Oven
We love a good self-cleaning oven, but not all of them have that setting. If yours doesn’t, you’ll want to schedule a cleanse every six months. Take out the oven racks and soak in hot water and liquid detergent, and spray the oven – both the inside and the door – with oven cleaner. Put some newspapers under the door to catch any drips, and let everything sit overnight. Meanwhile, run any removable knobs through the dishwasher. The next morning, wipe everything clean with warm water and a rag, and scrub any non-removable knobs with dishwashing liquid and warm water. Voila! Make sure to wait a few days before cooking a big meal, as the smells of chemicals and food can combine rather unpleasantly.
Dishwasher
Don’t you want the appliance that cleans your dishes to be spotless? Luckily, it’s an easy once-a-month task. Just put an upright cup of vinegar in the empty top rack and run a full cycle on hot.
Washer and Dryer
We trust our washers and dryers to purify our germiest things, but it turns out some of our linens are actually turning these machines into breeding grounds for things like salmonella and E. coli. Horrifying! What to do? Whenever you clean underwear, kitchen towels, or anything you would put in the “whites” category, clean with hot water and bleach to sanitize both your laundry and your machine.
Computer
You might not think of your computer as being particularly germ-infested, but anything touched by human hands as much as keyboard is touched is bound to be a prime spot for bacteria. As needed, disconnect the keyboard and the mouse and wipe down with a clean rag and rubbing alcohol, using a cotton ball to get into the deep crevices.
The Big Stuff
People and memories make a house a home, but the basic walls, roof and floor that make the house deserve a little TLC, too. It’ll make the good times within them that much sweeter— and cleaner!
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