This Is How Often You Should Wash These Household Items

2 years ago

1. Bed Sheets And Duvet Covers

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This is a matter of contention for many who can't agree on how often you should wash your bed sheets and duvet covers. The advice is every week to 10 days bearing in mind that you tend to sweat when you're sleeping, especially during the summer months. Pets jumping up on the bed is another reason.

2. Towels And Face Towels

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It is recommended that you wash your towels after three uses. This can be quite daunting if you are a family who use lots of towels each week. We think it 's more realistic and hygienic to wash them once a week or after 7 uses. Gym towels should be washed more often.

3. Toilet

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There's only one answer for how regularly you should clean your toilet and that is EVERY DAY! A light clean and wipe over is sufficient and then a deep clean once a week. You may be surprised to learn that the average toilet is cleaner than, say, a tv remote control!

4. Bathroom Sink

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The bathroom sink, if put under a microscope, will likely show it to be dirtier than your toilet! Bacteria travels from your hands on to the sink each time you wash your hands so it’s extremely important to disinfect your bathroom sinks every single day to keep them hygienic.

5. Microwave

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Contrary to popular belief, microwaves aren’t actually that good at killing bacteria and with all those food splatters, things can quickly get real dirty in there! Wipe your microwave down at least weekly. Sticking in half a lemon on a dish for 2 minutes will banish odors!

6. Kitchen Counters/Sink

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The kitchen sink and counters are another place where germs can accumulate. Since you are often cutting meat and dealing with food products, the kitchen sink can end up being one of the dirtiest places in the whole house. Use an antibacterial cleaner at least once a day.

7. Shower Drain

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Cleaning the shower drain may be a task you keep putting of but the longer you leave it the worse it will get. If the water is going down slowly, pour baking soda mixed with white vinegar down the drain and this will assist unblocking it and getting rid of any bad odors.

8. Water Filter

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Brittas are one of those things that get forgotten about until you finally remember after about a year! The professionals advise every two months and maybe slightly less for larger ones. After cleaning, change the filter so your water tastes good all of the time.

9. Shower Curtain

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Every month you should be unclipping your shower curtain and putting it in the washing machine with a cup of white wine vinegar which will deal with the hard water deposit and mould growth. You can wash them safely with the towels. Once clean, hang straight back up.

10. Wooden Floor

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To keep floors free of debris, a quick sweep around every few days is a must. Do a wet clean once a week to deal with spills and sticky marks. Besides specialist wood cleaning products, try mixing white vinegar with warm water and this combination works a treat!

10. Oven

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The inside of the oven should be cleaned around every 6 months or more often if you make a spillage. Ignoring it and putting the task off until next time usually means next time never comes! Wiping the oven over when it is still warm will make a dull job that much easier.

11. Carpets & Rugs

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With shoe dirt and dust mites, your carpet is a bacterial playground shouting out to be cleaned. Rugs and carpets should be vacuumed every week and deep cleaned once a year. To deal with carpet stains on an "as needed" basis, make a paste with 2 tablespoons of Four Monks and a of quarter cup salt or baking soda. Rub the paste into the stain, dry overnight and then vacuum.

12. Dishcloths

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You don't need us to tell you that dishcloths should be washed at the end of each day but because it would be a waste to pop a single one in the washing machine, keep 10 or so dishcloths to hand and alternate. Then wash them all together. They dry really quickly so will be ready for re-use in no time.

13. Mattress Pad And Pillow Liners

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Because mattress pads and pillow liners are quite big items, we tend to forget about cleaning them. Make a mental note to wash them every month and they can be washed with your bed sheets. Caring for mattress pads and liners can extend their lifespan so it's worth the monthly clean.

14. Bath Mats

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When you step out of the shower or bath, when you're all nice and clean, the first thing you do is step on to the grubby bath mat that you stood on before you had your bath or shower. Bath mats need to be washed frequently because bacteria can build up, especially in damp environments.

15. Pots And Pans

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The good news is that your non stick pans can stay like new for over 5 years. The bad news is that you have to clean them really well for that to happen. Wetting a thick, clean towel with distilled white vinegar that has been boiled and laying it inside the pan, will help remove any rust. Then sprinkle with baking soda, scrub and wipe clean until dry.

16. Refrigerator

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The inside of your fridge can be a war zone if you don’t clean it out regularly! Clean it thoroughly every 3 months and that includes the freezer. Wipe down shelves and trays with an all-purpose cleaner, letting stains soak to get rid of any food smells. Clean the refrigerator handle every day.

