7 Things You May Have Forgotten to Clean During Quarantine Spring Cleaning
Weeks of quarantining have passed, and our fear of bacteria and germs has significantly increased. It is great that we are all washing our hands more often. But, there are many things that you may be forgetting to wash more since you have been at home.
To maintain a fresh and clean home here are some items you might be forgetting to clean at home:
1. Washing Machine + Dryer
Most of us don’t think about it, but sometimes the washing machine needs love too. Some of you are thinking, “Why should I wash my washer? It’s clean. It’s washing itself all the time.” Like your towel that wipes water off your body, it can get a little smelly after a while.
Don’t worry. Your washing machine needs a good cleaning only once or twice every year. With simple everyday items like baking soda and vinegar, this video can show you how to clean your washer and dryer. Not only do your clothes come out cleaner and fresher, but you also cut down on your electric bill!
Tip: Leave your washer door open after washing to prevent mold growth
2. Bed Sheets
Staying at home for a longer period of time means more time in bed. Eating in bed, watching Netflix, drooling — we have all done it. To prevent an accumulation of dried sweat and drool on your sheets, try to wash your sheets every two weeks. But if you are lazy like me, three weeks. Also, remember to fluff out your pillows and even flip your mattress.
Tip: Throw them in the washer when you are ready to start your day so you can dive into fresh sheets when you go to bed at night!
3. Couch
After lying on the bed for too long, I travel to the couch when I am feeling spontaneous. Unfortunately, the snacks that you like to eat sometimes get eaten by the couch as well. Whip out that vacuum and get between the crevices of your couch to prevent possible mold growth.
Tip: If you have a difficult time getting tiny crumbs, grab some tape, and get between those crevices and tape them away.
4. Refrigerator
With the lockdown, many of us are cooking at home more. This also means more groceries in the fridge and more spills. To ensure freshness of your hard bought food, clean out your fridge. Take all the stuff out of your fridge and give it a nice wipe down. Toss out that moldy piece of cheese in the back of the refrigerator and expired condiments. Learn how to clean your fridge efficiently and quickly here.
Tip: Clean before you make your grocery trip and after eating to have the max energy and the least amount of food in your fridge during cleaning.
5. Bathroom
Now that we are at home more, we use it much more too. Try to clean your toilets a little more frequently. Take a second out of your day to keep your throne clean. Clean the bowl following the instructions of your preferred toilet cleaner.
Tip: After cleaning, leave the toilet brush between the toilet seat and the bowl to drip dry before putting it back into the holder. Remember water = bacteria growth.
6. Water bottle
Water bottles are the best. Even during quarantine, I use it because it holds lots of water without needing to get up often to get more water. But, there are days where I “forget” to wash it. But that stopped a few days ago when I read that it should be cleaned EVERY SINGLE DAY. Lots of bacteria from your mouth can accumulate in the bottle and grow since it is a moist environment.
So don’t want to wait until your water bottle gets smelly, wash it every day to make sure you are drinking out of a clean water bottle so you can confidently enjoy every drop.
Tip: Wash your bottle before going to bed to let it air out overnight.
7. Cell Phone + Laptop
Last, but NOT LEAST. We all use it. We all forget to clean it — our phones and laptops. Grab a disinfectant wipe or spray some isopropyl alcohol (60% or higher) on to a paper towel or cloth. Then give your phone and laptop a good wipe down.
Tip: Remember to remove your phone case to get into all the crevices.
Cleaning is not the most exciting way to spend your time at home or the most fun. But, it is a way to ensure that you stay healthy and show some love to things in your house that we may have forgotten about. Take this list and space them out or tackle them all in one day.
Now, this is not an exhaustive list of things that only you may have forgotten, so share it with your loved ones. If you can think of anything that is not on the list, please comment below, so we are all aware too!
