House Cleaning? Include These Items in Your Routine

As summer fades into fall, it signals to many of us that it is time to initiate our fall clean up schedule. Summer clothes are meticulously folded and stored for the winter, curtains are taken down and replaced by the more earthy hues of fall and so begins the annual fall cleaning ritual. We are so often focused upon our fall cleaning of the big items in our household that we sometimes overlook common household items. I have listed some household items that more often than not escape our " need to be cleaned" list. These items are now included on my "to do" cleaning list.

Door Knobs and Handles
When you think of the numerous times we open and close our doors, it becomes clearly evident that our door knobs harbor a multitude of bacteria. Not wishing to sound like a germaphobe, door knobs and handles comfortably lodge on their surfaces, only too ready to be transferred from person to person. Cleaning the knobs and door handles during the fall cleaning cycle and maintaining a regular scheduled cleaning of our door knobs would be a welcome addition to our cleaning sessions. It does not take too much time to complete this task and you do not have to purchase expensive cleaning products to keep these areas clean. While we will not attain a sterile environment, the time taken to clean these services helps reduce the bacterial count which hopefully minimizes the spread of unwanted bacteria and viruses.

Refrigerator Top
Unless you are an unusually tall person, most people never see the top of our refrigerator after the refrigerator has been plugged into the outlet. We view our refrigerator tops as a useful place to hold items. A closer look at the top of our refrigerator will show a layer of dust that quickly forms. I now try to keep our refrigerator top cleaned on a bi weekly basis. Be it static electricity or other phenomenon, it appears that dust is quickly attracted to this kitchen appliance! When you do your cleaning, remember to add this to your list of items that need to be cleaned more often than once a season.

Comb & Brush/Plastic Hair rollers
The next time you shampoo and set your hair, toss your comb, brush and plastic hair rollers into a pail of soapy water to which you have added a small quantity of bleach to disinfect your comb and brush. By the time you finish your hair setting, your comb, brush and hair rollers are clean, disinfected and ready to be dried either with a blow dryer or by placing on an absorbent towel to soak up the excess water. Remember to check your purse for that comb that is hidden in the bottom. Keeping your family's combs, brushes and rollers sanitized regularly will help deter scalp irritations and head lice.

Telephones/Cell Phones
These commonly used items are an integral part of our lives in today's society. Because phones are so much a part of our everyday lives, we often forget to clean them. Of course we do not advocate submersing the phones into water or any cleaning solution. When you think of the widespread use of our phones, we would be wise to take time to clean our phones. A damp cloth or antibacterial wipe would be an effective cleaner. When cleaning your phone, pay particular attention to the handset as well as the "ear and mouth" section. While you are in the cleaning mode, cleaning your cell phone holder could be included in the cleaning regimen.

Window Sills
When you have a moment, go look at your window sill. You will find as I have, a layer of fine dust and perhaps an unidentified dead insect or two that was unable to escape to the outside. It is incredible how much dust and grime can settle into window sills. Rain, snow, wind all combine to make window sills an easy target for dust and sediment. Cleaning window sills is relatively easy to clean and once cleaned they can be cleaned a few times a year.

TV Remote
Click, Click, and the channels change at a dizzying rate. Is it true that men use the TV remote at a much higher rate than women. Anyway, the TV remote often escapes the cleaning cloth. Be careful to use a damp cloth and small bristle brush to clean between the buttons. Add this modern day accessory to your household cleaning list for a regular once over cleaning routine.

Plastic Shower heads
Taking a shower a shower could be hazardous to your health. A study completed by the University of Colorado and reported in the September 2009 of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that bacteria are harbored within the shower head. For most people who do not have a compromised immune system, the bacteria do not pose a particular threat. However, it is advised that you may let some of the water flow out of the shower head before taking your showerr. Filters can be removed weekly and it has been suggested that metal shower heads are recommended because the metal surface is harder for bacteria to find a place to easily attach. A mild bleach solution will help eliminate the bacteria from plastic shower heads.

Adding these usually overlooked household items to your cleaning list does not really add a great deal of labor to your cleaning routine. There is no need to buy expensive cleaning products to clean these items. A pail of soap and water will often be sufficient; antibacterial cleaning wipes are effective in making the cleaning task less laborious. We can be kind to the environment and still effectively clean both usual and overlooked household items.