WE often go about using our regular household items daily without giving much thought to how and when we should be replacing them.
Sure, we might be cleaning things such as mop heads, cleaning clothes and gloves but we should actually be replacing them entirely, experts claim – and it’s probably sooner than you think.
The biggest offender and the most regularly used item is your washing up-sponge with many people using the same one for weeks at a time.
But according to experts at, End of Tenancy London washing up sponges should be replaced every week, and be thoroughly cleaned after EVERY use.
The reason being that dirty dish sponges can attract dangerous bacteria like E. coli, if they are left over time.
E.coli and other forms of bacteria can then transfer to your dishes causing more harm then good.
But if you aren’t able to replace your sponge right away, there are some ways you can effectively clean it until you do.
End of Tenancy London have provided how often you should replace and clean your cleaning essentials:
Sponges
Clean: Rinse after every use
Replace: Weekly
Mop Heads
Clean: Rinse after every use
Replace: Every two months
Cleaning Rags
Clean: Clean weekly
Replace: Every two months
Cleaning Gloves
Clean: Rinse after every use
Replace: After signs of degradation
Plastic Scrub Brushes
Clean: Clean weekly
Replace After signs of degradation
Vacuums
Clean: Replace bags and clean suction nozzles as needed
Replace: Years, with regular maintenance
Feather/Cloth Dusters
Clean: Shake out weekly, clean with warm water monthly
Replace: Replace after signs of degradation
Microfiber Cloths
Clean: Clean weekly
Replace: Replace after signs of degradation
Brooms
Clean: Shake and clean after every use
Replace: Years, with regular maintenance
Homemade Supplies
Clean: Wipe containers after every use
Replace: Discard after each use
Store-Bought Supplies
Clean: Wipe containers after every use
Replace: Check the expiration date
The experts claim that you can use a mix 3/4 cup of bleach in one gallon of water and soak the sponge for five minutes, then rinse. Or use full-strength vinegar instead using the same method.
Alternatively you can zap it in the microwave which is said to 99.9% of germs. Simply place the sponge in the microwave, saturating it in water (1/4 cup for scrub sponges and 1/2 cup for cellulose), then heat on high for one minute (scrub) or two minutes (cellulose).
A dishwasher can do the trick too using a “heated dry” setting.
Mop heads can also build up bacteria over time so it’s advised you replace mop heads every 2 months – but make sure to rinse and wring dry after every use.
Surprisingly, cleaning gloves can be used until they show signs of degradation – even if they’re used to scrub the loo.
Feather dusters, microfiber clothes and brooms are fine to be used continually until they fall apart ensuring that you shake and clean each after use.
As for cleaning products themselves, store-bought cleaning supplies do have expiration dates and improper storage can cause them to be less effective.
Typically, you will not have to change store-bought cleaning supplies often, an expiration date can be anywhere from 6 months to two years, so always check the labels.
And while home made cleaning products are kinder to the environment, they don’t have a long shelf life.
Ideally, homemade cleaning supplies should be discarded after each use. But remember, they don’t have long-term preservative chemicals so are more likely to degrade and become less effective over time.
A great tip is to only make enough for the cleaning task ahead, or for a few days’ worth if you plan on using the mix continually.
In other cleaning news, a woman shows how to remove baked on food from your microwave in seconds with zero scrubbing.
And another woman shows how she gets her windows sparkling using fabric softener and washing up liquid.
Meanwhile woman reveals how to get rid of ants from your garden using two basic household ingredients
