wait... am i the only one that checks the lint trap and cleans it every time i do laundry?

No, you are not.

Good ones. The fan blade thing, especially. My tip falls more into the category of "tool for easy cleaning," and it's about as cheap as it gets. I often use old toothbrushes for cleaning stuff off the stove, around faucets, grout, etc., but you don't ever want some unsuspecting person to actually use it again. I wind a rubber band around the handle: the signal that tells everyone it's gunky and off limits.

What about the inside of the kitchen trash can? Yuk! Even with a plastic liner, I still find coffee grounds and dog kibble dust in the bottom of mine. Take a few minutes and spritz with your favorite cleaner (I use a meyer lemon spray) and wipe it down. Or put it in the sink, add some dish soap and spray it with warm water. Rinse and dry it out before replacing a new bag inside.

maybe i'm doing it wrong, but except for the sponge, the kitchen towel, and the lint trap, every one of those things would take me at least 10 minutes. (the ceiling fan? i have 10-foot ceilings, so just getting the ladder out is time consuming.

Umm, my ceiling fan is way up high on the ceiling, how do I get the pillow cases on? I check my lint trap every time I dry.

keyboard
light switches
windowsills
doorknobs

all easy to clean in a spare minute--

More!
-Computer Keyboard & Mouse/track-pad (ring out a Lysol sanitizing wipe)
-Keys (Ok, more then a minute, but less than one minute for each key)
-Window Air Conditioner Air Filter (follow directions, mine is a plastic re-usable kind that I just rinse off in the sink and let air dry)
-Pick up clutter (especially dirty clothes, random papers, things to do; each can have a pile)

Really???? I have at least 20+ dish towels and use at least 2 per day--you must not cook! If you don't empty the lint out of the dryer each time it's a fire hazard. Wash pillows in the washing machine and air dry.

I use a plastic loofah and Ajax powder cleaner to clean the porcelain sink and tub. Fast and satisfying - don't need to wait for it to sit, and actually gets it white. This combo also works on cheap Old Navy flip flops that are starting to look dirty. It has to be a plastic loofah - a sponge or rag doesn't do nearly as well.

I would add to the list cleaning the handles of the refrigerator and freezer, often. I make it part of my weekly thorough kitchen cleaning routine. Likewise, the kitchen timer buttons. Also, for those who use ice cube trays, clean them occasionally. These are all things that get handled frequently, often with hands that haven't been washed.
Vinegar works nicely on my toothbrush holder with a metal base, set in a small dish to soak. Regarding the bag o' vinegar on the shower head, I suggest posting a note in the shower, or in some way bring attention to the bag over the shower head that is full of vinegar. It is easy to forget it's there and turn the water on....
I like to get further mileage from the used vinegar by cleaning other items, like chrome bath fixtures, or ones where there is less concern about hygiene, like rusty tools. Used vinegar can be kept in an appropriately labeled, lidded jar for "another day." It could also be used to some effectiveness for killing weeds in sidewalks.

Since Personally I'm a gamer geek and nerd, I suggest along with Remotes to also clean the Game Controlers with a qtip and some alcohol too.

Any tips on latex foam pillows? They're the most comfy cushiony things in the world but I'm afraid to put mine in a dryer!

For ceiling fans that you can't reach or take down, use a Swiffer duster on a long handle. I'm still amazed how much dust those things pick up.

In one minute, I like to give my open shelving a quick dust or wipe.

I clean the dryer lint trap every time I start a new load - working in Multifamily we see lots of claims for fires started by clogged lint traps.

Solution to #8 - get a wire mesh silverware tray, then wipe the drawer clean under it every so often.

My ceiling fans are really high and I hate heights so I bought a swiffer type duster on a long extender pole. Works great for cobwebs and the top of my 11' high china cabinet and standard exposed kitchen cabinet tops too.

I do most of the above ESPECIALLY the lint trap..yes, after each drying cycle.
Good point on the pillows...I didn't realize you could toss them in the dryer to get clean.
The brushes that come from those disposable face powder copacts can be washed and used to clean the crumbs from your keyboards.

your washer... it can get pretty disgusting in there. I always just clean it out with a load and a about a half a cup of bleach (no laundry added of course).

...disposable face powder COMPACTS...sorry.

oh and also your coffee maker... a solution of vinegar and water does the trick!

While cleaning your makeup brushs, I suggest cleaning your makeup bag along with it. I usually just throw mine in the wash with towels or scrub it with an old toothbrush if I need to get any aggression out.

