I’m a hygienic person, so when it comes to cleaning, I get a little OCD about it. I make sure it’s thorough, and nothing is missed. And when I say I’m hygienic, it doesn’t mean I’m frightened of getting dirty. It’s situational. If I’m going on a hike in the rain, I expect to be dirty and that’s fine, but I will definitely be giving myself a good scrub down after. 

We all have cleaned before, if you are like me it may be a therapeutic session but for others it may be seen as a dreaded chore, but we can’t deny cleaning is a part of life. There are obvious things that we know to clean, but there are others that may have slipped our minds.  Here is my list of things that are often forgotten on the to-clean list but shouldn’t.

EDC (Every Day Carry)

Think of your phone, wallet, cards inside the wallet and your keys. They are your besties, wherever you go, they go and whatever you touch they touch.Hence, they deserve some TLC and a bit of frequent disinfecting. 

Bag

Whether that’s a handbag, man bag or backpack. It’s good to clean out your bag regularly, as there may be things in there that simply need to be thrown out.  You never know what you may find…maybe even a loose mint from a month ago! Treat it also like a stocktake of your bag, necessities may need to be refilled e.g. pocket tissues, hand cream and hand sanitiser. Depending on your bag’s material, you can put it in the washing machine to give it a more thorough clean. If it’s a handbag, you can spot clean the inside fabric with a stain remover and clean the outer layer with a disinfectant wipe. 

Bathroom towel 

This is used multiple times daily. Don’t think that you’re simply drying your clean self when coming out of the shower.  You may be clean but dead skin cells linger in towels.It is also important to make sure you hang up your wet towel after you use it, the last thing you want is to reach for a musty, damp towel to dry your clean body.  I would recommend changing or washing your towel every 3 days. 

Footwear

You wash your clothes regularly right? So why don’t your shoes receive the same treatment? Your shoes exposure to the daily dirt needs to be cleaned because leaving it on your shelf/rack to let it fester bacteria is disgusting. I recommend investing in a shoe cleaner such as Crep Protect. This doesn’t apply only to sneakers, this applies to dress shoes, heels, sandals, whatever goes on your feet. Ladies, don’t forget the inner sole of your shoes too, if you are wearing shoes without socks or stockings the sweat and dirt would get stuck on that too.

Grooming and beauty tools 

In modern society, most of us groom to an extent. So, if you don’t clean out and sanitise your body trimmer or shaver on a regular basis, the excess hair will just sit inside the compartment harvesting bacteria. Not only is there a possibility to clog the grooming tool, but there is also a colony of bacteria living there too. This applies to a razor as well, because when you’re shaving to the closest degree, you’re also shaving away dead skin. I use an old toothbrush to clean these types of grooming tools. For females, things like make-up brushes or sponges should be washed and sanitised regularly, as that goes on a face that you spend quality glow-up time on.

Pillow case 

This is important if you have problems with your skin. The bacteria in your hair, particularly if you don’t wash it daily, and the general exposure of your face to dirt lives on your pillow case. So, laying on that every night for an extensive period without washing your pillow case means you’re voluntarily placing your face on a bacteria-filled pit. My personal recommendation is to change your pillow cases at least weekly.

Tech goods

Have you been guilty of snacking while on your laptop? I’m sure most of you have. Just imagine the oil from the chips on your hands smudging onto the keyboard of your laptop, and then closing your laptop where your screen then sits on top of the keyboard. Also, think about the numerous surfaces you place your laptop on. Disgusting right? Time to clean.  Also, if you’re a music lover or just prefer an escape, you would be using earphones every day. The natural moisture and heat from your ear is a breeding ground for bacteria. Make sure you disinfect them regularly.