While we may each have different ideas about what a clean home really means, there are some standards that need to be met for hygiene purposes, and these should not be subjective:
How often should you wash your bed linen?
There can be no disputing the fact that bedsheets and pillowcases can play host to innumerable bacteria and fungi, and that these can have a detrimental effect upon our health. For this reason, bedsheets and pillowcases should ideally be washed once a week in hot water, but if you can only manage to clean them once a fortnight, that would be acceptable.
Should your sinks be cleaned every day?
Washing down your sinks with bleach to kill bacteria is not a lengthy job, and so there is no reason to put off doing it. Most of us would be shocked to know just what types of bacteria can be found in the average sink, and some of them can be very harmful to our health.
How often should rugs and carpets be vacuumed?
Depending on how much footfall your rugs receive every day, and whether you have pets inside your home, you should aim to vacuum them at least once a fortnight. Dirt and harmful allergens can quickly build up in rugs, and while you won’t be eating your dinner off them any time soon, it pays to keep them clean to avoid spreading germs around your home.
What about other flooring?
Tiles and hardwood flooring may show dirt and germs more easily, so you may be more inclined to wash them more often simply because you can see the grime. However, if you don’t notice them getting grubby, they doubtless are, so try to vacuum and then mop them with hot water and your favourite floor cleaning solution at least once a week.
How often should you wipe down your bathroom?
Bathrooms are the ultimate safe haven for bacteria such as E.coli, so it’s important to wipe all surfaces down with bleach at least once a week. Again, this will depend upon how many people are using the bathroom, and how clean they are. Toilets should be cleaned and disinfected once or twice a week, and tubs and shower cubicles should be cleaned weekly to prevent mildew from building up. Don’t forget to clean your shower curtain at least once every few months as these can be breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
Do doorknobs need to be cleaned frequently?
Yes, doorknobs need to be cleaned frequently, although how often you do so will depend upon how often they are used. Doorknobs to rooms that are used infrequently will need less attention, whereas others should be disinfected every couple of days, and more often if someone in the household is sick.
Science has repeatedly shown us that our homes are often a veritable paradise for germs and bacteria, and that many of them can be very harmful to our health. So, the simple answer to the question of how often you should clean certain areas of your home, would be as often as is possible, but as you can see, some areas require more attention than others.
