ways to reduce your risk of exposure. However, a less common (but still viable) means of infection is coming into contact with contaminated surfaces. This is why cleaning your home could be the fifth line of defense against COVID-19. Keep reading to discover 10 tips for effectively cleaning your home during this challenging time.
Cleaning vs. Sanitizing vs. Disinfecting
Often, cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting are terms people use interchangeably. However, there is a difference between the three. “Cleaning is the physical removal of visible soils and organic matter,” explains Dr. Kelly Reynolds, professor and department chair of Community, Environment & Policy; and director of the Environment, Exposure Science and Risk Assessment Center at the University of Arizona.
On the other hand, Reynolds, who is also a Clorox partner, explains that sanitization is a process used to kill 99.99 percent of bacteria not visible to the naked eye within a five minute contact time. “Disinfection is the process of killing at least 99.99 percent of bacteria and other microbes, such as viruses.”
You Don’t Need to Disinfect Everything
Although COVID-19 is a virus, Reynolds says you don’t have to disinfect everything. “Use cleaners on visibility soiled surfaces to remove dirt, debris, grease, or bodily fluids,” she says. “Use sanitizers in laundry washes and apply sanitizers on soft/porous surfaces such as carpets and fabric upholstery.” When would you use disinfectants? “Target bathroom and kitchen surfaces for disinfectant use, as well as high-touch surfaces like light switches, door knobs, fridge and faucet handles, and remotes.”
How Often You Should Clean and Disinfect
How frequently you should clean and disinfect depends on your family’s patterns, health status, and other factors, Reynolds says. But she does have some general guidelines. “Disinfect kitchen surfaces every time before preparing food and after surfaces contact high-risk food sources like raw chicken or ground beef.” In addition, she recommends disinfecting bathrooms and high-touch surfaces on a weekly basis.
“If someone is known to be ill in your home, especially if they’ve recently tested positive for COVID-19, the frequency of disinfection should be increased to at least daily,” Reynolds recommends. “In these situations, always consult your healthcare provider or CDC guidelines for additional precautions to help enhance the health and safety of the entire household.”
How to Disinfect
There are plenty of disinfectant sprays and wipes that you can use. However, Reynolds says you can also use a mixture of bleach and water to disinfect any type of bleach-safe, hard, non-porous surface such as plastic, synthetic materials such as nylon and vinyl, stainless steel, glass, glazed porcelain, linoleum, latex, enamel, painted or finished wood, silicone, and also sealed brick, patio stone, stucco, and granite. She recommends the following steps:
1. Pre-wash the surface. 2. Combine 1/3 cup disinfecting bleach with 1 gallon of water. 3. Allow the solution to contact the surface for at least six minutes. 4. After six minutes, rinse well with clean water and let surface air dry.
Dealing with Sick Family Members
If you have a sick family member, Reynolds says you need to pay special attention to how you clean. “This individual can release germs that readily settle onto surfaces, linens, and clothing as well as the hands of those who are ill.” As much as possible, she says it’s important to isolate sick family members from others. “Also, frequently-disinfect surrounding surfaces of sick individuals, sanitize associated linens and clothing, and practice good hygiene.”
Don’t Forget About Bacteria
COVID-19 is a virus, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect bacteria, especially now that your family is spending more time together at home. “Generally, bacteria can live for days to weeks and even months on hard, non-porous surfaces, but generally require large numbers to infect people,” Reynolds says. “That is why it is important to maintain routine cleaning and disinfecting practices to minimize spread.” And she recommends using products specifically labeled as disinfectants as the most effective way to eliminate bacteria from hard surfaces.
Don’t Ruin Your Electronics
As you’re disinfecting high-touch areas in your home, use special care with electronics. “Don’t forget about your laptops, cell phones and tablets; for these, use 70 percent or higher alcohol-based disinfecting wipes,” advises Diana Rodriguez-Zaba, president of ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba. “This is important to truly eliminate germs and virus particles,” she says.
In fact, Lauren Bowen, director of franchise operations at Two Maids & A Mop, says smartphones and other tech devices may harbor more germs than a toilet seat. “Think about the number of surfaces you touch throughout the day—and then think about the times that you touch your phone, hold your phone to your face or send a text while eating.”