I spray the inside of my laundry baskets (they are plastic) with my trusty vinegar/water mix and wipe them clean every time I use them. I want the clean clothes going into those baskets to NOT pick up any germs that were on the dirty laundry that preceded them.

Dishwasher trap - it gets nasty but its easy to ignore.

And @pixelspersecond, I'm a lint trap every time kinda gal, too. And dishtowels - I go through 5 per week. I mean, do you really want your classes dried with that towel your husband just dried his hands on?

NO on hint #5--only freshly laundered items should go in a hot dryer, otherwise you are setting the dirt/oils/etc. Synthetic bed pillows are washable and usually machine dryable as well. If not, the sun does a great job of freshening.
Martha

Put a couple of tablespoons of baking soda in your drain then pour some white vinager down the drain watch it foam, then turn on the faucet to drain. Clean drain. I also take out the garbage dissposal rubber drain turn inside out and scrub it with some cleaner with and old toothbrush. No stinky drain.

Love the tip to clean a ceiling fan with an old pillowcase--genius!

CAUTIONARY NOTE: putting a sponge into the microwave, if made of synthetic material, can off-gas toxic fumes. Best to put sponges into the dishwasher and run the sanitizing cycle.

About the tv remote, you may want to open it up occasionally and clean behind the buttons. Every time I've had a tv remote malfunction, it has been a buildup of gunk that's gotten behind the keys. A q-tip and alcohol does it.

The dryer lint trap should be cleared with every load, but the entire vent (behind the trap, to the exhaust vent) should be cleaned yearly. That's where fires start.

I just had a fun time cleaning my coffee burr grinder.. compressed air is my friend.. but only when using it outside where the coffee bean bits/dust can fly free..

@CMT...I love the image of someone turning on the shower while the bag of vinegar is on the shower head! Made me laugh.

I unscrew the shower head and soak it in the sink. Easier to scrub it that way.

Ditto to all comments on #6. I was taught at a very young age to clean out the lint trap after EVERY load (and double check it before you start one in case the last person forgot). I do not want to be the reason the house starts on fire!

I take my trash cans outside and hose them down once to twice a year. Just did it this past weekend actually! The stuff that seems to somehow get past the bag needs to get flushed out every once in awhile.

To add to one commentor's suggestion about cleaning your makeup bag...instead of throwing mine in the wash I use a makeup cleansing cloth (you know, the ones you use when you're too lazy to actually wash your face?) and just wipe it out. Sometimes soap and water just won't do it on those plastic-lined thing!

I'm far from the tidiest person around, but I do the lint trap every time I do a load, for both safety & energy efficiency.

I also wipe down the top of the washer/drier whenever I'm putting a still-damp washcloth or towel into the washer - not a full clean, but a dust-reducer.

Other quick improvements
-- the teakettle, which will get a layer on it especially if you saute anything!
--Your PC's keyboard -- take it outside and knock it upside down.
--Your desktop where you use a laser mouse. I just degrubbified mine!

But Quick! There's a cleaning crisis! Does anyone have any quick ideas for cleaning a fan? I dusted the outside, but ick those blades are dusty enough there's probably a thousand flowers worth of pollen.

Great tips - especially cleaning the ceiling fan blades with pillowcase or long-handled swiffer. Thanks!

We don't do the lint trap after every load, we found it was easier to remember to do it BEFORE starting the new load.

Either way you do it - do it every single time. My sister used to always forget and it drove me insane to go to empty it and you could tell she had done several loads without emptying it!

Maryhs, I have a fan and it comes completely apart to be dusted and scrubbed before use. The protective grill on mine pops off easily and then I am able to put the plastic blade assembly in a sink of hot water.

I like to pop the dish draining board, silverware tray, sponges and scrub brushes in the dishwasher, along with glass ceiling light/wall sconce covers from around the house. Takes longer than a minute to clean them, but I can be doing other chores during that time. Or watching TV ;)

We replace our sponge pretty often, because I get grossed out by them pretty quickly. Good to know I can clean them in the dishwasher! And I'm going to use the pillowcase trick on our ceiling fans tonight.

