How Often Should Clean Your Home? – What Science says

Cleanliness can be subjective: some people wear things once and feel compelled to wash them, while others wear them five times before throwing them in the machine. But when it comes to your home, there are some standards to consider for your health’s benefit.

How often should you…

Change the sheets?

Once a week – two at the most. Most bacteria on sheets is environmental (like dust) and mostly harmless, however it can cling to your sheets and contribute to acne and dandruff. To keep your bed clean, change your sheets once a week, or at most every two weeks.

Disinfect the sinks?

Daily. Even if they look clean, sinks are exposed to a host of harmful bacteria.

Vacuum rugs and wash floors?

One to two weeks. Rugs should be vacuumed weekly (more if you have pets) to keep dust, dirt and allergens at bay. Give floors a good wash or steam once every couple of weeks.

Wipe down the bathroom?

Once a week at least. Your bathroom is the ultimate bacteria host. E.coli can be found within six feet of the toile and in the sink. To keep it at bay, disinfect the toilet and sink at least once weekly. Your shower screens and curtains should be disinfected weekly to avoid mould and mildew which can cause skin, eye and throat irritation in some people.

Swap out towels?

It depends on the room. Bath towels become loaded with bacteria (including staph and faecal) and if your towel doesn’t dry properly, that bacteria can grow. It’s recommended to swap bath towels out every other day, and wash them in hot water. Your kitchen towels collect bacteria every time you handle food and wash your hands. It’s recommended that they are washed weekly, unless you handled raw meat, in which case you should wash them immediately.

Swap out sponges?

Evert few days. Your kitchen sponge can get awfully germy, with billions of bacteria no every square inch. Washing sponges with soap and water doesn’t quite work, however dropping them into boiling water for 2 minutes, or placing them in the microwave for 2 minutes while damp will effectively remove most bacteria. This can be done every few days, and replace them once they deteriorate.

Wipe down doorknobs?

Once a week (in some rooms). Though doorknobs accumulate a lot of bacteria, they shouldn’t need frequent disinfecting. Bathroom and kitchen handles however should be attended to more often. Once a week is a good guide, but include an additional wipe down if there’s been an illness in the household.