10 Things in Your Home You’re Cleaning Too Often

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Life has become so fast that we all want our homes to be clean and fresh at all times but sometimes we do overdo it in the cleaning department. There are some areas and items in our homes that don’t have to be scrubbed as often as you think. Excessive cleaning can cause wear and tear, unnecessary use of products, or even worse, more dust buildup.

In general, there are a number of things around the house that you’re probably cleaning too frequently, and you should probably step back. Here are a few of them.

Flower Vase

Flower vases are a beautiful addition to a room, but so is having a clean place to put them. You don’t want old flowers to make a mess, but you don’t need to constantly scrub the vase. Rather than cleaning your vase after every new bouquet, try cleaning your vase well every few weeks instead.

Behind Appliances

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Have you ever checked behind your fridge or oven lately? Although it might be tempting to give these areas a regular scrub, experts say these areas don’t need to be cleaned as often as we might think. It builds up dirt and dust as any other surface, but it doesn’t do so at the same rate as a more visible surface. You should clean behind your appliances once or twice a year unless you see a particular problem, for example, food crumbs or spills.

Liquor Cabinet

Truthfully, your liquor cabinet is not a high traffic area and it does not need to be cleaned very often. Wiping too often can damage labels, rub away at the bottle surface, and result in unnecessary clutter on the countertop. It just needs a quick dusting every few months to keep the area in good shape.

Medicine Cabinet

You may think you need to be cleaning your medicine cabinet more often, but you actually don’t. It’s enough to give it a quick wipe once every few months to keep it fresh. However, over cleaning can result in anything from items being tossed accidentally to good medications being disposed of too early. Also, you need to be careful not to over wipe as some of those cleaners leave residues that could affect your health products.

Bathroom Mirror

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Your bathroom mirror won’t stay streak free, but it doesn’t require constant attention. Over cleaning can cause a residue build up from cleaning products, so wiping it down once a week should be enough. Also, harsh cleaners can damage the reflective coating over time, something many people don’t realize. In most cases a microfiber cloth will do the trick.

Refrigerator Shelves

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If nothing spills, you don’t have to wipe down refrigerator shelves every week. Cleaning them more than you need to will make the sealant around the shelves degrade faster and it may not even get any cleaner. As a general rule, you should clean your refrigerator shelves when you feel it’s needed, usually every few months or whenever you spill something.

Kitchen Sink

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Your kitchen sink is really important to keep clean, but you don’t need to scrub it deep every day. Wearing down the finish with over scrubbing isn’t really necessary, unless you had a particularly messy meal prep. It is germ free enough with a simple rinse and occasional disinfecting. If you use a sink regularly, most only need a good cleaning every couple of days, according to an expert from the National Sanitation Foundation.

Windows

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Clean windows are always nice but you don’t need to clean them too often either. In truth, windows can end up streaked from over cleaning, and additional chemicals can deposit residues that attract more dirt over time. Cleaning once a month is usually okay if you live in a very dusty area.

Doorknobs and Light Switches

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Door handles and light switches are easy to wipe down after every guest or any time you clean, but you don’t have to do this daily. Usually, once a week, a quick disinfecting wipe is all you need. Keep in mind that over cleaning them can strip off any protective coatings on the surface and make them look worn out sooner than they should.

Laundry Basket

If it gets a little bit dirty, you might feel the need to wash your laundry basket, but you don’t need to be washing it as often as your clothes. Frequent washes cause the plastic to break down faster. Rather, try wiping it down with a damp cloth every few weeks. If yours is made with fabric, then wash it once a month or when it begins to show signs of visible dirt.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.