17. Dishwasher

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Washing dirty dishes in a dirty dishwasher defeats the purpose of having a dishwasher! Minerals and dish soap can build up in your dishwasher over time so try running a half-cup of Four Monks through a regular cycle of an empty dishwasher. This will help remove build up and to leave your dishes sparkling!

18. Shower Head

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You should clean your shower head every time you clean your bathroom, if not more often. This helps to prevent bacteria from building up within the shower head. Pour a half cup of baking soda and one cup of white vinegar into a sandwich bag and tie around the shower head. Leave the bag for an hour after the bubbling stops. Remove the bag and let the water run for a minute before getting in.

19. Computer Keyboard

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Your computer keyboard can be a disgusting cesspool of germs! To keep those germs from spreading, it’s best to give the whole computer a once a month wipe down. Use a cotton cloth with a tiny amount of rubbing alcohol to clean the screen. Use a portable vacuum and a cotton swab to clean the keyboard.

20. Washing Machine

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You’ve probably never thought about it before but some of the dirt from your clothes sticks around in your washing machine. Remove soap scum and clean the hoses of your washing machine with vinegar. Do this by running the machine through a regular cycle with only a cup of Four Monks inside and no clothing or detergent.

21. Duvets And Pillows

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This is a confusing topic and the answer depends on the filling, the type of duvet and other factors. The answer is to wash duvets and pillows every 6 months or every 3 months if you are an allergy sufferer. We suggest after winter and summer months as this is when our bodies are more prone to sweating, due to hot weather and central heating.

22. Window Blinds

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The windows blinds in your house may appear clean at all times but if you look closely, you will be shocked at the amount of dust and dirt that has accumulated. To keep this from happening, you should try to wipe down the blinds at least once a month or at least every 6 weeks.

23. Ceiling Fans

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The last place you would probably look for dust is high above you, on the ceiling fan. If you can't see it, why bother? Well, as the fan rotates, the dust will fly around the room and settle on the places you have already cleaned. Be sure to keep the build up at bay and clean once a month.

24. Mattress

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Besides your duvet, your mattress is another thing that can accumulate invisible sweat and dust mites. To keep the bacteria and fungi at bay, clean your mattress every seasons. Use the upholstery attachment to vacuum the mattress. This is a must if you an allergy sufferer.

25. Closet

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Another job that is put off until a later date is organising and cleaning your bedroom closet. Try and do a full closet cleaning twice a year and this will literally be a game changer for your morning routine. You will be able to see exactly what you have in your closet and you can even color code your items if you wish!

26. Kitchen Trash Bins

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Experts recommend giving your trash can a quick clean with a disinfectant solution every few days. Kitchen bins are a breeding ground for germs, even if you can't see them. Clean the inside and outside, paying particular attention to the lid and the foot pedal.

27. Cuddly Toys

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Your child’s favourite soft toy could contain all sorts of bugs and bacteria especially if they take it with them everywhere! Most soft toys can be put in the washing machine on a gentle cycle so do this week. If the toy is fragile, pop it in the freezer overnight to kill off dust mites and bed bugs.

28. Doorknobs

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The doorknob is one of the dirtiest small places in your home. Think about it. It's probably used by multiple persons, many times a day and that nasty bacteria can easily get transferred on to your hands and then your food. Wipe them all down at least once a week.

29. Smartphone

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You touch your phone countless times every day plus fingerprints you leave on the screen are a grease trap for germs. Get into the habit of wiping it clean at least once a day. Sanitize it more than this if you are exposed to COVID-19 or the flu. An alcohol based cleaner will be most effective.

30. TV Remote

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There's no doubt that the TV remote control is stacked with bacteria from constant handling. Clean every day by wiping down with a solution of one part vinegar and two parts water to kill the bacteria. Make sure you take the batteries out before you begin and dry the battery compartment fully before replacing them.

31. Hand Towels

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While you don't have to wash your regular bath towels every single day, your hand towels are a whole different ball game! Think about how many times you wash your hands every day and dry them on your hand towel. To keep everything hygienic, you should only use one hand towel per day!

32. Coats And Outerwear

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Most of us forget that our coats and outerwear need cleaning at all - especially if it's dry clean only, it's such a hassle that a lot of us ignore while doing regular laundry! But your coats need cleaning on average every couple of months, just to keep them fresh and clean to wear! Except if you spill something on one, of course.

33. Bathrobe

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It's always nice to have your bathrobe ready to go every single day - there's nothing worse than that feeling in winter when your robe is in the wash and you have nothing to wrap around you! That's why it's always a good idea to buy a backup, too. You'll want to wash your bathrobe once every month.

