Blame it on the hectic schedules of a work week, but we’ve all been victims of laziness. After spending the whole day tiring ourselves out at work, the last thing we want to do is come back home and clean. But assuming you’re a regular person who likes to come home to a clean house and stay away from diseases, here are 8 things you should prioritize on your to-do list.
1. Kitchen Sinks
Kitchen sinks are where you keep your dirty dishes, so naturally bacteria are going to be drawn to them. Make it a point, every single night, to empty your kitchen sink and then scrub it clean. If you don’t want to spring for a disinfecting spray, baking soda and lemon will also keep your sink at its shiny best. As a bonus, when you go into your kitchen the next morning, you’ll be welcomed by the scent of fresh lemons instead of stale, rotting food.
2. Kitchen Sponges
A lot of these points are going to focus on your kitchen because that’s the easiest way for bacteria to get in your system. Any area where food is prepared warrants extra attention, so definitely don’t ignore your kitchen. Kitchen sponges come into contact with all kinds of food, and are used to wipe your counters. If they remain wet, they also harbor stagnant water. Noticed how smelly your sponges get when they aren’t washed properly? To clean sponges properly, you can soak them in a mixture of bleach and water or microwave a wet sponge for about two minutes.
3. Remotes
Every member of the household handles the remote and you don’t know where their hands have been. A dirty remote can harbor all kinds of germs which then get passed on to the whole family. Rather than taking this risk, wipe down your remote with a sanitizing wipe to keep your family member safe.
4.
Phones
Your phone screen is pressed up against your face and touched by your hands all day. If you notice pimples popping up on the side of your face, it could be because of your phone. You wouldn’t go a day without washing your face, would you? You know there’s a lot of dirt on your face by the end of the day which needs to be cleansed off. Wiping your phone with sanitizer serves the same purpose and keeps your skin healthy.
5. Bath Towels
How often do you change your bath towels? If the answer is anything more than once in three days, you need to do it more often. Damp bath towels are like a haven for bacteria which always prefer dark, moist environments. If you leave your towels in the bathroom especially, you need to change them out more often as they don’t get a chance to dry fully inside.
6.
Microwaves
Microwaves have seen the worst of all your kitchen episodes. They’ve seen milk boil over, eggs explode and curries splatter within their walls. Yet, for all that, they’re one of the most used kitchen appliances, as well as one of the most ignored. Most of us don’t clean our microwave nearly as much as we should, as the prospect seems daunting and laziness often kicks in. Luckily, it’s a lot simpler than many of us think. Just microwave a bowl of lemon juice and water for about 10 minutes and then wipe down the insides. Your microwave will look and smell as good as new.
7. Your Handbag
For most women, handbags are where things go to die. You tend to absent-mindedly throw half-eaten sandwiches, old bills and coins in there, never to resurface again! However, make it a point to clean out your handbag at least once a week, so you can keep yourself organized. Rid yourself of all the junk you don’t need and the next time someone wants to look at your bag, you won’t have to feel so ashamed.
8.
Refrigerators
Cleaning out refrigerators seems like a heavy-duty task that requires a whole lot of commitment. But it might only seem that way because you don’t do it often enough. Every few days, go through everything in your fridge and throw out the stuff you don’t need. Using transparent containers to store food could help you prevent unnecessary food wastage. At least once in two weeks, empty your entire refrigerator out and wash the shelves. Your refrigerator should smell clean, not like the lasagna you made three weeks ago.
