SLIDESHOW 26 Things You’re Not Cleaning Enough Here's how frequently you should clean your phone, dishwasher, bras, and more commonly neglected items and places around your home. ( courtecy;- webMD )

SLIDESHOW
26 Things You’re Not Cleaning Enough
Here's how frequently you should clean your phone, dishwasher, bras, and more commonly neglected items and places around your home. ( courtecy;- webMD )

How Often Should You Clean This?
woman holding cleaning products
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Check the Chore Schedule
Wondering if your housekeeping is up to par? When is it time to replace certain items? Do you clean your cleaning tools?

We've got advice on some common and some not-so-obvious places and things to take care of throughout your home to help keep it healthy.

woman using smartphone on train
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Smartphone: Daily
You touch your phone countless times a day. And the fingerprints you leave on the screen are a grease trap for gunk and germs. Get in the habit of wiping it clean at least once a day. Studies show alcohol is best for killing bacteria, but check with your device's manufacturer to see what it recommends to avoid damage. Clean the case, too!

woman cutting vegetables in the kitchen
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Kitchen Counters: Daily
The problem with dirty counters isn't as much about what you can see as what you can't. Wiping down and sanitizing kitchen surfaces after each time you use them ensures stray germs from last night's dinner prep don't end up in your next sandwich.

washing machine full of dishes
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Dishwasher: Monthly
Over time, buildup in your machine can keep your dishes from getting the cleaning they need and deserve. Once a month, toss in a cup of baking soda on the bottom and set 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the top rack; then run a regular cycle.

woman cleaning refrigerator
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Refrigerator: Quarterly
Funky forgotten leftovers in the back of your fridge can leave behind mold spores after you've tossed them. To keep germs at bay, empty your refrigerator every 3-4 months, and clean the shelves and walls with a tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in a quart of water. Rinse and let dry before replacing food.

family playing on kitchen floor
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Kitchen Floor: Weekly
If you've got kids, chances are you'll need to sweep up after every meal. But unless there's a sticky spill, the mop and bucket can go a week between rounds.

maltese dog resting on the carpet
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Carpets: Weekly
Vacuum large carpets and toss small area rugs and floor mats in the wash once a week. Keeping your floor coverings clean is key for cutting back on allergy triggers in your home.

woman vacuuming sofa cushion
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Furniture: Monthly
Spills should be spot-cleaned right away, but for upholstery upkeep, once-a-month vacuuming across the cushions and into nooks and crannies should do. Steam cleaning once a year or so can also extend the life of your furniture and keep you sitting pretty.

woman cleaning shelves
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Knickknacks and Stuff: Weekly
Anywhere dust settles needs a regular swipe with a dust-grabber like microfiber cloth or a damp soft rag: bookshelves, trinkets, picture frames, lamp bases, mirrors, side tables -- you get the idea.

tv remote close up
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TV Remote: Weekly
Take the batteries out first! Then use cotton swabs dipped in mild soapy water to get off sticky, oily fingerprints and crud from around the buttons. Wipe down the whole thing with a solution of one part vinegar and two parts water to kill bacteria. Make sure the battery compartment is dry before you put the power back in.

spinning ceiling fan
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Ceiling Fans: Quarterly
These whirring dust collectors also gather grease when they're in the kitchen. You can give them a wipe whenever you notice buildup, but use a damp cloth and all-purpose cleaner to clean the blades and body well every few months.

window blinds
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Window Treatments: Quarterly
Hit up your blinds and shutters during your weekly dusting, but tackle long-standing grime on the slats every 3-4 months with warm, soapy water. Take down curtains once each season, and run them through the washing machine.

toilet inside bathroom door
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Toilets: Daily
The more action your porcelain throne sees in a day, the more reason to squirt your cleaner of choice into the bowl and give it a swish with a long-handled brush. Save the deeper scrub-down for your weekly round-up.

