I love cleaning.
Yes, I am serious.
Cleaning is an outlet for me when it comes to stress and anxiety. I love the satisfaction of a candle burning and the smell of pine sol in the air. And don’t even get me started on the esthetic of vacuum lines in the carpet. Clutter and messes stress me out and I simply want my environment to be clean and organized.
I would say my house is pretty darn clean except for some crumbs on the floor from snack time.
That is until I started following an account on Instagram called @gocleanco
After following this account for a short time I was introduced to a slew of new cleaning products and tools to aid in the cleaning process.
I highly suggest giving their account a follow but here are the top 4 things I realized I was not cleaning or not cleaning enough.
The Walls
I have washed down walls in the past but I typically use warm water and pine sol for a scrub. I was totally missing out on the combination of powder tide, bleach, and hot water. This combination is magic!
Scrub your walls the way you normally would and then try this…you will be shocked how much is still on your walls when you dump the water.
The Dishwasher Drain/Trap
This one was interesting because I had no idea the dishwasher had a drain/trap in the bottom. Every model of dishwasher is different but at the bottom of the dishwasher, you will see a cylinder-shaped trap that you can twist out and clean! Our dishwasher is fairly new so when I did this it was not that gross but when watching @gocleanco Instagram stories they have shown a fair share of food and mold clogged drains. If you are not cleaning this part of your dishwasher, you literally clean your dishes with mold and old food.
Go check it out. I bet you will be just as surprised as I was.
Toilet Seats
This one may seem like a no-brainer. Wiping down a toilet seat should be a simple task but did you know they come off? You can remove the tab covers on the back of the seat and slid them off. If you have boys you will want to run and do this right now because let me tell you…it can be gross! I have made this a weekly cleaning staple in my house because I was shocked at how much can collect under those tabs.
Front-Loading Washer Seals
Over the years I have found different “hacks” to keep the smell of mildew at bay when it comes to a front-loading washer. I always leave the door open to allow the inside to stay dry. After every load of laundry, I take out the soap dispenser and let the leftover water drain in the sink. I also, leave the soap dispenser cracked open so that it can stay dry as well. Lastly, I run the washer once a week, empty, with only bleach. I never gave the seal of the washer a second thought.
The amount of mold that grows in the seal is disgusting. @gocleanco has taught me to pull open the seal and pour some bleach in it. Depending on how bad the mold build-up is you may have to let it sit for a while. Then invest in a long-handled scrub brush and go to town on that seal.
One way to avoid having to do this often is to wipe out the moisture in the seal after every load so that it stays dry. But just like the dishwasher, if you are not doing these things, then you are just washing your clothes in mold.
For more amazing tips and tricks to cleaning your home give @gocleanco a follow on Instagram.
You won’t be sorry.
