How often should you replace your household essentials?
Cleaning has become cool again, but how often should we be replacing our household essentials?
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It’s all too easy to forget to replace those everyday cleaning essentials, however, if you don’t you could simply be spreading more bacteria around your home.
This guide by End of Tenancy London explains how often you should replace and clean your cleaning supplies.
Sponges
Dirty dish sponges can harbor dangerous bacteria like E. coli, which is why it’s important to replace them regularly. It’s advised to replace sponges weekly, but if you want to minimise how often you are swapping sponges, mix 3/4 cup of bleach in one gallon of water and soak the sponge for 5 minutes, then rinse.
Mop heads
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Dunking mops in dirty water can cause a build up of bacteria over time. It’s advised you replace mop heads every 2 months. In the meantime, make sure to rinse and wring dry after every use.
Homemade supplies
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While it’s kinder to the environment to make homemade cleaning supplies, rather than filling up on plastic containers at the shops, they don’t have a long shelf life. Ideally, homemade cleaning supplies should be discarded after each use. Remember, they don’t have long-term preservative chemicals so are more likely to degrade and become less effective over time.
Read more: Natural cleaning products you can make at home
Vacuums
High-quality vacuums should last years with regular maintenance. Replace bags and clean suction nozzles as needed. Check the manufacturer’s guide and have it examined by a professional if it’s no longer working to avoid replacing it unnecessarily.
Microfiber cloths
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A longer-lasting alternative to cloth dusters, microfibre cloths are hardier and can be washed and reused many times before falling apart. However, like any cloth, they still need to be cleaned regularly. Once a week, throw your microfibre cloths into the laundry and allow to air dry.
Feather dusters
A feather duster will not need replacing until signs of degradation, such as feathers falling out. But you will need to give your feather duster a weekly shake out and wash with warm water and soap monthly. Like cleaning rags, if they are used regularly, cloth dusters should be washed more often and allowed to air dry.
Do you have a solid cleaning routine? Let us know by tweeting us @goodhomesmag or post a comment on our Facebook page.