34. Pajamas

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This entirely depends on how much of a warm, sweaty sleeper you are! Some people may get bad night sweats in which case you should be washing your pajamas after every wear. But on average, a good rule of thumb if you're a comfortable sleeper is washing your pajamas after every 3 wears.

35. Bras

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There's some debate over how often you should be washing your bras (and by that we mean most women might think 'we're supposed to wash those things?'). You should aim to wash your bras after every 3 wears, except if you've been sweating a lot like wearing for a workout.

36. Tights

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You might think it's okay to rewear a pair of tights a bunch of times - but think of your tights like you would your underwear. Sure, you're wearing underwear underneath the tights, but to stay hygenic, you need to be washing after every wear. That's why it's a good idea to buy a bunch of them!

37. Shirts And Blouses

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It's tough to think when you should wash certain clothing items, because if they're super clean you might try make them last as long as possible. For shirts and blouses, ideally you want to wash after every wear if they've been directly touching your skin. If you're wearing a slip or vest underneath, they can go another wear or two.

38. Vacuum

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Cleaning something whose job is to clean something else? We know it sounds crazy, but here we are. Yes, your vacuum cleaner needs cleaning too! Be sure to check your vacuum around once every month so you can clean the filter or change the bag. Of course, if you have pets, you might need to change the bag a little more often!

39. Coffee Maker

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This is something you depend on every single day, so it's important to keep it clean of course! So how often should you be cleaning that trusty coffee machine? Well, you should aim for once a month with a deep clean using vinegar and water solution. This will help keep it in full working order!

40. Kettle

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You might not have thought about cleaning your kettle because you're only putting clean water in it - but water scum buildup can easily happen in the bottom of your kettle, and especially if you let water sit in it 24/7. You should aim to descale it around one a month.

41. Your Couch

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Your couch sees a lot: dropped food crumbs, missing dimes and exposure to the clothes you've been wearing every day. To keep it in its best, clean shape you should be vacuuming it at least once a week, and then attending to stains straight away if you spill anything!

42. Windows

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It's not just your window blinds that need attending to - it's also the windows themselves. You should aim to clean your windows at least once a month by wiping them down with a simple glass cleaner - and to make it easier, you can do your windows and blinds together!

43. Baseboards

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Most people forget about baseboards because they're too far down for us to notice! The thing with cleaning baseboards is to keep on top of it then it's easy to do - the longer you leave it, the bigger a job it will be! You should fit baseboard cleaning in around once a month.

44. Shower Grouting

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Cleaning the bathroom has to be one of the most annoying jobs, and specifically the area around the bath and shower. To have everything looking as clean as possible, cleaning your grout at least once a week with a toothbrush and cleaning solution will keep it looking less-then-grimy!

45. Kitchen Sponge

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Your kitchen sponge sees A LOT of dirt and bacteria - everything you're washing every day, the counters you're wiping down, and then if you leave it in the hot water to soak, even more so. You should wash your sponge after every single use and fully replace at least once a week.

46. Tote/Canvas Grocery Bags

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Resusable bags are amazing - you don't have to worry about affecting the planet with excess plastic build up, and you can just grab the bags or keep them in your car knowing they'll be strong enough to handle even the heaviest groceries! But did you ever think about washing them? If you're constantly putting things like meat or loose veg in them, they're going to need washing every now and again - you should aim for after every few uses.

47. Tea Towels

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Tea towels are mainly used in the UK, but likely American kitchens have something similar - a hand towel for the kitchen, or a towel/mit you use for cooking or getting things from the oven! Any sort of kitchen towel should be washed after every use, especially in meat-eating households.

48. Underwear

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Okay, so we all know underwear should be washed after every single wear - you don't need us to tell you that! But have you thought about when underwear should actually be regularly replaced? It's even more important because of how often you're washing them. It's actually advised to buy new underwear around every six months to keep on top of everything.

49. Fabric Lunch Boxes/Bags

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It's so easily done to forget to actually clean or wash your fabric lunch box/bag. You're using it every day and washing the specific containers you put in there, but think of all the tiny crumbs and things left in the bottom. You should try to wash properly after every use and soak overnight (especially with children's lunch boxes).

50. Tupperware

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Looking after your Tupperware is more about fully replacing instead of focusing on washing for a lifetime. Tupperware isn't designed to be kept forever even if you wash it every day. You should wash Tupperware after every use, but fully replace your items every three months or so.