Clean Your Cleaning Supplies
To effectively clean your home, your supplies and appliances need to also be clean—and they don’t clean themselves. “Is there anything that works harder in the kitchen than the sponge? But it can also harbor bacteria, which a simple run through the dishwasher might not always fix,” says Bowen. She recommends soaking the sponge in a diluted bleach solution (1/2 teaspoon of bleach in a quart of warm water) and then rinsing it thoroughly. “If you can afford to, replace the sponge often, especially if your kitchen gets heavy use.” Bowen also recommends cleaning your washing machine by running a cup of vinegar through the hot cycle. “You can also leave the door and detergent areas open after a load to let the machine dry out after each use.”
Leave Your Germs By the Door
To minimize the number of germs and viruses being brought into your house, Leanne Stapf, CEO of The Cleaning Authority, recommends that you leave your shoes, handbags, and backpacks at the door. “If you have little ones with shoes that lace, either spray them with disinfectant or wash them frequently because you’d be surprised where those laces have been dragged.”
Stapf says you should also remember all of the places that your handbag or backpack—as well as your kids’ backpacks—have been and what they may have been exposed to, especially if they’ve been on the ground, or the floor of your vehicle. “Frequently clean these items with a cleaner that’s safe for the bag’s material,” she says. “Also, designate a place for bags to be left, like in a storage bench or closet by the front door, to prevent them from ending up on a table or countertop, spreading germs and viruses throughout your home.”
Know What You’re Working With
When you’re choosing a disinfectant, Jeff Gill, founder and CEO of Germinator Mobile Sanitizing & Disinfecting recommends one that is safe, effective, and user friendly. “You should select a disinfectant that does not use harsh chemicals or fumes to minimize the risk of potential health hazards for your loved ones,” he says. “Some disinfectants out there are toxic, corrosive, or can even damage surfaces, items, or the environment.”
In addition, he says, you should always choose a disinfectant that is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “You’ll want a disinfectant that kills pathogens that are of concern like MRSA, COVID-19 (or SARS-COV-2), and other microbes,” Gill says. “The EPA List N contains a registry of various disinfectants recognized to kill pathogens of current concern and are approved for use on surfaces according to the label’s instructions.”
Abe Navas is the general manager at Emily’s Maids and he is also married to a cellular biologist. “She needs sterile surfaces for her cellular cultivation projects, and she has changed the way we see contaminated surfaces and objects.” For example, Navas says the best cleaning product you can have is alcohol. If you have visitors in your home, when they leave, he recommends cleaning behind them with alcohol. “Put it in a spray bottle and simply spray any ‘hot’ surface that could be infected and leave it be.”
This article, 10 Tips for Effectively Cleaning Your Home During a Pandemic, was originally published on Bob Vila. Reposting on Emily’s Maids’ blog because the pandemic cleaning tips are insightful and amazing!That and our own, Abe, is quoted.
Real Simple wrote an amazing article on getting to the source of stinks in your home, quoting Emily’s Maids’ own, Abe, on how to properly clean your trash can:
To clean the can properly, spray it with diluted bleach and let it sit for a few hours, says Abe Navas, general manager of Emily’s Maids housecleaning service in Dallas, Texas. Rinse it with plenty of water, and then use soap to wash it out.
~ RealSimple.com
For the full article, “If Your Home Smells Funny, Check These 8 Problem Areas” click here.
“You are what you eat” is a truthful saying that usually refers to the quality of the food that we consume. However, if we’re not careful, we could end up ingesting much more than we expect. As a general rule, there are entire ecosystems of bacteria and mold that like to consume food residue, in addition to larger household invaders like rodents or insects.
Both pathogens and pests like to eat as much as we do. Keeping a clean kitchen will ensure that we don’t accidentally ingest harmful bacteria, mold spores, cockroach remains, and other repulsive or harmful elements.
De-grease everything
Fats are some of the most calorically-dense substances in nature. It’s no surprise that almost every living creature craves the stuff. Also, the fat molecules themselves are resistant to water and hard to break down.
Of course, bacteria will readily form on stray fat and oil droplets. Even when a thorough cleaning can be postponed, be sure to scrub your stove and surrounding area with a soapy solution every time you cook. Water will just smear the fat, while the soap is great at breaking down fat molecules.
Cleaning any trace of fat will also prevent cockroach infestations.
It doesn’t take much to attract cockroaches. Each individual bug leaves a scent trail wherever it goes, making it easier for its siblings to follow. These critters just love fat and food residue, and their sense of ‘smell’ would put ours to shame. Even the tiniest stray droplets of fat will keep them coming.
