We've talked all month long about cleaning spaces all over the home and what it takes to do so. But at the end of the day, when everything is spic and span, there's still a few dirty culprits lurking about — your cleaning tools! Here's a few pointers on how to clean the things that do all the dirty work in your home.
Here's a few of the tools we use on a daily basis. Some of them accumulate more dirt than others, but eventually, they all need a little time and attention to keep them running at top notch!
• On Vacuums: We spent a great deal of time making sure we find the right vacuum before purchasing. We want one that sucks (literally) and can take on an entire household of dirt and pet hair without skipping a beat. But cleaning the guts of your vacuum is a must-do for those looking to make their unit last.
Start by unplugging all the hoses and connections you can find. If you still have your service manual, it can be helpful to show you exactly what you're looking for. You can often run a clean, soft dish towel through each opening, often times coming out another. If your vacuum isn't like that, simply try using canned air (do this process outside) to make sure there aren't any blockages. Wash the outside with a mild soap and water solution and wipe dry. Rotate your filters (or hand wash them in warm soapy water if you can) and clean out the brush rollers on the bottom. You should be in tip top shape in no time!
• On Wool Dusters: Ever since we were little, we've had a wool duster in the home. But after picking up a bookcase worth of dust, it could use a little freshening. Try taking it outside and tapping it against a railing or stoop to shake dust free. You can also vacuum them to remove excess dust and debris or you can hand wash them in cold water with baby shampoo and then hang to dry.
• On Rags & Sponges: Both pick up a great deal of grime, but should be treated differently. Sponges should go in the microwave, or the dishwasher to rid them of bacteria (they can go in the washing machine, but only if the temperature goes above 120 degrees). Rags on the other hand should be first rinsed in the sink after using, eliminating as much chemical or cleaner residue as possible and then tossed into a load of hot laundry. If they still feel a bit icky, try soaking them in lemon juice and then leaving them in the sun until dry, re-launder and your stains should be gone and your towels brighter.
• On Toilet Brushes: If your household uses bleach, simply combine 1 cup of it with a kettle of boiling water. Swish the brush in the mixture and let sit for an hour. If you're bleach free, 1 cup peroxide and 1 kettle of boiling water should do the trick. After 30 minutes, dump and repeat to ensure things are doing the best job they can.
• The Washing Machine: Although you don't really use your washing machine to clean more than clothes, it still does its fair share of the work. Try running a load on warm water with 1 cup white vinegar. It will help freshen your machine and all it's 2000 parts. Make sure to leave the door open when finished!
• The Dishwasher: Your dishwasher is just like your washing machine in the sense that it has a rather focused cleaning job. Give it a break once in awhile and let it clear out it's inside bits with a white vinegar rinse. You can pour it straight in the bottom of your machine or add it to the dispenser cups before starting. Make sure to open the door and let it air dry when finished.
• On Brooms & Mops: These two items do a great deal around the home and we're willing to bet you've never really cleaned your broom before. Wipe down it's handle with a mild cleansing solution and then fill your sink (or a bucket outdoors) half way with warm soapy water. Run your fingers through the bristles while keeping them submerged. Drain water and run hot water over the bristles until it runs clear. Take outside to dry in the sun if possible (even if you can only stick the bristles out the window to catch a few rays) angling downwards slightly to drain remaining water off.
Removable cotton mop heads can be thrown in the washing machine to be cleaned, while sponge versions can usually be washed in the top rack of your dishwasher. You can also soak them in lemon juice and allow to dry outside in full sun and then rinse with a vinegar and water solution.
Do you have a cleaning tool that didn't make the list that needs a little freshening up? Let us know below and we'll do our best to give you a dirt busting remedy!
(Image: Flickr member Michelle_again licensed for use by Creative Commons)
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So helpful! Thank you. I appreciate the greenness in re-using products.
Thanks for this! All my rags are officially too nasty to do anything but add to the grime at this point, so it's time for a wash. I feel like even after I rinse them as well as I can, they're still going to be pretty gross (a lot of hair that's peskily persistent, even after rinsing). I hate to do a wash for ONLY my rags (I have to pay per load, and there aren't very many of them to begin with) but am a little icked at the thought of throwing them in with my clothes. Is the problem all in my head? Is it cool to add them to a regular load -- or maybe just put with darks?
On the vacuum cleaners: some uprights have a filter below the canister. I'm able to pull out the filters and rinse them in the sink. They get SUPER nasty with dirt and dust, but it's so nice to see all of that going away down the drain. I wash them, leave them to dry, and put the vacuum away once they are all dried out.
lmlombar, I only wash my rags with the other linens and towels, on the hottest possible setting. for some reason, if I wash them with the clothes, the clothes can get oil spots.
lmlombar - If you're ok with using a bleach, you can keep a bucket (with lid) that is half full of water and a 10% bleach solution. When you're done with the rags, toss them in and they can stay there until you are ready to run the load. Just make sure they're washed with other whites, or else this would obviously turn bad.
Otherwise they're perfectly fine to toss in with the rest of a warm or hot load, though we keep ours separate from the rest of the dirty laundry until doing so.
rags with the shower curtain maybe? i don't mix towels and clothes or floor mats and towels or rags clothes either. ... am i weird?
Love the mop pic. Add googley eyes and it is awfully close to an American Gothic portrait. Thanks for the chuckle. (for April Fool's day, I sent my mom not-so great school photos of my 3 boys, with googley eyes glued on. Totally unrelated to mop cleaning, sorry.)
I give my toilet brush a good spraying with a 50/50 vinegar and water mix. That qualifies as "hospital clean" from what I have read (although I've seen some pretty grubby hospitals). Vinegar and water is my standard cleaning solution for pretty much everything in my house, from produce to floors.
I really have the same rag issue. I use microfiber cloths on my swiffer (which is awesome, and cheap). I seriously own about 20 cloths. I wash them with towels... or I put them in a bucket with boiling water and hand wash them and air dry. I sometimes microwave them in water same idea as cleaning a sponge.
I keep a large bucket for my rags -- I own at least 30 microfiber cloths, which I bought from chemicalguys -- and wash them alone, in hot water, when I start to run out. When you dry rags or microfiber cloths, don't use a dryer sheet, as that makes them repel water. I let my rags/cloths air dry.