Being
home all the time has been hard on your house, too.
None of these four
chores takes more than an hour, and each ends with that satisfying thought: Why
didn’t I do that sooner? Best of all, unlike the dishes and the bottomless
laundry pile, these chores won’t need to be done again for many months.
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Deep clean your bed
“You know that feeling when you get into a bed with clean sheets? This is that feeling times 10,” said Brandi
Broxson, a senior editor at
Real Simple magazine. Not only does a clean bed
feel good, it is better for your health. Bedding and accessories like dust
ruffles and throw pillows can collect dust and pet dander, making them an
allergy trigger. Do this at least twice a year, Broxson suggested.
Start with the
pillow test. Fold your pillow over; if it stays folded, chuck it. A pillow
without its oomph is no one’s idea of a good time. If it unfolds, wash it
according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Strip off the sheets, duvet, duvet cover, mattress
pad, and dust ruffle. Wash everything according to the labels. During this deep
clean session, Broxson washes her sheets with a bit of bleach. Or, if they’re
not white, she’ll presoak them with a bit of vinegar, which helps remove any
smells. If your duvet doesn’t fit in your washing machine, you can wash it by
hand in your bathtub — and get a workout while you’re at it.
Sprinkle your
mattress with a thin layer of baking soda. After 30 minutes, vacuum the baking
soda up and flip the mattress. Dust the crevices of your bed frame and vacuum
those dust bunnies underneath the bed.
Don’t forget your
throw pillows. “I feel like those never get cleaned,” Broxson said. Zip-off the
covers and wash according to the labels.
Organize the medicine
cabinet
Drugs expire and get pulled from the marketplace, so making sure what you
have is still safe to use will give you peace of mind.
Doing this once a
year should be fine, said Dr Thomas So, a clinical pharmacist at
First Databank, which publishes and maintains drug databases for health care
professionals.
Consider where
your drugs live. If it’s the bathroom, you need to find another spot. “That is
the worst place to put any of your medications,” said So, citing the high heat
and humidity of your shower as detrimental to drugs’ longevity. He keeps his
over-the-counter drugs in a kitchen cabinet, away from the stove.
Check expiration
dates. Most
drugs will be OK a few months past their expiration date, So said.
There are exceptions, though; expired antibiotics in the tetracycline family
can actually cause kidney damage.
Discard with care.
Don’t flush pills, because drugs can seep into our waterways and harm aquatic
life. Take any expired medicines to your local drugstore, which will collect
them free of charge. So recommended taking prescription opiates to your local
police headquarters.
Unclog that drain
Apart from being gross, drain blockages generally only worsen with
time, said Jake Romano, who works for the
Ottawa-based plumbing company John
the Plumber. Plus, blockages often form in plumbing joints. If the joint wasn’t
connected properly and a block is causing water — and pressure — to build up,
you may end up with a real plumbing emergency.
This is an
as-necessary job, but Romano recommends doing a baking soda and vinegar drain
cleanse every month to keep things running smoothly.
Is it still
clogged? You can take the drain stopper out and use a coat hanger to pull any
clogs out of the drain. Pull up whatever you can, then repeat the baking soda
and vinegar flush.
Clean your filters
Food, lint, and other contaminants can gunk up filters and zap
performance from your appliances, said Katie Sadler, a brand manager for
Whirlpool’s kitchen and cooking line. At the minimum, you should be cleaning
these filters every six months.
Start with your
dishwasher if you have one. You really should do this every month. A heads-up:
It’s icky. The filter catches any food left on plates, so it’s crucial you
empty it. Where precisely the filter is will depend on your make and model, but
Sadler said it’s usually easy to find and pop out. Remove it, rinse it under
hot water and give it a quick scrub.
Don’t forget … Your HVAC
filters, the drinking-water filters in your fridge, and the filters for any
home air purifiers. The lint trap cover for your clothes dryer should get
thoroughly cleaned every six months, too.
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