With all the cleaning I've been doing lately, I'm touching every part of my house.  But there are some items in the home I have no clue when or how frequently I should clean.  

I'm sure my mom or grandmother told me, but let's be real. I wasn't listening to any of their advice when I was a young adult.  Now I wish I had my Grandma around to ask these questions about cleaning essential everyday items. 

BED SHEETS

Now we all understand our sheets do get dirty, just think of all that dirt, dust, and sweat that builds up over time.  Plus, Asthma, Hay Fever, and Eczema thrive in dirty sheets so clean often! Once a week- yep wash your bedroom linens once a week.  I wash everyone’s sheets on our cleaning day, which is usually Saturdays. Wash in HOT WATER! 

MATTRESS

I make a cleaning mix with baking soda and Lavender (any kind you want) essential oil. Sprinkle it all around the bed, then rub into the mattress, let sit for an hour, then vacuum it up. Make sure you do this 4x a year- spring, summer, fall, and winter. 

PILLOWS

Every three months, put two pillows at a time in the washer on the gentle cycle, but make sure you do TWO rinse cycles. Make sure to read the label- some pillows won’t be able to be placed in washer.  BUT pillowcases need to be washed weekly! 

TOWELS

If I had my way, I would wash after every use, but you can go 2-3 uses- at least once a week. We hang up our towels after we are done, so that allows them to dry, but if you start smelling that funky mildew smell, then that is way too long! Plus, we each have our own towels- no sharing towels here. 

WASHING MACHINE

This is a chore that is usually forgotten- or is it just me? Once a month, use vinegar and baking soda to clean your washing machine safely. Add a quart of white vinegar and a cup of baking soda to the cleaning mode or a large load (without clothes). There are also washing machine tablets you can buy too. 

REFRIGERATOR 

A weekly wipe up is always recommended.  If you have kids, you know they put things back dripping and sticky, so make sure to wipe down all spills and sticky spots. If I see a mess, I immediately wipe down, but not all family members will do that. Also, every month empty the fridge one shelf at a time and toss out the old stuff. Every three months, pull out the drip pan and cleanout. That thing gets quite gross since it is on the bottom. 

OVEN

If you use your oven regularly, then clean every 2-3 months. The best oven cleaner is the most simple: baking soda and water. Let sit overnight and wipe clean in the morning if you don’t use the oven that much then every six months will do. Try not to use oven cleaning sprays that are toxic- smells nasty too. A trick is putting a bowl of water in the oven and turning it up high for 20 minutes, which will loosen up some of the grime. 

COFFEE MAKER

You should clean your coffee maker at least once a month. Every time you brew coffee, debris from the beans, hard water, and lime deposits build up inside the machine. 

JEANS

Try to wash them every 3rd wear- jeans shrink every time you wash so if you want that comfy jean to feel, then don’t wash every time you wear them. Plus, make sure to wash inside out on the cold temperature then hang dry.  

BRA 

Usually, after 2-3 wears, you can handwash your bra with water and a few drops of hand soap or in a mesh garment bag in the washing machine. 

HAIR 

Try to wash hair every 2-3 days. WOW, I didn’t learn this until I was way into my 20’s.  My mom always made me wash my hair every day, but that was stripping all my natural oils. My mixed daughter goes seven days without washing her hair; however, she does use dry shampoo regularly. 

Now, most of these are common sense, BUT sometimes we just need a reminder on what needs to clean and when.  I know appliances are usually a low priority but get on a cleaning schedule, and they will last longer.  

Make sure you read my last article: 5 Foods That Helps Fight Stress