Things You Should Clean Regularly, But Probably Don’t
Spring is known to be a time for cleaning after the long, dark months rugged up indoors.
In truth, it’s perhaps a bit late. As we get into winter and spend more time indoors, it’s probably best to shift that concept forward and give your home or office a good winter clean. We all know our immunity cops a fair beating during the winter, so keeping germs at bay might help you stay well during the slower season. And it will give you a solid head start for the bigger spring clean.
We’re not suggesting you’re not on top of your cleaning. There are, however, some areas that we can tend to neglect, and that attract a fair bit of grime. And it’s usually stuff you use every day. Sometimes you just need a bit of a reminder. Following is a list of objects and places you might’ve overlooked when cleaning which may be a welcome gathering place for germs and grime and simple tips to keep them clean:
Home
Pet and Children’s Toys
Children and pet toys are two hot spots for germs, often finding their way under furniture, in the garden and then into mouths. Whether it’s an action figure, a ball or even a tablet these toys can become an easy way for germs to jump around the house.
To minimise the risk of children catching a cold or flu, it’s recommended to clean their toys regularly. Soft toys can be thrown in the washing machine. For hard plastics, pop them in a tub with warm soapy water and give them a wipe over with a soft sponge. You can even follow up with a quick wipe or spray with a disinfectant.
Overhead Ceiling Fans and Air-conditioner Filters
A surprisingly common spot that gets overlooked in the cleaning process is the overhead ceiling fan. We can often simply overlook it because we don’t look up. Due to the drop in temperature, it’s important to remove the dust that can accumulate on the fans to prevent it from circulating in the air.
Using a microfibre cloth to dust the top of the ceiling fan and other ledges (wall frames or window sills). This will help catch most of the dust instead of spreading it to the floor or into the air.
Remote Controls
One item that gets passed around from person to person, and maybe even carried away by the pet when you’re not looking is the remote control! These controls make the perfect landing pads for germs, being passed around constantly and having tiny nooks and crannies that germs just love. A simple wipe down with a disinfectant spray will do the trick.
Car
Air Conditioning Vents
The air vents in our cars are often overlooked. They’re not only small and fiddly and may just get a cursory wipe-over. There are a few indicators that mean that something isn’t quite right with your cars AC, from; a funky smell to the feeling of suffocating. Getting in there with a soft-bristle brush or vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment can dislodge some of the dirt hiding in there and give them a freshen up.
All The Things Your Hands Touch
The steering wheel, dashboard, door handles, centre console, controls and seat belt button of a car are all high touch-traffic areas. And all germ magnets. A quick look on the surface and these area might look clean, however upon closer inspection you might see just how dirty these places can be. Look closely… yes – that is dirt and grime accumulating in the crevices. Wipe them down with an antibacterial spray to keep them fresh.
Personal
Car Keys, Laptops, Phone Screen
Same thing goes. You touch them every day. Wipe them down often.
Belts
The belt is a staple piece of clothing, whether it’s actually being used to help support your pants or simply to style out an outfit. However, at the same time it is an article of clothing that doesn’t get cleaned like our clothes or hands do after a trip to the bathroom or a hard day at work. As such they offer an ideal place for germs to prosper. Give the belt a once over with some anti-bacterial spray, wipe it down and leave it to dry overnight. Watch out for those soft leathers with any harsh chemicals.
Now that we’ve given you pause for thought, you might start to notice the difference between clean and clean, clean. Add these into your routine to keep on top of the spread of germs and build up of dirt.
