Different rooms in your home can accumulate different types of grime, and knowing how to clean those places thoroughly and effectively can help you keep the rest of your house cleaner. This article describes what the dirtiest places in your home are, which products you need to clean them with, and how to do it right the first time. With just a little bit of elbow grease and some trusty cleaning products, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to keep your home nice and tidy!
Kitchen Sponges
Kitchens are one of the dirtiest locations in your home and can be tricky to clean if you don’t have the right tools. With a few simple cleaning tips, it is easy to keep your kitchen squeaky clean. For starters, sponges are one of the dirtiest items lurking around your kitchen. Be sure to replace them regularly so that germs don’t continue building up on them. A quick tip from Simply Maid: To neutralize the germs on your kitchen sponge, just wet it and pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Be sure to let it cool a bit before you take it out. Our team at Simply Maid comes to clients’ homes with a fresh and clean sponge and cleaning clothes every time!
Dishcloths
Do you want to know the dirtiest place in your home? Probably your dishcloth. You might not know this, but dishcloths often get forgotten when it comes to cleaning! So it is important to keep them clean. Here is how to do it:
Fill up a pot with hot water and dish soap. Put the cloth in the pot. Let it soak for about 10 minutes or more if needed.
Take the cloth out of the pot and put it in a strainer.
Run some cool water over it before squeezing out any excess liquid.
Wringing out the dishcloth could lead to damaging its fabric fibers which can cause holes, tears, or unraveling. Instead, hang it up on a towel rack to dry completely before putting it away until the next use.
Hot Pads
You’ll find hot pads in your kitchen, but you might not think about cleaning them regularly. Hot pads can harbor bacteria and viruses, making them the dirtiest items in your kitchen after food preparation tools like knives or cutting boards. You should clean your hot pads at least once a week by running them through the dishwasher on high heat or soaking them in a sink with hot water mixed with bleach for five minutes.
Bathroom Counters
The bathroom is the second germiest place in our home. After we’ve brushed our teeth, washed up, and left the bathroom, bacteria is already accumulating on those hard-to-reach surfaces such as the faucet handles, soap dispensers, countertops, toilet seats, and toothbrush holders. One way to prevent an outbreak of germs and bacteria is by cleaning your home often with a disinfectant spray or some other sanitizing product.
Toothbrush Holders
Did you know, that your toothbrush holder actually contains more germs than your toilet seat and is the third germiest item in the whole house? Yes, the toothbrush holder is the germiest thing in your entire bathroom. It’s best not to store it on the counter as a shocking 27% of all toothbrush holders contain coliform (er…poop) bacteria! Pop that sucker in the dishwasher ASAP or replace it with a sparkling new toothbrush.
Litter Boxes
Cleaning your home with pets can be challenging. If you have cats, the litter box is a major concern for many people. Ideally, a litter box should be dumped and soaked in hot water for a few minutes at least once a week. Try adding a small quantity of liquid dish soap to the hot water, it will help to remove any dirt on the box’s interior sides and bottom, and it will refresh the box without leaving a toxic residue. You can attempt to remove bacteria or smells by mixing hydrogen peroxide or vinegar with hot water. Do not use products with ammonia, bleach, or any caustic ingredient.
Pet Toys
At Simply Maid we love pets. I’m that crazy pet owner that has 4 dogs, 3 cats, and right now 16 chickens but if you know chicken math I will have more soon. So we know how hard cleaning with pets can be. If you have pets, you’ll find pet toys all over your home, but did you know they can be a hotbed for bacteria? To sanitize your pet’s toys safely, use pet-safe dish soap, and hot water, and scrub your pet’s toys in the sink. You can use either Dawn soap or pure castile soap. Then, soak toys in a solution of 5% vinegar and 95% lukewarm water for 30 minutes.
Pet Bowls
You should wash your dog’s food bowl after every meal. You can wash their water bowl less frequently, but you will need to completely empty, sanitize and refill it at least once per week. Water bowls tend to collect a slimy build-up called biofilm, which allows harmful bacteria to take over. It’s important that you not only remove food particles and obvious debris from your dog’s bowl but also pathogens and build-up. To do this, you can’t just clean the dog’s bowls, you also need to sanitize them. Washing your dog’s bowls with hot, soapy water, using the same dish detergent that you use on your own dishes, will work just fine.
You can use a separate sponge for the dog’s bowls if you’d prefer not to get kibble granules on your dinner plates. For especially stubborn debris, you can soak the bowls in a solution of water and bleach, just one tablespoon per gallon of water will do the trick. Make sure to completely rinse away the bleach solution and dry the bowls before using. You can also put most dog bowls in a household dishwasher.
Hire a Maid Service
Cleaning the dirtiest locations in your home can be exhausting. That’s why hiring a maid service is so beneficial! Our house cleaning services include cleaning all of the dirtiest areas of the house. We’re here to make your life easier so you can spend time on what’s important to you! Simply Maid services Bartlesville, Owasso, Nowata, Copan, Skiatook, Oologah, and surrounding areas. Give us a call today at 1-918-770-6346 and hire us as your professional cleaning service!