Another repulsive aspect is that these insects eat constantly; thus, they leave their droppings wherever they go. One of the first indications of an infestation is the appearance of pepper-like granules all over your kitchen.
Using a citrus-based soap while cleaning will not only dissolve fat, but it will also mess with the chemical trails that cockroaches leave as trails to find their way back to your kitchen.
Even though your kitchen may look clean, it is advisable not to take any chances and be extra careful with fat residue.
Maintain your dishwasher
As it functions, your dishwasher can accumulate food residue that is very easy to miss. Be sure to check it after each wash, especially under the bottom rack. Its process of washing dishes may be great for dissolving grease, but food can have other, harder components such as insoluble string bean fibers, bits of pasta, etc.
Although it may seem to defeat the purpose of having a dishwasher in the first place, it is advisable to rinse your dishes before putting them in. This doesn’t have to be a thorough cleaning, just a quick process of eliminating most of the bulky food debris.
First, wipe the dish clean with a paper towel, then put it under the faucet for a few seconds. This swift, low effort action will assure that you remove any material that could clog your dishwasher or just sit inside it, gathering lethal bacteria.
Prioritize paper towels and not rags or towels
Depending on your habits, you may use a kitchen rag or towel to wipe off wet hands or wipe your dishes after the dishwasher leaves them a little wet. As a general rule, try to avoid cloth fabrics in your kitchen.
While to our naked eyes, it may look like a solid piece of cloth, it is an intricate forest of fibers on a micro-level. Each time you set it counter or wipe seemingly clean hands, a certain amount of food residue will cling to those fibers.
You do not have to be a microbiologist to know what will happen if you have a damp object with food particles lying around. Of course, it will quickly breed bacteria.
If possible, use paper towels for any wiping action, as they can be disposed of after being used.
It can be hard to see the silver lining during a global pandemic. However, one of the advantages of living in such times is the heightened focus that must be placed on cleanliness. Most of us will learn valuable lessons during this quarantine, which will hopefully remain in our memory long after the viral threat has passed.
When it comes to cleaning, most of us think of our bathrooms, living rooms, and floors. After all, these are the areas that intuitively will attract the most pathogens. While this conclusion is valid, there are items that we often neglect to clean, and these items pose a greater health risk than even your toilet seat.
Phones and phone screens
Modern phones are portable mini-computers, and their front side is one giant screen. The ease of use and portability of phones makes them easy to use anywhere, as we carry them around wherever we go.
All of the germs, fungal spores, and dirt particles that we touch will inevitably end up on our phone screens. To make matters worse, human skin secrets an oily substance called sebum, which easily and visibly smears the screen’s surface. This makes it easier to dirt to cling to the surface and provides a nutritious substrate for bacteria.
Phones quickly become bacteria nurseries. This item will also be held up to our head, touching our face.
The issue was researched back in 2017 by analyzing 27 phones belonging to students. Without fail, each phone was brimming with harmful germs such as E. coli and Streptococcus.
Ideally, we should wash our hands very often and clean our phone screens twice a week. Thankfully, this is not a time-consuming endeavor. To clean your phone, you just need a couple of alcohol-based disinfectant wipes.
Wiping a phone screen takes only a few seconds, and it eliminates a significant threat to your health.
Kitchen cutting boards
Another household item that is neglected is the kitchen cutting board. We have a wooden board with thousands of tiny slashes carved into it. With each slash, we are pushing food particles inside these damp crevices. Of course, bacteria adore damp places with lots of food. An improperly cleaned cutting board can grow an impressive amount of harmful microorganisms in just a short time.
To clean it, simply wash it with warm, soapy water. Avoid putting in the dishwater, as food fibers can dislodge and accumulate inside the appliance’s drain.
Computers. All of them
The general rule of high-risk surfaces: If you place your hands on it often, it is much more likely to gather pathogens. Similar to phones, computers are pieces of technology that are used daily.
Computer peripherals such as keyboards and mice are the main culprits. Mice are easy to disinfect, as they can be swiftly wiped down due to their handy( pun intended) shape.
When it comes to keeping keyboards clean, it can be more difficult than simply wiping off a phone screen. Keyboards have dozens of buttons and, depending on the style, an exposed underside. If you are in the habit of eating while watching internet videos, some stray crumbs and food particles can easily find a new home in the spaces between the keys.
It is important to stay on top of the situation and clean the keyboard often. Once it gets out of hand, a messy keyboard is tough to clean and can require the removal and disasembly of each individual button.
