Four popularly asked questions about spring cleaning

Spring cleaning is the best time to welcome new vibes by cleaning homes, decluttering them, and making them more efficient. Spring cleaning is not just a physical task but a mental one as well. One needs to set the right tone for it and prepare in advance to ensure that all the cleaning proceeds smoothly. Picking the right tools and using efficient methods help in getting things done faster.

Many people have started taking a more environment-friendly approach to spring cleaning for protecting the wellbeing of their family as well as the planet.

How should one mentally prepare themselves for spring cleaning?
Being mentally prepared helps one plan things in advance and get them done more efficiently during spring cleaning. Read on to know how one can mentally prepare themselves for spring cleaning-

• Visualizing the ideal setup: It is important to visualize how one wants to set up their living space instead of just dumping everything while cleaning.

How often should one replace everything in the bathroom?
Spring cleaning is all about letting things go; especially when it comes to the products in the bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom. Read on to know how often one needs to replace everything in the bathroom.

• Cosmetics : Replacing the cosmetics depends upon their expiry date which can range from anywhere between three months to two years.
• Toothbrushes : To maintain oral hygiene, one must replace their toothbrushes every three to four months according to a recommendation by The American Dental Association.
• Hairbrushes : Even with regular cleaning, it is vital to replace hairbrushes once in every six months to a year. Separating bristles is one of the warning signs that one should replace their hairbrush.

What are the replacement periods for products used in the bedroom?
Spring cleaning is not only about washing everything but also replacing some things that have been stocked for a long time. Mentioned below are the replacement periods of the things used in a bedroom.

• Mattress : Consumer Reports suggests that one should purchase a new mattress if they have been using the current one for more than ten years.
• Sheets : After using sheets regularly, their fibers start to break down, showing some signs of wear and tear. Most people tend to replace sheets within two years.
• Underwear: Underwear is one item of clothing that has a shorter life-span especially when compared to other types of garments. It is a good habit to replace underwear in a span of six months to a year.

How often should one replace everything in the kitchen to maintain hygienic conditions?
Most people tend to carefully examine the expiry date of all the things in the fridge. However, it is not just foods items that expire, but other items in the kitchen have their expiry date too. Here is how often one needs to replace some things that they use in the kitchen every day-

• Dish towels and sponges: Ideally, one should clean their dish towels and sponges every day because the wetter these items are, the more prone they are to bacteria.
• Cutting boards: It is important to use different cutting boards for prepping meat and chopping vegetables. One should clean them every day. One must also replace cutting boards when they appear worn.
• Pots and pans : A bundle of non-stick cookware tends to last for around five years. However, it needs to be replaced sooner if it starts peeling.