Ahhh, spring is in the air. So is dust, bacteria, dirt, and somehow the fluorescent snow-melting salt rocks from the dark dreadful winter months that so sinisterly sucked your soul out of your body. Maybe that’s just me? Anyway, the sun is out and the days are longer and it’s time for spring cleaning. I don’t know about you, but just that phrase lights a fire in my eyes and causes me to glance towards my vanilla-lemon scented wipes and cleaning supplies in the corner of my room. However, there are plenty of household and lifestyle items that get left out of the spring cleaning season that definitely need the love of disinfectant.
1. Credit/Debit Cards
The black stripe on the back of your card as well as the metallic chip should be cleaned regularly to increase the lifetime of your card (or maximise its use before you lose it). Give it a swipe with a cleaning wipe and you’re good to go.
2. Hydroflask (or other aluminum water bottles)
Clean this bad boy every week or so to postpone growth of bacteria and keep your water tasting nice and fresh. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and use baking soda on any harsh spots. Avoid the dishwasher, especially if you hopped on the trend of dressing your bottle in stickers.
3. Keyboard
You can safely clean your keys by watching this tutorial.
4. Hair Brush
At an alarming speed, dead hair and skin cells build up in your hair brush. You can clean them with shampoo— just take it into the shower next time you hop in.
5. Trash Can
Let’s face it, we all know there’s gunk at the bottom of our trash cans that haunt us at night. Gum, mystery liquids, and crumpled receipts gotta go this spring.
6. Loofahs/Sponges
If we’re being honest, you should probably buy a new loofah or sponge every 4-8 weeks based on its quality. Between that time, you should clean it in a diluted bleach solution for 5 minutes or so and then rinse thoroughly to avoid bacteria growth. If you see mold growing, give it a toss.
7. Fan Blades
Preferably, you would want the device that moves air around your house to be dust free. It just makes sense. Clean your fans, people.
8. Your Makeup Bag
Go through your makeup and toss any that you don’t use or are expired. Clean the outsides of pallets and bottles to give your set a shiny look. Don’t forget about cleansing your makeup brushes as well!
9. Apps On Your Phone
Odds are you’ve got plenty of apps that you haven’t used in months (or years) that are clogging up not only your homescreen, but the memory on your phone. Do you really still need Temple Run?? Then, try organizing your apps in a specific order that works for you (organized by the colors of the rainbow, in my case).
10. Your Backpack
Backpacks in college contain your papers, chapstick, water, snacks, your soul, chargers, dignity, and a few other things. Giving it some love by cleaning it out and throwing it in the washing machine will most likely destress your everyday routine.
Take some time for yourself this season to destress and clean those things that need a little love!