When you think about germy areas in your mom’s home, you probably focus on the toilet, sink handles, light switches, remotes, and phones. There are germ-covered areas that people often overlook. Are you missing these critical areas when you clean your mom’s home?
Appliance Controls
Appliance controls like microwave buttons, stove knobs and control pads, and coffeemaker controls don’t get cleaned enough. You should be wiping them down each day. Clean appliance handles at the same time. Wipe down the refrigerator door and oven door handles.
The coffeemaker also needs to have its lines and reservoir washed out each week or two. It doesn’t take a lot of time to do this.
Pour four cups of white vinegar into the reservoir and let it sit for an hour. Top it up with water and run a complete coffee cycle. Rinse out the reservoir and refill it with clean water. Run a second coffee cycle. You may need to repeat that to get rid of the vinegar smell.
Cutting Boards
Cutting boards should be a hard surface to keep scratches away. Once a wood cutting board is scratched, bacteria can hide. Scrub them with salt and lemon to help kill germs.
If you get a glass or stone cutting board, you can place them in the dishwasher or soak them in a mix of water and bleach to kill bacteria. Ideally, get three cutting boards and use one for vegetables and fruits, one for meats, and one for cheeses.
Pet Toys, Dishes, and Bedding
Pet toys are exposed to saliva. That saliva is filled with bacteria. Toys and bedding also get covered in pet dander, yeast and mold, and coliform bacteria. Ideally, look for pet beds that you can wash and dry. Pet toys need to be cleaned and dried at least once a week or washed in hot soap and water if they’re not machine washable.
Each day, your mom’s pets need to have their water and food dishes washed out. Put them in the dishwasher or wash them by hand after soaking them in a mix of bleach and water for 30 minutes. If they don’t eat their canned food, don’t leave it sitting in the bowl overnight. They always need to start the day with clean bowls.
Hire senior care aides to help keep your mom’s house clean and sterile. With the help of professional caregivers, your mom’s house is rid of most germs, which allows her to stay healthy. Call a senior care agency to learn more about housekeeping and laundry services that help with disinfection within the home.