We go through a lot of kitchen towels. I keep one by the sink - "the clean one", and one by the oven "the dirty one". The sink one is clean enough for wiping hands and dishes, but the one by the oven only needs to be clean enough for grabbing hot pans, wiping up spilled sauce, etc. When one of them gets a little too dirty for its job (once a day at least) the dirty one gets tossed in the washer, which is right by the kitchen, and the clean one gets downgraded to oven duty. We get a fresh one out for dishes/clean hands. It's really worked well for us.

window sills, especially if you have cats.
baseboards, chair rails and all other molding/trim.
the walls and doors around light switches and door knobs. all those hands leave a potentially nasty grey/black residue behind.
bathroom mirrors.

Thanks for the idea Roquinne - I bet the dishwasher will get all the little nooks & crannies that had been bothering me.

ooh---using canned air to clean the coffee grinder---brilliant!
Plastic loofa for scrubbing the tub, sink, et cetera---genius!
Gunk build-up inside the remote control---I will check this asap!

Every morning in the kitchen I take the dirty and dried-overnight kitchen linens to the laundry basket and set out clean fresh ones: a dish rag, a dish towel, and a Hand Towel. No one confuses the dish towel with the Hand Towel---it took awhile, but you too can train your spouse and children (and yourself :)

Use your combs to get hair out of hairbrushes, then soak both in a sink of hot soapy water while you're gone for the day. It's surprising how clean they get just from the soak.

Don't forgot to wash your cloth grocery bags now and then. I keep thin synthetic fabric ones that fold up into their own little storage bag in all my packs and purses so every now and then I round them all up and give them a scrub. They wash and dry quickly and easily, just by hand or toss in with a load of clothes.

Also, I like keeping wet wipes in the car to hit the steering wheel, dashboard, or handles on a regular basis. This can even be done at a long stoplight.

Good ceiling fan tip, too bad I didn't think of it two years ago when I had one. As far as the pillows, I have goose down pillows so I use two 'zipper pillow covers' on each pillow, when the time comes to wash them I just wash both covers (this saves time on dry cleaning the pillow itself) and no stain has ever soaked through.

I, too, clean out the lint trap before I dry the next load. At any rate, it's one clean per one use of the dryer.

Thanks for the iPhone cleaning tips; I definitely forget that.

Was Just lying in bed looking at the dirty fan blades before I opened this article. I vacuum them using a small brush attachment then wipe.
I am not a very good housekeeper, got no speical cleaning tips to add :)

Another note for the lint trap: If you use fabric softener or dryer sheets, you need to scrub the mesh of your lint trap every so often. The fabric softener builds up on the mesh, and eventually the air and moisture can't pass through creating another fire hazard. Give it a scrub with a toothbrush and some soapy water or vinegar. Doesn't take long, and is pretty important.
Also, if you use dish brushes/bottle brushes, put those in the top rack of your dishwasher every few loads. Lots of stuff collects in all those bristles, and this will keep them clean and germ free.
Finally, for your trash bins, I use mine as mop buckets. Saves having another item around and keeps them clean.

I don't have a microwave or a dishwasher (there are some of us appliance-challenged humans still out here!) so I soak my Scotchbrite scrubber, stainless steel scrubber and dishcloth in a bowl with dish soap and bleach overnight once a week at least. When the kitchen towel I dry my hands on gets soiled, I wash the dishcloth with it and any dusting/scrubbing cloths in the washer. Periodically I put my cutting boards and wooden/bamboo spoons out in the sun to sanitize them (ultraviolet rays). I replace the Scotchbrite at the beginning of each month. And remember to wipe/disinfect doorknobs, toilet flush handles and faucet handles.

One minute mop trick: Take a dirty dish towel, get it wet, and throw it on the floor. Use your foot to drag it around the baseboards in the kitchen, and hit the spots in the middle of the floor that you can see. Throw the towel into the washing machine right before you run your next load (you don't want that sitting around on your clothes!)

It's not a perfect job, but it keeps the gunk from building up until you have the time and energy to drag out the mop and bucket.

I remove the lint from the lint trap after every use. This may be from my years of living in apartment buildings with common laundry facilities. It's also a good idea to leave your washing machine lid open. You really should clean it (I rarely do), but at the very least, allow the wash basin to air dry between loads.

I grab a new dish towel/wash cloth each use. They take up almost no space in the laundry and are quite cheap to buy.

I agree with the person who suggested cleaning fridge/freezer/door handles. I grew up with my mom using a bleach solution on the counter tops to clean. Cleaning the kitchen sink is also a very good idea. As is running a vinegar solution through your coffee maker every so often. It's amazing how much calcium and other deposits come out.

