It is true that the key to a well-maintained and clean home is a regular cleaning schedule. However, certain things only need to be cleaned over a certain period of time. It is important that you know what to include in your daily, weekly, monthly, and annual cleaning. You will be surprised by how many things at home you are cleaning way too often than you should. Of course, there is no such thing as too clean, but overcleaning certain areas or items may actually cause damage or shorten their life.
Keep reading to find out which are the things at home you should not clean too often, and when to clean them for more efficient results.
1. Your pillows – Yes, pillowcases need to be cleaned every week, along with your sheets. The reason for that is all the body oils, dead skin cells, and bacteria that we accumulate when sleeping. The pillows, however, are protected by the pillowcases and do not need to be cleaned too often. Washing your pillows once every 3-6 months is absolutely enough. Simply throw them in the washing machine, then tumble dry them on low heat. Overwashing your pillows may cause them to lose shape, reducing their fluffiness and causing them to become worn out quicker.
2. Your comforter – Same as the pillows, your comforter is usually covered by a bag that protects it from direct contact with bacteria, body soil, and other grime, accumulated during sleep. Your duvet cover should be washed every 2 weeks but the actual fluffy blanket that sits inside of it can be washed 2-3 times a year. That is if you don’t have a lot of different guests coming over to your house all the time.
3. Your phone – Unless you are a germ freak, cleaning your phone screen a few times a day is completely unnecessary. Even if you frequently use it, it is better to wash or sanitise your hands prior to using it, and wiping your screen with an antibacterial wipe only once a week, or whenever you are using it in a highly polluted/high-traffic public space.
4. Your oven – If your oven has a self-cleaning option, you are probably using it once a month. However, this is completely unnecessary. You only need to deep clean your whole oven once every 3-4 months. You will be able to remove any built-up grease and grime from the walls, top, and bottom of the inside of your oven. In the meantime, you can spot and clean any spills and stains that occur while cooking anything. Whenever you get a stain inside your oven (whether it is from baking, grease, or other food particles), wait for your appliance to cool off, then scrape off any solids, then clean the residue with a soft cloth and a cleaning product suitable for ovens.
5. Your pantry – The pantry in your house is the place where you keep canned and jarred foods. As tempting as it is to reorganise and declutter it, it is not necessary. Most of the food there will last you a long time and you will only need to remove certain items once or twice a year. Of course, it is best if you label your home produce with the date when it was made and packaged or with the date when it will be expiring. You can reorganise your shelves but decluttering and cleaning are not absolutely needed. You don’t use that area too often and it stays closed most of the time so dust and grime will not easily find their way there.
6. Bath toys – If you are washing and cleaning bath toys after every bath, you may be overdoing it. Simply, squeeze out any water when done using the toys. Once a month soak all bath toys in a bucket full of 4 litres of water and ½ cup of vinegar. That will help kill mould and mildew bacteria and prevent future growth.
7. Your books – If you are dusting and wiping your books every time you are dusting your living room, stop. You do not need to clean your books that often. Instead, tackle that task once a year when you take care of your spring cleaning. You will have more time to read and still keep your books in good condition and prolong their life.
8. Your towels – Do not wash your towels after every use. Instead, let them air-dry after using them and only wash them once a week. That will be enough to keep them mould-free, prevent that musty smell from developing and prolong their life. Excess washing will cause your towels to become worn out and damage their fibres, causing them to become rougher and lose some of their absorbing properties.