Use a thin cue tip to get inside the space between the keys, and a disinfectant wipe for the overall surface.
Doorknobs and elevator buttons
These two represent some of the most high-touch surfaces in any building. It can be nearly impossible to control an elevator button’s cleanliness, given that you will not be the only one to use it.
Still, you could suggest to the building’s cleaning staff that they pay extra attention to that area.
Your home’s doorknobs are much easier to disinfect, given that dozens of strangers will not use them on a daily basis.
Depending on the material, it would be best to scrub them with an alcohol-based disinfectant solution at least 2-3 times a day during the pandemic. Pandemics aside, once per day is enough.
Conclusion
All of the high-touch areas mentioned are not difficult to clean, yet they can host some serious risks to your health if neglected. It is possible to clean all of them in under 5 minutes, and your family will be healthier and safer if you do so.
Turkeys, Chicken, Wine, and Merry. Isn’t that what Thanksgiving is known for? Fine, maybe not all, but we can’t deny that Thanksgiving provides an opportunity to appreciate life and the people who have made our lives meaningful. As a result, we celebrate and make merry the best way we know how to. However, when there is fun, there is always cleaning to do.
Cleaning can be a big deal and can be really difficult, especially when you have a large family with little kids. It becomes more overwhelming when you are to host a party or receive guests during the Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving sure is an exciting occasion for most households; however, beneath the euphoria, you must be able to put in the necessary work.
Since Thanksgiving is just a few days away, we feel it is essential to let you know how to clean your home while guests are around and when they leave. We have prepared the best cleaning tips just for you!
Cleaning Tips During Thanksgiving
Declutter your space
Before your guests arrive, it is best to declutter your room a few days before Thanksgiving. By decluttering, we mean that you should sort out each member of your household’s belongings and dispose of the things that are no longer needed.
You may have to open your guest room or storerooms that did not serve as bedrooms in the past. Apart from this, you have to clear the cobwebs and make the room or rooms look as presentable as possible. Wash the bed sheets and blankets and ensure that all the beds are well laid. Plus, lock the doors when you are done to prevent your kids from going in and littering where you cleaned.
The idea behind this cleaning routine is to make the guest room look as accommodating and pleasing as possible. Why? It is where your guests would be lodged.
Clean the toilets and bathroom
The bathroom and toilets are like any other part of the home; hence, they should be maintained. However, you should pay special attention to it because most homeowners tend to neglect it since it occupies a less visible part of the home.
While your guests are around, wash all your toilets regularly and keep them clean. Not only the toilet but all toilets in the house. Since you don’t always plan for emergencies, it is possible someone will need to use yours. Wash and wipe off stains, wash the toilet bowls thoroughly every day, replace toiletries as often as possible and empty the trash can.
Before your guests arrive, sit on the toilet bowls and look around, pretending that you are a guest. That way, you would get to see the other things that need to be cleaned in the bathroom, for instance, dirty spots, dusty areas, etc.
Clean your kitchen
The kitchen is the soul of most households. Besides, there will be little fun about Thanksgiving without food. Hence, you need to make sure your kitchen is ready for the tasks ahead. For effective result,
You need to clean your fridge and freezer and throw out spoiled foods or items to create space for the foods you will be preparing during the thanksgiving day.
Wash your tablecloths and iron them, wash your china sets and cover them to keep off dust.
Washing plates, even with the dishwasher, can be time-consuming. However, you need to carry out the process. Consider it a form of necessary evil that you need to carry out. Alternatively, you can buy paper plates and disposables to reduce the stress of doing all the dishes. Nonetheless, it would help if you wash your plates and utensils. You can wash the plates in bits to avoid feeling overwhelmed during the process.
Reduce the number of pots and pans you use to prepare your meals, which would help reduce the workload while cleaning.
You must clean your kitchen immediately after you finish cooking to prevent your dishes from piling up. While waiting for your meal to get done or your cookies or cakes to get baked, make sure you use those periods to do your dishes and clean up your kitchen.
It is also necessary to keep those washed tablecloths in handy, do not forget that wines may spill, and there may be crumbs or leftovers on your table. While spills on tables and gas cookers may be unavoidable, try and keep this to a minimum.
Cleaning Tips After Thanksgiving
Start with clearing your tables and doing the dishes. If your guests are still around, chances are that they would join you in the clean-up. If you have helpers, it becomes easier for you to clear the garbage and wipe off stains and dirt.