Letting your bed air out is a good thing. Don't make your bed completely. If you want it to still look nice, make it and then pull it back so all but the foot of your bed is exposed.

In the past, I've found dish drying racks can get quite disgusting. For this, I let it soak in a mixture of bleach OR vinegar and water for a few hours and then give it a slight scrub. Considering your clean dishes go on here, you should keep this clean. On a related note, wash the bottoms of your dishes when you are doing dishes by hand. Cleaning just the top/inside is of no use if you are sitting a plate on top of another dirty plate and then stacking the plates on top of each other in the cupboard.

Rubbing alcohol does wonders for making stainless steel appliances look perfect.

Lining the bottom of your oven with aluminum foil makes cleaning (ie, removing and disposing of) a breeze. You can line the bottoms of your elements too for super simple cleaning but this is a lot more noticeable than the oven. Also, you can allow the element catcher things to soak while you can't really do the same for the oven.

Cleaning toothbrushes and hair brushes should be done as well. Growing up, my mom soaked them overnight. She filled the sink with water and what I assume to be either vinegar or bleach and let them sit.

You should clean your garbage can too. I put a few inches of water and probably too much bleach (but I think the garbage warrants it) and let it sit. I put only a little as the nasty garbage juice mainly touches just the bottom. Wipe down the rest with the solution and you should be good to go.

Have you emptied the crumb tray in your toaster lately?

Alright, I think I'm done now.

In less than a minute you can fully clean your sink post-dishes. If you do it every time you do the dishes you'll never have need for more than your typical counter spray.

Other things that take less than a minute:

Wiping the bathroom counter.
Cleaning the toilet if you do it at least three times a week.
Dumping out all the trashcans in the house.
Wiping all the lights witches in a smallish house.
Wiping all the door handles in a smallish house.
Vacuuming the fan blades before you vacuum the floor.

Loislane +1.
dirty fans + high ceilings = big ladder
Big ladder is in the shed and has to be cleaned off before it can come in the house. When it comes into the house, furniture has to be shifted before it can be positioned under fans.

I work in people's homes, and the one thing that nobody ever seems to clean is the stopper to the kitchen sink. Not just the top- flip it over, and pop off the rubber disc on the bottom- on most of them, you can do this. That rubber disc is nearly always slimy and gunky, especially the groove that goes across the top and is normally hidden by the metal part. Give it a good scrub with a stiff bristled brush, scrub the metal portion, rinse, and reassemble. I do this every couple of days, and I feel much better about prepping my veggies in that sink.

I am a bathtub gal and don't know why it took me so long to discover that if you use your foot towel to dry out the tub after it drains that you NEVER have to clean it. It is always shiny and spotless. Wipe down the faucets too.
Supposedly that should work on the kitchen sink too. Use your dishcloth to wipe it out after doing dishes (and toss the cloth in the dirty clothes bin) But I find I still need to give it a good scrub with vinegar now and then...

I always save a half of the egg carton (the flat cover part) and line the bottom of my kitchen trash can with it. Excellent for soaking up any spills, just toss it when dirty.

Railings. GACK.

@RAVEN1025 oh my god, that happened to me a few weeks ago! I thought my dryer was broken, and then I realized the build up, now I know for sure it was the dryer sheets. Thank you

Keep a spray bottle with Super Washing Soda & water handy-I swear by it. Read about my tea kettle here:
http://listenbubb.blogspot.com/
And don't overlook natural cleansers-they can do wonders.

Forget about sponges altogether! They get dirty and gross quickly. Instead invest a few bucks in a bunch of dish cloths and use a new one each day. Dirty ones get tossed in the wasing machine with hot water, soap and bleach.

cleaning key board, specially on lap tops,any idea ?

Laptop keyboards are a toughie, for two reasons:
Depending on the quality of the laptop, there may or may not be some sort of liquid guard protecting the innards of the computer
Depending on the laptop, there may or may not be a paper/plastic "gasket" of some sort under the keyboard

For my fiancee's Toshiba and my own Dells, I use a semi-dry handiwipe for the wrist rests, key tops, touch pad, and touch pad buttons for the buildup.
For under-key dry stuff, I tilt it on its side and gently, gently tap it to knock it towards the bottom and use canned air pointing AWAY from the screen. (DO NOT use the can upside down)

Also do not disassemble the keyboard.

Regular keyboards, though, most models you can pop the keys off with a butterknife or screwdriver, then I use alcohol and a qtip to get the gunk out.

