For those who are unaware, even the most common places in your home can be hazardous to your health. Dust mites, bacteria on your counters, the sponges you clean them with, and the moldy food in your fridge can all contribute to health issues such as allergies and asthma. Spring cleaning is a huge task to undertake, but it’s necessary for a clean home. To get this season off on the right foot, here are some tips for healthy spring cleaning.
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Consider this, you just finished cleaning your floors to a pristine shine, only to dust your shelves and fans, and clean your countertops, only to discover your freshly cleaned floors are now covered in dust and grime from everything else you cleaned. Be strategic when you’re cleaning. Cleaning well and efficiently means you’re cleaning healthily. Try and keep yourself from moving back and forth in one room. Consider cleaning left to right and top to bottom to avoid any overlap.
Also, be sure to service your home appliances regularly, even outside of spring cleaning, with your home warranty plan. This could include replacing dirty HVAC and refrigerator filters, addressing leaks and excess moisture that could lead to mold problems, and fixing a broken dishwasher that’s not cleaning your dishes completely. If dish detergent is washed away, you could risk ingesting chemicals.
Clean household items you have never thought to clean before. Did you know your mattress could be a hotbed for dust mites? Clean your mattress cover in extremely hot water each month and wipe the top of your mattress with hot water as well can help reduce morning stiffness. Other places to consider cleaning include your trash bin, shower curtains, dishwashers, HVAC filters, and even your fireplace.
Since wool tends to create a lot of static, it is a perfect candidate for a duster. What’s better? You avoid the harsh chemicals that come with a solution to clean your surfaces. Additionally, silver polish is packed with harsh chemicals, such as ammonia and petroleum distillates. Instead, use toothpaste on your fingers or cloth to polish your silver.
Avoid chemicals that stink up the house when cleaning the drains. Instead, pour a pot of boiling water down the drain, or some bicarbonate and vinegar.
Combine 80mL of distilled white vinegar, a spoon of dishwasher detergent, and a litre of water to clean your windows. You can use a sponge to soak the window and let it sit for five minutes before wiping it off. If you have dirtier windows, consider using a razor blade to remove the dirt with the soapy water.
Vinegar is considered one of the best house cleaning solutions out there, and it’s probably sitting in your pantry right now. To clean your toilet bowl, fill a spray bottle with white vinegar to clean the outside of your toilet. For the inside, pour a capful of white vinegar and sprinkle sodium bicarbonate in there as well. Wait a few minutes and scrub away. To maintain the cleanliness of your toilet, consider pouring 250mL of vinegar in your toilet and leave it overnight to remove any alkali buildup and also to prevent hard water rings.
Unless you find a way to sanitize your feet, there’s no point in trying to sanitize the floors. The key is to extend the life of your floors for and diminish the appearance of scratches and scuffs. For hardwood floors, combine 60mL of vinegar to each litre of water, then clean with a terry cloth towel. If you’re cleaning marble, granite, or tile floors, simply use very hot water.
The average cutting board holds more than 200 times more fecal bacteria than your own toilet seat. Disturbing, right? To keep it sanitary, spray it with vinegar and let it sit overnight. You may also microwave it on high for 30 seconds.
Considering these are machines with the purpose of cleaning your clothes, you’d be surprised how dirty they can get. To maintain your washer and dryer’s sanitation, consider adding 250mL of hydrogen peroxide to your washes, instead of bleach.
Dirt can be hard to get out, but before you grab anything filled with harsh chemicals, go for borax. Borax is an all natural product that contains sodium, boron, oxygen, and water and is a great substitute for bleach.
Getting a head start on cleaning during springtime can be tiring and even stressful, but instead, let it be a way to get your home started fresh for a new season. With each fresh start, be sure to keep your clean nice and fresh with solutions that are kind to your body while also cleaning your home correctly.
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