Some foods may stick to your pots during cooking. Soak your pots and plates with warm or hot water to wash them later.
Rearrange your kitchen and place scattered equipment in order. It might be tempting to stop there and relax, but it is necessary to complete the cleaning process. Proceed to start scrubbing and mopping your tiles.
Wash your toilets and bathrooms all over again. If you continuously cleaned your bathrooms even while your guests were around, it won’t be difficult to clean them after they leave.
Rearrange everything that was scattered in the house during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Conclusion
When you have a large family, cleaning your home can become tasking and really challenging. However, as cliché as it may sound, the best way to prevent your chores from piling up during the Thanksgiving holiday is to clean up your home almost immediately and not wait till your guests leave. If you pile up your chores till the end of the Thanksgiving holiday, you may become overwhelmed with the house chores, so it’s best to clean as you go.
Even as you prepare for the thanksgiving day, do not forget to beautify your homes with thanksgiving decorations. Happy Thanksgiving Day in advance!
A woman cleans a bathroom toilet with a scrub brush.
Ah yes, the porcelain throne. Although it is not often mentioned in polite company, the toilet is arguably the most civilizing invention. We usually take it for granted, but as any camper can tell you: you miss it when it’s gone.
Now, given the nature of its use, keeping it clean is imperative. Toilet cleaning is a task where procrastination should be out of the question. If you’re doing it right, your toilet should be generally cleaner than your toothbrush.
This statement may seem strange, but a recent study finds that our toothbrush containers have the largest concentration of germs, bacteria, mold, and germs. Still, an improperly cleaned toilet can easily take the number one spot from the toothbrush container.
A disturbing percentage of toilet seats and handles in that study were also found to be viral, bacteria, and fungal hotspots. This pathogen density indicates that people are not cleaning their toilets properly, and they are just wiping them down.
That being said, let’s take a look at how to clean and disinfect your toilet properly:
Read the label
Not many of us read the labels of our cleaning products, especially those we have been using for years. And this omission causes us to incorrectly use these solutions while cleaning our house.
According to Carolyn Forte, a consumer products expert, most people do not realize that the disinfectant solution used to clean the toilet must be left to soak and linger for a few minutes. It is not enough to simply apply it then immediately rinse it away. This method leaves many pathogens unharmed, although the brief application makes the bowl looking and smelling cleaner.
Of course, this information is often available on the cleaning product’s label, which admittedly most of us do not bother to read.
Get the proper cleaning equipment
Cleaning out your toilet isn’t a high-tech endeavor, so that you won’t need much for a job well done. You will need:
A typical toilet brush with bristles
2-3 scrubbing sponges
Rubber gloves
Septic wipes
Toilet cleaning bleach-based solution, or a gallon of pure bleach
Lysol spray bathroom cleaner or equivalent
Now that we have our cleaning supplies:
First, you should start with the bowl itself. Take the toilet bowl cleaner solution and coat the inside of the bowl. Start at the top, just underneath the rim. As you progress downward, use the brush to spread and cover the entire interior of the bowl. Scrub it rigorously.
As previously mentioned, don’t just rinse it away immediately. Leave the solution to work its magic for about 5-10 minutes, then flush a couple of times.
It should be mentioned that if you haven’t cleaned your toilet in a while, a fine film of water-resistant scum will form over the bowl’s surface. This layer will protect the underlying bacteria, even if you use disinfectant solutions. Given this situation, be sure to wipe the bowl in order to remove the scum-like deposit before you start cleaning. The scrubbing sponges and septic wipes will do just fine.
While waiting for the solution to soak, you can move on to the rest of the commode. Use a Lysol spray cleaner ( or equivalent) and wet the tank and the toilet seat’s underside. Just as you did with the toilet cleaning solution, leave it alone for 10-20 minutes for it to work its magic.
After the wait, rinse the bowl, the tank, and the toilet seat using a combination of hot water and the sponges, wiping off any excess moisture using paper towels.
As a special mention, be sure to pay extra attention to areas that gather bacteria quickly. Risk areas include under the bowl’s rim and the flush handle or button. An NSF study confirms that the handle can get even more contaminated than the inside of the bowl itself.
Conclusion
Overall, cleaning your toilet is not hard; it only requires a small amount of patience and attention to detail. The cleaning supplies are often very cheap, so there’s no excuse for not doing it often.