Get one of those keyboard covers. I was doubtful but it was only like 10 bucks so I ordered it online. It literally came from China. I mean, that was the return address, half written in Chinese. I was even more doubtful when I saw that (scam?) but it fits perfectly. I wash it once a week and let it dry on the kitchen table, under the ceiling fan (which needs to be cleaned with the Swiffer duster - great idea, thanks!!) Saves me a lot of compressed air!

Personally I have a seperate Hand towel in the kitchen for drying clean hands. I would never whip my hands on a dish towel ew. I hang my hand towel on the inside of the door below the sink so that it doesnt get mistaken as a dish towel

I have really high ceilings in my apartment. I clean my blades by attaching a duster to my broom handle. Of course dust flies everywhere when I do that, but it's better than keeping the dust up there!

This isn't really a cleaning tip, but an avoiding cleaning tip. My dishwasher is beside my kitchen sink . I think many are. I store my dish brush in the dishwasher. When I need it, I get it out and use it, then stick it back in. It gets cleaned with every wash.

I just cleaned my makeup brushes this morning! Before work, even. It's that quick. Fan blades were done during my massive spring cleaning. We have cats and their hair gets absolutely everywhere, so the fan blades (among other things) need to be cleaned regularly, but maintaining it really does only take a minute. I also do my keyboard, mouse, and phone at work on a regular basis with an alcohol wipe.

About once a week, I like to cut a lemon into four pieces and drop it down my garbage disposal. The citric acid helps keep it clean and the smell is awesome. And when lemons are around 3 for $1, a very cheap solution.

For my make-up brushes, I keep a bottle of organic baby shampoo to wash them. A bottle will last forever and it's great because the brushes are made of hair. I try to wash them at least a couple times a month.

I clean the dryer lint filter before every load. Sometimes if I have to run the dryer a little longer, I'll clean before restarting it. New towels will add more lint than older ones. This lowers the risk of fire, but cleaning the filter also makes the dryer more efficient and that saves electricity--and money. I use Nellie's dryer balls, which are great for relieving static and softening towels. A pair is about $19, but they last a long time...and no buildup or sickening scent.

I change out my kitchen towels often and use retired bath towels (washed, of course) in the kitchen and elsewhere for rags. Because some of them are the same color as my new ones, I have marked their labels with an O (for Old). It is easy to tell them apart when folding after washed early on, but it might not be later and this keeps the rotation straight.

I am going to try that on the shower head. For me, that was a very needed tip!

I have a special tool for ceiling fan blades, bought it years ago. I'd probably consider it a silly purchase, an impulse now, and I would more than likely not buy it. So I'm glad I did back when I fell for gimmicks. This one works!

throw a tennis ball into the dryer with your pillows so they don't bunch up

I already nuke my sponges and switch them regularly, but for handled dish and bottle brushes I use the dishwasher.

Anyone who can remove all the silverware from the organizer, clean out all the nooks and crannies, dry it off, and replace the silverware in under a minute... doesn't need this list because they cleaned their entire house six times while you were writing this article.

My tip: I keep a make-up brush (purchased just for this, not a used one) in the pencil cup in my office. While I'm on the phone I use it to dust my keyboard and other electronics in the room.

My complaint: If the author can clean a ceiling fan with a pillow case IN ONE MINUTE, I would like to see a video. Perhaps I am prejudiced from the fact I live in Arizona where ceiling fans are on almost 24/7 and the air is especially dusty, but I'm not buying it.

Aside from the fact it takes me more than a minute to bring in a ladder from the garage, I just don't believe this is possible to do this properly in even a couple of minutes, let alone one. Also, if one fails to cover whatever is UNDER the ceiling fan (my coffee table, for instance) that has to be either covered, moved, or vacuumed following the fan cleaning because no pillowcase catches all the dust.

Cleaning ceiling fans is more difficult for me because I'm a smoker (shame, shame). Although the post has a nice suggestion, I have to unscrew and take the blades off and clean everything seperately. My bad, I don't clean them often enough because of the effort. I do follow the vent cleaning every time I use the dryer... also many other suggestion and input on this post. But another of my huge cleaning blunders are my old white metal leveler shades. I can't afford to replace them (sixteen windows plus two door walls). I've washed them down slat by slat before. I've even washed them down in the bathtub and outdoors. Do any of you have any ideas for a nice solution for refreshing these guys without breaking my bank account? I just want to clean them from dust and grease. HELP please.

