Keeping your home clean and tidy is not just about having a visually appealing space. It’s also about keeping yourself and your family healthy. Here are some helpful cleaning tips that will help you achieve both.
- Always clean top to bottom left to right. This technique ensures that gravity will move dust and particles down, so you don’t have to clean the same spot twice. Start with high dust, then move on to general cleaning, followed by low dust, and finally, vacuum and mop.
- Clean your microwave easily by placing a cup of water in it for a minute before wiping it down. The water helps loosen grime, making it easier to wipe.
- Combat the spread of germs by placing clean items on clean surfaces and dirty items on dirty surfaces.
- Use a toothbrush for hard-to-reach areas, such as toilet brackets. Preferably, use a different toothbrush for cleaning the toilet to avoid cross-contamination.
- Microfiber and paper towels are great for removing swipe marks on mirrors and glass. Fold the towel and use one side for wet wiping and the other for dry wiping. You can also use this technique for general cleaning.
- An air compressor or can of air can be used to blow out speakers, vents, keyboards, electronics, and even your vehicle’s vents. Be careful while doing so.
- Clean your vacuum filter regularly, rinse it with water, apply a small amount of air freshener or carpet freshener, and let it dry completely. Use scissors to cut all hair from the vacuum brush and clean the inside of the brush to reduce buildup. Clean all removable parts, let them dry thoroughly, and reassemble before using.
- Spray every inch of your toilet thoroughly, including the floor around it, behind it, and in the bowl. Use a toothbrush to clean brackets, screw covers, and around the base and back of the toilet. Wipe top to bottom thoroughly using a microfiber towel, and use a bowl brush to clean the inside.
- Vacuum floors with a cleaned-out vacuum and mop if needed, starting from the farthest corner of the room/house towards the entrance.
- Clean faucet heads by unscrewing and detaching parts to clean. A toothbrush helps clean buildup around nozzles and dials, and knobs.
- Scour Off is a great scour cleaner for ovens and stove tops, although it’s no longer sold in the United States.
- Soak stove top grills if removable, and use a razor blade to take hard gunk off a flat stove top. Be cautious of scratching, and make sure it’s a flat surface. Alternatively, you can use a razor blade on glass and mirrors, but ensure that the area you’re scraping is wet.
- Cleaning horizontal blinds can be tricky. Take the blinds off the window, lower them to full length, and pull the string so that each piece is lying flat (closed). Wipe back and forth along multiple slats of blinds instead of doing one at a time.
- Clean anything with a filter, such as a vacuum filter, to prolong its use.
- Always wipe stainless steel with the grain to prevent streaks.
- Mop with the grain of the wood to avoid using too much water on real wood.
- Nail polish remover can remove most adhesive, but be careful as acetone has to destroy properties.
- A Magic Eraser can take off small marks on walls and trim around the house.
- If you live in a moss-friendly climate, removing moss is important to prevent it from lifting your shingles and causing water damage. Use a zinc-based moss preventer and carry out roof cleaning every few years.
Whether you want to clean your toilet deep, remove hard gunk from your stove top, or remove moss from your roof, these tips will help you achieve a cleaner and healthier home. By implementing these tips, you can reduce the risk of illnesses and allergies caused by dust, germs, and other particles that accumulate in your home over time.
