Cleaning our homes has always been a challenge for a lot of us in many ways. From choosing what brand is best to use in what areas to how can we efficiently clean with the little time we have.
Most of us probably had to re-evaluate the way we do certain things or had to restructure our schedule regarding cleaning. Whatever the case may be, you are definitely doing something right.
Cleaning can be time-consuming and may require more patience than other tasks you have, but it certainly will be worth your time once you are finished, and assure you that everyone around you can be kept safe.
The question is are you cleaning the way you’re supposed to clean? And how often should you really be cleaning to be able to optimize the benefits of cleaning?
Let’s start by listing what items and/or areas in our home need cleaning.
- Bedsheets
- Carpets
- Towels
- Door knobs/Handles/ Commonly touched surfaces
- Floors
- Bathroom
- Pillows
- Kitchen
- etc,…
In general, all the areas in our homes need cleaning but these top 8 items/spaces are the most commonly used and visited spots, which requires more attention and proper cleaning. Cleaning also makes a lot of our possessions look and stay new because they are being cleaned on a constant basis.
Now, let’s dive into how often we should be cleaning them and the proper way to clean them. 
Bed Sheets- Bed Sheets are so personal and are one of the items on our list that we have the most contact with. Bedsheets should be washed on a weekly basis and they need to be washed with hot water. This is because most bedsheets are colored and have designs that cannot be subjected to bleach. So, washing them with hot water will kill the germs embedded in them. As a substitute, you can use vinegar instead of bleach.
Carpets- Carpets are a little tricky as they are very bulky and heavy. Having carpets at home is very beneficial for most of us and it’s very understandable you would not want to ruin them from habitual cleaning. However, to ensure that your home is germ-free, carpets need to be washed on a monthly basis. If you are not capable of cleaning it on a monthly basis, carpets should be washed/cleaned at least every 3 – 6 months. Carpet cleaners are quite expensive to get, but you can rent one from a nearby store. Just ensure you wipe down the carpet cleaner before bringing it into your home.
Towels- Just like bedsheets, towels are pretty personal as well. Towels should be changed every 2 days and can only be used by 1 person. Of course, if you have the capacity to change it every day, then that is even better. Due to the fact that towels are used to wipe parts of our body, they should be washed in bleach, soap, and hot water. Of course, if you don’t want to use bleach, you can substitute vinegar. Vinegar has an acidic component that is capable of killing bacteria.
Door knobs/handles/commonly touch spaces – Commonly touched spaces need to be wiped down at least 2 to 3x a week. This is because everyone in your home touches them. It hasn’t hurt anyone to be more proactive when it comes to protecting our families. You may use the same wipe you used for all the surfaces, granted it is still wet and effective.
Floors – You might wonder why floors are part of the list, This is because floors are very important for people with small children. Children often touch the floor with their hands when they play and do not realize it. They also like to place toys in their mouth that has touched the floor. For this reason alone that It is recommended for families to clean/mop their floors every day. Regular soap and water will do and If you want to be more proactive you can put bleach, however, this is entirely up to you, keep in mind that not all surfaces tolerate bleach, so it might cause some damage. Use bleach at your own discretion and ensure that the floor is dry before you let children play on it.
Bathrooms – Bathrooms are without a doubt one of the most visited places in our homes. Bathrooms need to be cleaned on a daily basis depending on how many people use them. Shower stalls/bathtubs are to be cleaned after every use and the toilet seats need to be wiped after every use as well. Keeping a disinfecting wipe by the toilet is handy and will remind you each time you finish using it of what is needed to be done. The shower stall on the other hand can be quite tricky as it requires time to be cleaned. You may want to keep a shower spray and sponge nearby so you can do a quick brush and clean after your shower and when you have more time you can give it a more thorough cleaning.
Pillows – Pillows are another personal thing and require to be cleaned more often. Pillows should be washed bi-weekly and this is because we use them very often. Follow the wash tag attached to the pillow to allow for optimal cleaning and to ensure you don’t damage your pillow.
Kitchen – Kitchens should be cleaned on a daily basis. Just like bathrooms, kitchens tend to be also a part of the house mostly visited. The kitchen is also the place where we prepare our meals, so it is important to ensure that the kitchen is thoroughly cleaned after every use. Soap and water will do that trick. 
Cleaning is very subjective and depends on the needs of each person. However, it is very important to remember that your best bet of protecting yourself is ensuring that your environment is clean. Of course, there are circumstances you cannot control. For example, when you’re out in public, or at work, but that is not the case when you’re at home. You want to make sure that you are doing your best to protect your family and if it means cleaning more often than what you had intended to do, then you’re doing the right thing.
Let us know how your cleaning has changed after reading this post?
