Cleaning your Cleaning Equipment

Ali

Last week, TidyChoice explored five dirty household items which are rarely cleaned by their owners but deserve some more attention. This week, we look at things which are often similarly neglected in cleaning routines. However, what makes them special is the fact that they are all cleaning tools. We might, therefore, see no point in re-cleaning them. However, this is a grave error is some cases, and below, we provide some tips on how to ensure that your cleaning tools are in tip-top conditions.

1. Kitchen Sponge

While we already wash sponges every time we use them to scrub our dishes, everyone knows how dirty these things can become. To rid the sponges of grease and food particles, extra sanitary effort is needed.

To remove bacteria and make your sponges look brand-new, either

  • Soak them in vinegar for around five minutes
  • Wash them in your dishwasher
  • Dip them in a cup of water and heat the cup in a microwave for a minute.

2. Mop

Well looked-after mops are better at cleaning your floor than their dirty counterparts. Mops left dirty after use can accumulate dirt and other particles found on your house’s floor. Hence, they will perform worse at ensuring a sparkling clean floor.

So how do we go about cleaning our mops? The answer is simple. Just:

  1. Rinse them in hot water after every use
  2. Then dry them by hanging them upside down before storage

3. Toothbrushes

Remember that both the human mouth and the bathroom are great breeding grounds for bacteria. We may, therefore, want to consider sanitising our toothbrushes more deeply after each usage to ensure that their brush heads remain extra hygienic.

Some options for deep-cleaning your toothbrushes include:

  • Soaking them in your mouthwash
  • Or soaking them in boiling water

4. Washing Machine

While your washing machine does not need regular cleaning, one problem which may arise if it is left uncleaned for too long is smell. Over time, uncleaned washing machines can also harbour detergent’s residues and dirty particles that have been washed off your clothes. It may even become mouldy!

To address these problems:

  1. Add half a cup of vinegar and two table spoons of baking soda into your machine
  2. Run a hot washing cycle

Extra tip: To prevent mould building up in your machine, leave its door open a little between uses

With all the advice in this article, we hope that we have equipped you with basic knowledge on how to clean some your home’s most important cleaning equipment. From now on, your home should be even more sparkling than before!