mother drying young son after bath
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Bath Towels: Every Few Uses
Wash your towel or grab a new one after three or four normal showers, more often if you work out a lot. Hang up damp towels when you're done so they can air out and not give mildew, mold, and bacteria a dark, damp place to grow.

shower curtain close up
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Shower Curtain: Monthly
A plastic curtain, or the plastic liner for a cloth curtain, should get a bath with warm water and baking soda once a month to remove soap scum and prevent mildew. You may be able to stretch this to once a quarter if your shower doesn't get a lot of use. Spraying it with a cleaner after every shower and wiping it down weekly when you clean the bathroom will also help.

woman using electric toothbrush
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Toothbrush: Quarterly
Beyond a few months, the bristles get too worn to work as well as they should. If you see fraying before then, that's a sign to switch.

razor blade close up
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Razor Blades: 5-7 Uses
Did you know a dull blade causes more cuts and irritation than a sharp one? Start with a new blade every week or so, if you're shaving daily, to stay (and look) sharp.

woman applying mascara close up
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Makeup Brushes: Weekly and Monthly
Applicators like sponges and brushes can be a breeding ground for bacteria. They collect dirt, dust, and anything else floating through the air as well as on your skin. Wash brushes for wet makeup once a week; dry makeup brushes, monthly. Mild soap and warm water followed by an overnight drying session will take you from grime to glam.

bras soaking
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Bras: Every Few Uses
Whether you give them "off days" to regain their shape and elasticity, or go for multiple wears in a row, it's best to give bras a good wash after you've worn them about three times. But if you've been sweating, don't wait that long.

family putting fresh sheets on bed
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Sheets: Weekly
The rule of thumb is to wash bed linens once a week in water hot enough to kill bacteria (around 140 F), and tumble dry. Your shut-eye habits should determine your timeline. For example, pets, night sweats, and midnight snacks in bed mean you'll need to change them sooner. Alternating between two sets of sheets can make it easier to keep up.

throw pillows on bed
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Pillows: 2-4 Times a Year
Throw your pillows (and your throw pillows) in the wash on hot every 3-6 months to kill bacteria and keep them fresh.

Same goes for your comforter or duvet. If it's too big to fit in your machine at home, take it to a laundromat with extra-large commercial-size washers, or have it professionally cleaned.

vacuuming mattress close up
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Mattress: Twice a Year
Unless it's brand new, your mattress is probably home for millions of dust mites. A good semiannual vacuuming can help suck up those tiny critters, as well as the dead skin cells you've been shedding that keep them well-fed.

clothes inside washing machine
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Washing Machine: Quarterly
Any appliance that uses water is at risk for mold and mildew. Wipe down the door and rubber gasket of a front loader after every wash load. Give your machine a deeper cleaning every 3-4 months by adding 1 cup of bleach and running a hot cycle (sans clothes) to sanitize.

humidifier emitting steam
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Humidifier: Every 3 Days
When your humidifier is cranking out moisture nonstop, replace the water daily. Clean it with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution, or the disinfectant the manufacturer recommends, every 3 days to prevent mineral deposits and filmy buildup. Change the filter regularly, according to the instructions.

man replacing furnace filter
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Air Filters: Monthly
Replace the small particle filters in central heating and cooling systems once a month to keep their air purifying powers up to snuff. Same goes for the filters of in-room air conditioners.

vacuuming air duct close up
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Air Ducts: As Needed
If everyone in your house is healthy, you don't have to clean ducts regularly. There's no proof that it prevents problems, and done incorrectly, it could cause them. Dirt inside usually sticks and stays put. Vacuum or take off and clean grates when you notice normal dusty buildup. However, if you have mold, rodents, or insects, or you can see stuff blowing out of your vents, it's time to do something.

roaring fire in fireplace
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Fireplace: Yearly
Avoid the toxic trouble of carbon monoxide, fumes, and soot by having your chimney inspected annually. A certified chimney sweep can check for problems and clean out any buildup.
Sources | Medically Reviewed on 07/31/2017
This tool does not provide medical advice.