Um, for some of these I ask why bother? Sure I'm with you with sponges and dish towels but clean my remote? Well its never been cleaned and I'm still kicking, Same with my phone. I get rid of visible dirt and gunk off my keyboard but I'm not going to get a Q-tip and go to town. There's something to be said for being too clean. A friend recently pointed out an ad for a hand soap dispenser that uses motion sensors to dispense the soap, the ad warning of the germs that accumulate on the dispenser. As she noted , 1) we've lived for many years touching the dispenser and have come to no harm and 2) what do you do after you touch the dispenser? Wash your hands. Our society seems to becoming too obsessed with germs.

@BKK - I hear ya.

I learned this from working in a salon: to clean make-up brushes, fill a spray bottle with isopropyl alcohol, spritz on a tissue and rub the bristle tips into the alcohol. Works like a charm!

Pillows in a hot dryer? Depends on the pillows. I did this once with feather-filled pillows, and the smell of cooked feathers never went away.

And if "clean your lint trap once in a while" is a good tip, you should also include "flush your toilet."

I find what gets really randomly dirty is the dish drying rack, So I clean it every week with just dish soap and water.

I shove just about anything into the dishwasher to clean - parts of the oven, metal parts of the fans - even dismantle my barbeque. Sponge too, I'm afraid nuking it might create new forms of life...
Light switches, phones, handles, keyboards, but I don't clean then because of germs, I clean them because I can't stand the muck.

I like to use my Tocca lingerie wash on my make-up brushes. The soap is gentle and it makes the brushes smell so lovely!

@Merilynch: Take the Venetian blinds down, spray them with Scrubbing Bubbles, and let them set a few minutes. Then hose them off. This one does take more than a minute.
Throw your combs in with your wash.

Is it just me or am I the only one wondering how I get my phone to look like that when I charge it. Clearly iPhone, Zelda, inspired, obviously jail broken or clever photoshopping? Anybody with any information would be greatly appreciated !!!!

Several years ago, I saw a post that suggested purchasing "bar mops" for the kitchen. I buy about a dozen a year. I use them in place of paper towels and dish cloths. I also use them for wiping up spills and cleaning and also for "hand towels". They are terrific. About $1 each. After EACH use, they are tossed into the was with other towels. After about a year, they get grungy in color so I buy more.

As for sponges, never use them, nor do I use dish cloths. I have a thing about germs! If you use sponges, go to a Dollar store and buy new more often. As for my sink, I never use it for washing dishes or preparing food. I use a dish basin or large bowl. My husband dumps what's left in his coffee maker in the sink. It's amazing how quickly my stainless steel sink gets a "coating" of whatever it is. And he drinks that stuff? (I don't!)

Vinegar is an amazing product! I use vinegar in my dishwasher's rinsing dispenser. No more spots. I didn't have white vinegar (which the article I read recommended) and used apple cider vinegar. No spots.

Have a healthy and safe holiday week!

Microfiber cleaning cloths have replaced sponges, rags, and dishcloths for me. I like them because they don't get smelly as quickly. Always air-dry them after washing, though, and if you can do it outdoors in the sun, even better.

Pots with a mirror finish on the outside: Even if you usually leave everything to air-dry, wipe the outsides dry with a microfiber or linen cloth as soon as you finish washing them. Much easier than scrubbing at water stains later.

I put a small bit of Bleach through my dishwasher every few weeks. It makes the metal on the inside all clean, but also cleans the drains and racking, as well as the jets (I have found that no matter how well I rinse the dishes, there is always food that gets caught in the jets!). You just put the bleach in, and put the dishwasher on a cleaning cycle (with no dishes in it). You wouldn't clean your dishes in a dirty sink, so why put your dishes in a dirty dishwasher!

What about "the dirtiest inch in your house", the can opener blade? I take mine off at least once per week (they usually just pull straight out for easy cleaning) and throw it in the dishwasher.

Sponge -- Although you should be regularly replacing your kitchen sponge (right?), you can increase its mileage by nuking your damp sponge in the microwave to kill bacteria.

Can't you just pop that in the wash with your dishtowels? I wouldn't microwave it- although, not owning a microwave, I guess I'm not really a candidate to do that!

No, you are not. I clean the lint screen every single time! Besides, the clothes dry faster when it's clean.

No, you are not. I clean the lint screen every single time.

Putting the pillows in the dryer does not clean them, it is a way to air them. Ideally you should throw them in a washing machine, and then dry out in the sun, making sure to turn over frequently to dry out :)