It might seem counterintuitive, but your cleaning supplies and appliances don’t clean themselves. In fact, they often need a rigorous cleaning given that they are dirt and bacteria magnets. It’s a good idea to give everything a onceover to keep items functioning as they should – here’s a peek at which workhorse staples you could take a look at:
The kitchen sponge – Is there anything that works harder in the kitchen than the sponge? The hardy sponge picks up every kind of spill and is probably pressed into service dozens of times a day. Unfortunately, the sponge can also harbor bacteria, which a simple run through the dishwasher might not always fix. To prevent or minimize the spread of bacteria, soak the sponge in a diluted (½ teaspoon in a quart of warm water) bleach solution and then rinse through. If you can afford to, replace the sponge often, especially if your kitchen gets heavy use.
The dishwasher – Sure, you have rinse aid for your wine glasses, but what about the actual dishwasher? Water sediments can slowly dull this useful appliance and decrease its efficiency, meaning it should get its own thorough cleaning once in a while. To do so, put about a quart of vinegar in a glass cup in the top rack and run it on the hot cycle, OR put baking soda in the tab compartment and run through the half cycle. Popular household cleaning brands also sell several “pod” or liquid options that specifically clean your dishwasher.
Washing machine – Just like the dishwasher, repeated use of the washing machine can leave sediments around the mouth of the detergent dispensing station and slowly degrade performance. To combat this, clean the washing machine by getting rid of gunk and running a cup of vinegar through the hot cycle or buying laundry machine refreshers that do the job for you. You can also leave the door and detergent areas open after a load to let the machine dry out after each use.
Toilet bowl cleaner and holder – It might be the least appealing equipment around the house, but that’s precisely why it needs extra attention. People often scrub the bowl with a toilet brush and directly dump the cleaner into the holder, creating a new home for the germs just cleaned out of the toilet. Instead, rinse the scrubber under the flush water or dry it out before returning it to its holder. Set the cleaner against the edge of the toilet and close the lid over it so that the brush can drip dry. Cleaning the scrubbing brush holder with white vinegar also helps keep bacteria in check.
It may seem odd to clean your cleaning supplies, but it’s necessary! Look around your home and try to formulate a cleaning schedule for the items you use day in and day out. A bit of good scrubbing along with regular dusting and wiping can do wonders for cleaning supplies and appliances, keeping them in good shape. You’ll get sparkling results and stretch your dollar further. What could be better?
Two Maids & A Mop brings safe and reliable professional cleaning supplies and products to clean your home. For a more thorough cleaning, get a free quote from Two Maids and a Mop.